Removing Wine Stains from Stone Countertops

Stone countertops are a popular choice among homeowners to bring a touch of sophistication and elegance to their kitchens. Marble, granite, and quartz are the most common choices, but you can also get other stones like slate. How often have we heard the stories of people who get new countertops and within weeks, days, or even hours they get a stain on the beautiful natural stone. The most common stain on kitchen countertops is wine, and it is also among the most difficult to remove. When you spill wine on your counter the first thing you need to do is immediately clean up the wine with a paper towel to stop a stain from occurring, but we cannot always stop the discoloration from happening. If you do have a wine stain that you just cannot stand to look at anymore here are a few ways to restore the natural color to your stone.

• You can get natural stone cleaners that are made to lift stains out of your countertops at home stores or from the place you bought your counter. If you do not have a stone cleaner you can also use a mild detergent with some warm water, this is a good cleaner that works well on most surfaces but is gentle enough to use on the stone in your kitchen.
• Some Oxy-Clean mixed with water to a paste consistency will also lift this kind of stain from your countertop. You can apply this to the stain with your fingers or scrub a little bit with a toothbrush. Let it sit and dry on the stain before lightly scraping it off with a wooden spoon, then rinse it by wiping it down with it damp cloth. If the stain is not completely gone you can do this a few more times and the spot will get lighter each time until it disappears.
• As poultices go there are a couple that can work for stone. One good one is made of 1 cup unbleached flour 3 tablespoons of dish soap and enough water to make the mixture about as thick as yogurt. You want to apply this nice and thick, about 1/4 of an inch, then you want to cover it with some plastic wrap and tape the sides down to keep it moist and leave it overnight. When you take off the plastic you want to wipe off the mixture and the wipe down the area with a moist clean cloth to remove any residue that might remain. You can use a cleaner or some dish soap to guarantee it is all off, be sure to wipe it with a clean cloth after washing too. After using poultices you will need to reseal the stone in the area applied.

When you have a stain you cannot seem to get rid of you should call your installer for advice on what to do. You can ask them about what you can use on the stone without damaging it; you may want to check with a professional before you use any kind of chemical cleaner. Nobody likes to have a stain on their counters, but you do not need to replace part of your stone to get rid of it. Try a few at home remedies for removing the stains before you give up.