Degreasing Granite
Hi!
We had Madurai Gold granite countertops installed in our kitchen about 10 months ago. We noticed recently that the joint/crack between two pieces of the stone (where two pieces were used to cover a long counter area) was not properly sealed and a small space or crack had developed. Before we were able to correct, I spilled some cooking grease in that area about 1 week ago. At first I did not notice a problem. The grease wiped up quickly and did not leave a stain. However, since then a dark spot is radiating from one side of the crack. I assume that the grease seeped into the crack and is being absorbed through the granite from the side. Any suggestions on fixing the problem or removing the stain?
Thanks!
Amy
Hello Amy,
Your assessment of what happened is very good. The cooking grease went into the opening and soaked in to the rough edge of the granite.
It is important to work on removing the stain as soon as possible. First, clean the area thoroughly with a good detergent or just use Ivory soap. Let it dry and then soak the area with a commercial degreaser (buy at your local hardware store). Soak it for several minutes and don’t let the degreaser dry. Reapply it to keep it wet. Remove the degreaser and rinse with clean water. You can try this a couple times over a couple days. If the stain is still present I recommend you buy ‘OPP Stain Remover’ from Stone Care International. This is good poultice from your stain problem. After the stain is gone, you need to apply epoxy to the joint to seal it up.
I recommend you contact a local granite shop to do this or ask the installer to fix it based on their warranty. An ethical good company will not charge you for this warranty work. If you can not get anyone to do it, check the hardware store for two-part epoxy that comes with an ejection applicator. Follow the instructions for mixing and apply it with a razor blade. Don’t forget to reapply a penetration granite sealer on the granite after the stain is gone.
Best wishes,
Tom Cordova
