Cleaning Explained

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How to clean granite countertops and remove stains

To clean granite countertops, wash with warm water and a neutral stone cleaner or a little mild dish soap, rinse with clean water and dry with a soft cloth. Blot spills instead of wiping them. Granite resists most kitchen acids, but it's slightly porous and protected by a sealer that vinegar, bleach and harsh cleaners break down, so stains that do soak in are drawn back out with a poultice rather than scrubbed.

Best method
Neutral cleaner and warm water, rinse, dry
Time
5 minutes daily; 24-48 hours for a stain poultice
Difficulty
Easy

You will need

  • Neutral (pH 7) stone cleaner or mild dish soap
  • Soft cloths or microfiber
  • Paper towels, for blotting spills
  • Baking soda, for an oil-stain poultice
  • Plastic wrap and tape, for poultices
  • Food-safe penetrating sealer, if the water test fails
Speckled granite kitchen island with sink, fruit bowl and wooden bar stools

Step by step

  1. 1

    Blot spills right away

    Blot spills with a paper towel instead of wiping. Pay attention to oil, wine, coffee and juice.

    Why: Wiping spreads the spill over more stone; blotting lifts it before it soaks into the pores.

  2. 2

    Wash with a neutral cleaner

    Wipe the counter with warm water and a neutral stone cleaner, stone soap or a little mild dishwashing liquid on a soft cloth.

    Why: Neutral products clean without attacking the stone or the sealer. The Natural Stone Institute lists mild dish detergent as acceptable.

  3. 3

    Rinse and dry

    Wipe again with a cloth dampened in clean water, then dry with a soft cloth. Wipe the area around the faucet dry daily.

    Why: Soap left behind leaves a film and streaks; drying prevents water spots and white mineral rings.

  4. 4

    Do a water test now and then

    Drip a little water on a few spots, including near the sink and stove, and leave it 10 to 20 minutes. If it beads, the stone is protected. If it soaks in and darkens the granite, it's absorbing.

    Why: That tells you whether the impregnating sealer still works, without guessing at a schedule.

  5. 5

    Reseal if it absorbs

    Apply a penetrating (impregnating) sealer per its directions. In a kitchen, choose one labeled non-toxic and food safe.

    Why: Sealing makes stone stain resistant, not stain proof. It slows absorption so you have time to blot.

What granite is, and what that rules out

Granite is an igneous stone made mostly of quartz, feldspar and mica. Because it's siliceous, it resists most kitchen acids, unlike marble, which etches. But it's somewhat porous, so oils and colored liquids can soak in and darken it, and the sealer that slows this down is broken down by acids and harsh chemicals. Some granites also contain trace acid-sensitive minerals. So the Natural Stone Institute still advises against routine use of vinegar, lemon and acidic cleaners.

Two other hazards: rust removers and some toilet bowl cleaners contain hydrofluoric acid, which attacks all stone, including granite; and scouring powders, creams and abrasive pads dull a polished surface. Use trivets and cutting boards to protect the polish and sealer.

Sources differ on the details. One restoration expert on the Natural Stone Institute's consumer site prefers a stone cleaner to dish detergent, which can leave a film. Iowa State's AnswerLine suggests a homemade mix of 3 parts dish detergent to 1 part rubbing alcohol. On sealing, intervals range from several times a year to up to 10 years for a good sealer; very dense dark granites barely take sealer at all. The water test settles it for your counter.

How to get stains out of granite: the poultice

A stain in granite is inside the stone, so surface cleaners can't reach it. A poultice draws it out: an absorbent powder (baking soda, kaolin, diatomaceous earth or whiting) mixed with a liquid chemical to the consistency of peanut butter. Spread it 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick over the stain, cover with plastic wrap taped at the edges, and leave it 24 to 48 hours to dry. As it dries, it pulls the dissolved stain into the powder. Scrape it off, rinse, and repeat up to five times.

  • Oil-based stains (grease, cooking oil, cosmetics), which darken the stone: a baking soda and water poultice, or a poultice made with mineral spirits or acetone.
  • Organic stains (coffee, tea, wine, fruit), which leave a pinkish-brown mark: 12% hydrogen peroxide (hair-bleaching strength, not the 3% drugstore kind) with a few drops of ammonia, applied directly or as a poultice.
  • Rust stains: a poultice with a commercial stone rust remover. These are often permanent and may need a professional.
  • Hard water rings: buff with dry #0000 steel wool.

Never mix ammonia with bleach. See what never to mix.

By situation

Granite floors

Dust-mop often with a clean, untreated dry mop, and use mats inside and outside entrances to catch the grit that scratches stone. Damp-mop with a neutral cleaner, stone soap or mild dish detergent in warm water, then rinse and dry.

Granite composite sinks

A composite sink is an engineered material, not a slab of natural granite, so its maker's care guide applies rather than stone-countertop rules. One sink maker's guide says to wipe with soapy water and towel-dry, use a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution for water marks, and avoid undiluted bleach, ammonia or alkaline solutions, oven cleaner, paint remover and steel wool. It also says to run cold water before pouring boiling water into the sink. Follow your own sink maker's guide, since makers differ.

Light scratches

The Natural Stone Institute says light surface scratches may be buffed with dry #0000 steel wool. Chips and deeper scratches need a stone professional.

Granite in the bathroom

Soap scum builds up on vanity tops and showers. Squeegee after use, and remove scum with a non-acidic soap scum remover or a dilute ammonia solution (about 1/2 cup per gallon of water). Frequent ammonia use can dull some stones, and Iowa State's AnswerLine lists ammonia among products that may damage granite, so use it sparingly.

What not to do

  • Don't use vinegar, lemon or acidic cleaners routinely. Acids can affect trace minerals in the stone and break down the sealer.
  • Don't use rust removers or toilet bowl cleaners on the counter. Many contain hydrofluoric acid, which attacks even granite and quartzite.
  • Don't scrub with scouring powders, creams or abrasive pads. They scratch and dull polished stone.
  • Don't wipe a spill around; blot it. Wiping spreads it over more stone before you lift it.
  • Don't mix ammonia and bleach. Together they release toxic chloramine gas.

Other methods that work

Dish detergent and rubbing alcohol spray

Iowa State's AnswerLine suggests 3 parts dish detergent to 1 part rubbing alcohol, diluted in water, as a homemade granite cleaner.

Caution: Rinse well; detergent residue can streak. Stone professionals prefer a pH-neutral stone cleaner.

Professional stone restorer

For rust stains, etching on sensitive granites, chips and stains that survive five poultices.

Caution: Ask about the stone type and sealer before they start.

Stain still there?

Dark spot after a spill that dries out after a while

If it fades as it dries, it was water and the stone needs resealing. If it stays dark, it's probably oil: use a baking soda poultice, then reseal.

Streaks and a dull film

Soap residue. Rinse with clean water and buff dry, and use less detergent or switch to a neutral stone cleaner.

The poultice didn't remove the stain

Make sure you matched the chemical to the stain type, keep it covered long enough to work, and repeat up to five times. Then call a stone professional.

Safety

  • 12% hydrogen peroxide irritates skin and eyes: wear gloves and eye protection.
  • Ventilate when using acetone or mineral spirits, and keep them away from flames.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

What is the best granite stain remover?

A poultice matched to the stain: baking soda or a solvent for oil, 12% hydrogen peroxide with a few drops of ammonia for coffee, tea and wine, and a stone rust remover for rust.

Can I use vinegar on granite?

Not routinely. Granite resists acid better than marble, but acids break down the sealer and can affect some minerals in the stone.

How do I know if my granite needs sealing?

Drip water on it and wait 10 to 20 minutes. If it beads, it's fine. If it soaks in and darkens the stone, reseal with a food-safe penetrating sealer.

Can you use disinfecting wipes or bleach on granite?

Stone groups recommend neutral cleaners instead, because bleach and harsh chemicals can wear down the sealer. If you must disinfect, rinse with water afterward and never combine bleach with ammonia.

More guides for this room

Sources

  1. Care & Cleaning of Natural Stone, Natural Stone Institute
  2. Stain Removal (natural stone) incl. Making and Using a Poultice, Natural Stone Institute
  3. How to Care For Your Granite Countertops, Use Natural Stone (Natural Stone Institute consumer site)
  4. 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Natural Stone Surfaces, Use Natural Stone (Natural Stone Institute consumer site)
  5. Caring for Stone Countertops, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - AnswerLine
  6. Selection and Use of Home Cleaning Products, Guide G-304, New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service
  7. Composite Granite Sink (Introduced in 2019): Care And Cleaning Guide, Moen (manufacturer care guide)

Last updated . Methods are drawn from the sources above; how we research and check our guides.