We moved to a new built house with granite countertops in the kitchen. . The granite is a light-ish slab ‘beige light brown’ with gray and orange running through it and is sealed. If water spills on it, it leaves a dark spot but eventually evaporating. However, we noticed lately the area around the faucet is discolored even after it dried out for more than 24 hours. We believe the discoloration is caused by water splashing onto the granite countertop surfaces while the faucet is turning on. It seems to me the water is already penetrate the stone. Is there any solution to withdraw that ‘wet look’ from the stone before we seal it.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Janet

Hello Janet,

Well, your granite was not initially sealed properly. Your water issue is very common when sealer is not done properly. Some people live with the discoloration because the water has absorbed so deeply that it can take two weeks to fully dry by evaporation. However, not only is it important to dry it out and reseal it for aesthetic purposes, leaving it wet will provide a growth source for fungus and mold. This is very bad. I recommend taking a day out and doing the following.

Disconnect and remove the faucet. You need to do this for two reasons. First, if there is a link in the base of the faucet you will never dry it out unless it is re-installed properly. Second, you will need to use a blow dryer and point it down the hole to dry the granite it thoroughly. If you only point the dryer at the top of the granite, the granite will dry out on the top layer only and then the water will leach up by evaporation later. I hope you understand this. It will take about 5 minutes of blow drying every hour for about 5 hours to dry our 3/4″ thick stone because you have a light color granite.

After you are done, apply a premium penetrating granite sealer over the entire countertop and a heavier coat around the sink and cooktop. Be sure to let it soak in for about 20 minutes and then wipe off all the wet excess sealer. Do not let the sealer dry on the granite surface. After 4 hours, hook up the faucet and you are done.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

Hi Tom,

I was cleaning my Ubituba granite countertop with water and a microfiber cloth, (my usual method of cleaning) and noticed some dull marks on the shiny surface. Earlier I was using Crazy Glue, and used a paper towel to protect the granite. I’m thinking that the glue was absorbed not only into the paper towel, but also into the granite. The granite is 5 years old, and was sealed last year. The dull marks are smooth to the touch, yet dull and cloudy. How can I safely remove them from the granite without harming the stone? Thank you in advance for your response.

Hi Terry,

The active ingredient in Crazy Glue is cyanoacrylics, so what you need is 100% Acetone. This will not harm the granite at all but you will want to reseal the granite after cleaning with this because it will all remove the sealer. The process should be very easy for you to do and Acetone can be found at your local hardware store.

Best wishes,
Tom Cordova

We just installed Ubituba. Our installer sealed and then put a wax on top of sealer like a car wax. My husband sat a hot pot on top of the granite and it left a ring. Is there anything you can tell us to do for this? It was our understanding hot pots could be placed on granite. Please advise. - Carolyn

Hello Carolyn,

Hot pans will not harm granite, whatsoever. I am glad you told me that a wax was put the surface. No doubt, the melting of the wax is leaving the mark. Perhaps there was a reason that the wax was applied but this is not a normal installation practice. Only a penetrating granite sealer should have been applied.

See our Granite Sealer and Maintenance page for more details.

You will need to remove the wax. If the wax is water based, you can use a commercial wax stripper sold at a janitorial supply store. If the wax is Solvent Based, you will need to use a paint stripper which contains Methylene Chloride - there are also some non-Methylene Chloride strippers that work effectively. Avoid any stripper that container Ammonia Bi-floride (this chemical with remove the polish look of the granite). Remember to apply a granite sealer after stripping.

Best Wishes,
Tom Cordova

I am building a new home and am considering installing granite kitchen counter tops. I have been told that granite stains easily and attracts mold growth. Do you know anything about such problems? I do not want to invest heavily in these counters and have to remove them because of staining or mold growth. I live in Oklahoma which is very humid. What would you advise? - Betty D.

Hi Betty,

Great question! Granite is still the way to go. All you need to do is to use an anti-microbial granite sealer which fights bacterial 24/7. The brand I recommend would is made by SafeStone International. The best place to buy it in small quantities is on eBay from HomeGranite.com. A 4 ounce bottle sells for $9.95, plus shipping and will cover about 40 SF. This is the answer to enjoying beautiful granite without the maintenance issues you mentioned. For more information on this topic, please see my article “Sealing and Cleaning Your Granite“.

Best Wishes,
Tom Cordova

Hi Tom, We have had some granite countertops partly installed and they gave us no info on “care of” and we have two grease spots that don’t fade away but if we have a water spot it fades away. Are we supposed to put a sealer on and what is best? Thank you, Kathy F.

Hello Kathy, I have written a helpful article here, about granite sealer, that should be helpful to you. Secondly, to clean a grease stain, try a solution of Ivory soap with a plastic scrub brush. If that does not completely do it, then you should try a commercial degreaser found at a cleaning supply store. You need to treat the stain quickly or it will be too late.