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How To Get Stains Out Of Your Granite Countertop

Granite is a natural stone that’s naturally porous. Unfortunately, that means it can be prone to staining. But don’t fret! We have gotten bad stains on our granite counters and lived to tell the tale. In fact, getting a stain out of granite isn’t as hard or nerve-racking as you might expect.

Food stain on granite countertops

For example, we picked up a blueberry container to find a BRIGHT pink stain on our BRAND NEW granite counters. It was VERY distressing. If you’re Googling this, you’re probably feeling the same about your stain. Take a breath and let’s get started.

Materials Needed

Getting stains out of your granite countertops only requires a few regular household items. So don’t rush out to the store and buy a lot of specialty cleaners or cleansers. Here’s what you may need:

  • Soft cloth or paper towel
  • Liquid bleach
  • Baking soda
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Plastic wrap or plastic bag
  • Dish soap or multi-surface cleaner

We also recommend having gloves to wear while handling bleach.

How To Get Stains Out Of Granite

For stubborn stains from food, wine, or oil, your steps for getting them out will be largely the same:

  • Use a towel or cloth to blot up what you can from the surface
  • Apply one of the cleaning solutions below
  • Cover with plastic overnight (you may want to tape down the edges)
  • Clean up the area and rinse
Plastic bag soaking on granite counter stain

Yes, it requires a little bit of patience. But luckily takes zero scrubbing or elbow grease.

Using Bleach To Remove Granite Stains

We found a huge stain under a blueberry container that had sat out for four days (!!!) on our new granite counters. Oops! This obviously wasn’t some surface stain we could just wipe away. In fact, we were pretty sure it was going to be 100% permanent. But we referred to the granite care card that had come with our countertops and they recommended using liquid bleach. Here’s what we did:

  • Poured a small amount of liquid bleach directly onto the stained area
  • Covered with a plastic freezer bag (we were out of plastic wrap)
  • Watched the stain disappear!
  • Resealed the area
Clean granite area where stain had once been

Was it scary to put bleach onto our counters? Yes, a little bit. Did it work? TOTALLY. In fact, our dark stain had disappeared in less than 2 hours, meaning we didn’t even need to let it soak overnight.

Keep in mind that bleach should only be used at full strength on counters when removing stains. If you’re using it for regular cleaning, always dilute it to 1/4 or 1/2 strength. It should only be used to clean properly sealed countertops. And always remember to wear gloves.

You can also try this method with hydrogen peroxide or acetone (but NOT nail polish remover – it has other chemicals in it that can harm your counter). With all of these options, it’s best to test in an inconspicuous spot first or use a diluted solution first. Since they can degrade the sealant on your granite, it’s safest to reseal these areas afterwards.

Can I use vinegar on granite?

Vinegar is NOT recommended for granite countertops. Acidic liquids like vinegar, lemon juice, and ammonia can etch granite. This is a chemical reaction that degrades the minerals in the stone, causing changes in color and texture to your countertops.

Using Baking Soda To Remove Granite Stains

An alternate method to liquid bleach is using a baking soda paste, also called a “poultice”. The steps are the same, but you’ll first mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of water or hydrogen peroxide. Water works best for oil-based stains, while hydrogen peroxide is best for water-based stains.

As with the bleach, apply your baking soda paste to the stain and cover tightly with plastic. The plastic keeps your paste from drying out while it soaks up the stain. Let this sit for several hours (or even a few days, if needed). Once the stain has been soaked up by the baking soda, clean the area thoroughly with water, soap, or multi-surface cleaner.

Removing Water Stains from Granite Counters

Believe it or not, water can stain a porous stone like granite – especially around faucets and sinks that regularly have standing water. These stains can darken your granite or appear as scaly build-up, especially if you have hard water. Here are several techniques to try, each getting a bit more aggressive than the last:

  • Thoroughly dry the area to ensure there is no active standing water
  • Scrub the area with mild soap and microfiber cloth
  • Scrub the area with a baking soda and hydrogen peroxide poultice, using a stiff bristled brush or old toothbrush
  • Apply a baking soda poultice and cover with plastic overnight
  • Carefully use a razor to scrap off any limescale build-up (go slow, as not to etch your counter)

Once the area is cleaned to your satisfaction, apply fresh sealer to help prevent water stains from building up again.

Preventing Granite Stains

The best way to deal with granite counter stains is to not get them in the first place. Here’s some easy way to do that:

White Kitchen With Clean Granite Countertops

Wipe up spills immediately

Stay vigilant and don’t let food, oils, butter, drinks, soap, and even water sit on your granite counters. Make sure to wipe down counters after use – like making dinner – to catch any staining materials you may have missed.

Seal counters regularly

Granite countertops should be sealed every 12-18 months. Lighter colors tends to be more porous and may need more frequent sealing. You can also use a 2-and-1 cleaner and sealer during your regular cleanups to help protect high-use areas.

Don’t leave wet dishes out

Wet glasses or dishes can also leave water ring stains on your granite, especially if you have hard water. So make sure if you are leaving any dishes out to dry on your counters that you are placing them on a towel or drying rack first.

Reduce staining opportunities

While some activities are impossible to do elsewhere – meal prep, cleaning dishes, etc – consider moving other “risky” activities away from your granite. For example, pour wine elsewhere or don’t use permanent marker near your granite. Also make sure foods (like our blueberries) are always stored elsewhere or in non-porous containers. You can also place wooden cutting boards under work areas to reduce food, oil, or butter contact with your granite.

Honestly, the experience of getting our blueberry stain out made me love us counter even more. The fact that a big hideous berry stain could sit there for days and completely disappear in mere hours makes me a lot less nervous about the occasion oil or wine spill.

The moral of the story: if you’re considering granite but are nervous about the stain-factor, it’s safe to say that it’s a lot more durable than ya think.

*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Comments

  4. Honeybee says

    Very good to know! By the way, I really do enjoy your blog… It’s nice to see that young people like myself are not afraid of home rennovations! (And you do a lovely job of rennovating!) I can’t wait to put some of your tips to use – when we buy our own home!

    Reply

  5. Cindy says

    We had a similar situation and I found that the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser flexed it’s muscles really hard and got the stain out. I’m not entrely sure what that sponge has in it (chemically speaking) but I know it has saved us from many a berry stain.

    Reply

  7. jenny says

    …I don’t know if this would work with granite countertops, but I’ve had a lot of luck with mixing cream of tartar with a little white vinegar (so it’s like a paste) and putting it on dried stains for a few minutes before wiping it off…

    Reply

  10. Megan says

    What an amazing blog you have!! I just moved into a recently remodeled row house in Columbus, OH. We have a stain on our granite and I’m going to attempt to remove it today! Thank you so much for your insight and bravery!

    Reply

  11. Susan says

    I had a similar stain in my bathroom granite countertop left from self tanner and freaked because I live in an apartment. Luckily, I found that soaking a cotton ball with warm water and leaving it on the spot over night removed the stain! Just something to try since you don’t keep bleach in the house for obvious reasons.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Great tip Susan! Thanks so much for sharing. We’ll have to try that idea next time (if we’re unlucky enough to have a next time…)

      xo,
      Sherry

  12. Derek says

    What’s wrong with bleach? I use it to disinfect my kitchen sinks and clean wood cutting boards and water bottles among other things. Just fill the sink or bottle with water, add a little bleach, and let sit for thirty minutes or so. Then rinse out three times and your sink or bottle is as good as new. I couldn’t live without bleach.

    Reply

    • California Mama Bear says

      I agree, Derek; there is nothing wrong with bleach if used carefully, properly & treated with all due respect! But then I grew up when baby cribs all had lead paint & most everything else did too, and we drank straight from a garden hose, etc. . . . and here I am today still going strong and a grandmother of four. I purposely keep several extra bottles of bleach on hand and rarely use rubber gloves and have never opened a window just because I was pouring some bleach on something. In case of disaster, unscented regular bleach can help disinfect water and save lives ( http://water.epa.gov/drink/emerprep/emergencydisinfection.cfm ) – it is a powerful disinfectant and germicide; it’s great for cleansing cutting boards, sink drains, toilet bowls and killing mold or mildew on shower curtains, grout & caulking, in showers and elsewhere – like lawn & patio furniture or thermoses & ice chests. I even removed the rock pebbles from our fish tank, put them in a bucket of water with a strong bleach solution to soak, rinsed them really well, and returned them to the fish tank with no ill-effects on our fish. See more at http://themanyusesof.blogspot.com/2011/12/bleach.html

  14. Megan says

    Thanks. Boy am I glad I found this link. My 5 yo mixed cheeto dust and water to leave two bright orange rings on our cashmere white granite counter tops. The bleach worked like a charm. Great blog!

    Reply

  16. Lisa says

    Do you think this would work on marble countertops? When upgrading to new faucets, an ugly yellow stain was on the white marble underneath the old faucets.

    Reply

  17. Molly says

    I hosted a baby shower at my house and made a blueberry french toast and a party goer left the serving spoon on my very similar counter. I found a huge purple stain after everyone had left and started having a panic attack (we’ve lived in our new house for 3 months!) Thanks to your website tips and a cap-full of bleach the purple stain was gone in 30 minutes! I can’t thank you enough for this tip!

    Reply

  18. Tiffany says

    Trying this tip as we speak! Hope it works. My husband spilled coffee on the counter at 7 a.m. and I’m just now seeing it. I’m pretty sure after 10 minutes the bleach started working! Thanks <3

    Reply

  19. kim says

    I had a blueberry stain on my new granite counters so i used the bleach and it was out within the hour. Now I have a bleach stain.

    Reply

  20. Carolyn says

    Hey guys, I feel like I’m stepping back in time commenting on such an old post! In your years living with granite, did you ever experience grease stains? And did you try this same method to remove them? We had a dinner party last night and are now left with multiple grease rings from where the olive oil jar sat and various things … gahh. I knew granite can stain but had no idea it was that easy.

    Reply

  21. Jessica says

    Just had a similar incident with raspberries and I was freaking out! We have had the new counter tops for 2 months now. I googled and this popped up! Thank you for sharing! It is already working and the stains are almost gone! PHEW!

    Reply

  22. Suzanne says

    You saved my sanity! We just did a total remodel and put granite in the bathrooms and kitchen. My husband had some oral surgery and the instructions for care were on a bright pink piece of paper. So he put the paper by the sink to remind him of his care and when he was done with it several days later apparently it had gotten wet and left the dye stain on the granite! I wanted to throw up! I tried alcohol like one site suggested but no luck. I just used the bleach and in less than 30 minutes it is almost gone! Thank you so much! BTW we just used the same granite in our kitchen as yours…I love it!

    Reply

  23. Jackie says

    Thank God for the Internet….just moved into an apartment that was remodeled with black and white granite counter tops. Came home from work and realize that a plastic container of Strawberries leaked all day on the counter top. I started hyperventilating, not knowing what to do. I heard a small voice that said, “grab the iPad” and I am glad I did. Thanks so much for this blog. Everything is working out fine. That big ugly red spot is slowly disappearing. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply

  24. Michelle Lynne says

    I was just looking for a backup plan when I came across your post, but am happy to report that a paste of hydrogen peroxide & baking soda has the same results. (Which I’m grateful for because there was no bleach in my cabinet to implement the backup plan.) Yay non toxic solution!

    Reply

  25. Kim says

    How do you clean marble stains under the surface. It looks like a round spot like the bottom of a glass or shaving cream can or maybe the round part of a blowdryer. There are also some sort of dripping or spots. Please help me. I’am a housekeeper and have tried everything. Aloha

    Reply

  26. JR says

    I left a pink post it on my granite counter. It got wet and dried before I saw it. the bleach took it right off although I was afraid to try it.

    Reply

  27. Lindsay says

    We had a strawberry stain that left our light granite in ruins. We are trying your solution and after 45 minutes most our stain is gone. Thank you!!!

    Reply

  28. Jessica says

    This worked amazing well. We were about to call our builder and accuse him of putting in a bad stone, but this took care of the problem. THANK YOU!

    Reply

  29. Jo says

    I tried bleaching a stain out of my granite and now I have a big bleach stain! It’s probably my mistake for letting it sit too long. Unfortunately I’m in a rental and will probably lose all my deposit. I think my landlady might have missed the original stain but she’ll definitely see this. Drat. I’ve never done property damage to any apt and she thought of me as a great tenant. Maybe I’d just better not move!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh no! So sorry Jo! Anyone have an idea how to get a bleach stain out? Perhaps there’s some sort of “stain” you can apply to blend the lighter part in? I’d call a granite vendor or stone yard and even bring in a photo if you can go there in person and see if they have any ideas. Good luck!

      xo
      s

    • Marcus Arelius says

      What color is your granite and how long did you leave it on? Was it just plain bleach or did it have added scent or something else?

    • California Mama Bear says

      Depending on how long you plan to stay in your rental, the bleach stain may fade after time as the granite absorbs other things through countertop use. If it doesn’t fade, you could consider mildly bleaching ( easy does it ) the surrounding granite to blend in more with the stain; so it wouldn’t look so obvious.

  30. jamie says

    I started looking this morning how to get stains out of granite. My husband left a printer ink cartridge(magenta) on our granite counter little did we know it was leaking the whole time. Left a very dark pink stain, now I have heard about eggshells getting oil stains out of fabric, so I crushed some up and added vinegar and kept it most, not sure if it will work at all… but its been two days and its almost completely gone! Yes it is a longer process, but no chemicals required! I really wish I had taken a before photo of the stain so I could show the difference.

    Reply

  31. Hannah says

    Thanks!
    We had a similar strawberry experience (went away for a weekend and a box of strawberries got left on counter and leaked).
    It looked terrible but the bleach cleared in in minutes: I’d never have used bleach without seeing this post even though I do use bleach in bathrooms, sinks and to sterilize water bottles etc
    Thanks so much!

    Reply

  32. Meghan says

    You are a LIFESAVER! Earlier this week I was horrified when I picked a container of strawberries off my granite countertop (in my rented apartment!) and found a huge pink juice stain underneath. I would have never have thought to use bleach on granite, but it worked like a charm! Thanks for helping me save my deposit, and my sanity :)

    Reply

  33. Betsey says

    Thanks! You just saved our new granite slab. It had a huge strawberry stain. I looked up fixes and yours seemed easiest. Only bleach I had was a laundry gel pen. It worked like a charm! After an hour that nasty hot pink stain was only a memory!
    THANKS!!!

    Reply

  34. jay says

    Use a product designed for cleaning granite countertops. Let it sit for 30 to 40 seconds and then wipe it off with a soft clean cloth. Do not use bleach or any solution containing bleach to clean your granite countertops. Also refrain from using harsh chemicals, acidic cleaners such as vinegar and abrasive cleaners. The wrong cleaner can remove any sealant present on the granite, strip the granite of its shine and damage the granite countertop. After cleaning your granite countertop, make sure you dry it with cotton flannel or a chamois cloth.

    Read more: http://www.ehow.com/way_6174401_can-clean-granite-countertops-bleach_.html#ixzz2jdSJM0V6

    So…….

    Reply

    • Marcus Arelius says

      @Jay, That link is for ‘cleaning’ granite, not removing stains. I also hope Jo explains how long she left the bleach on and what color her granite is.

  35. Judy says

    A stain has developed at the grout line of our granite and wicked up on the granite backsplash. It has been there for at least two days and is obviously not a water stain, although it looks like one, or it would have disappeared by now. It is about 4 inches long and 1 or 2 inches up the backsplash. YIKES! Can you help?

    Reply

  37. Ed says

    I am totally amazed that people spend thousands of dollars on granite tops due to granite being durable and place the granite in the MOST used area of the home and then expect the granite to remain pristine. Two thoughts. 1. NEVER use your kitchen after you install granite so it will remain in perfect pristine condition. 2. Accept the fact it’s gonna have things happen to it and do the best you can to clean it and move on with your life.

    Reply

  38. Mollie says

    I had this same freak out moment. I had dropped the pile of mail on the counter one day, and it included a pink door hanger that had said the city assessor had come by. I washed some dishes and I guess some water had gotten on the mail, the pink piece was of course on the bottom. I lifted it up and had HUGE neon pink square on our gray granite. AHH! I did a paste of baking soda and vinegar and it worked really well. Oxyclean had also worked in paste form for me in the past too. I try to keep bleach out of our house too!

    Reply

  39. Michelle says

    Hi, I have a stain in my black granite sink from someone pouring paintbrush cleaner liquid. I have been told to sand it lightly. its like a white film on it

    Reply

  40. Kathy Straub says

    Here’s a great website for removing a variety of stains from granite:
    http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-remove-stains-from-granite-countertops/

    Grease stains require a poultice application and time to draw it out of the stone. Bleach doesn’t draw out a stain, merely bleaches it.

    But bleach should be in every household. It’s the world’s cheapest disinfectant. Ten percent bleach solution, 1 part bleach to 9 parts water, will kill just about everything nasty. Your drinking water contains bleach and up to 4 ppm (parts per million) is considered safe.

    As bleach degrades, it turns into salt water, so it doesn’t pose an environmental risk. But it’s also why your ten% solution has to be made freshlly when you need it.

    And if you really need convincing on the value of bleach in the laundry, google how much fecal matter is still on a washed load of underwear as your putting it into the dryer! Yuck. Always wash your hands after handling wet clothes.

    One last tip: kitty litter works great at removing those ugly grease stains on garage floors (and driveways). Just sprinlke liberally and leave it for several days. Outside you will need to cover with paper and weight down to keep it from blowing. Just get the cheapest brand.

    I hope this info helps.

    Reply

  41. Laurie KIfer says

    Bleach works on just about any stain on any surface. I have been doing that for years. I just let the moist rag lay on the stain, not plastic.

    Reply

  42. Nicole says

    Your tip saved my cream granite countertop from spilled red kids medicine!!! We didn’t notice the stain until we returned from a 10 day trip, so it had been sitting there for more than a week. I tried every cleaning agent I had until I saw your post. I treated the stain as suggested and it was gone within an hour. So thankful for the tip….THANK YOU!! Phew….

    Reply

  43. Belinda says

    The bleach didn’t need to be full-strength, it’s not dangerous used as directed, and why on earth weren’t the blueberries in the fridge?

    Reply

  44. Andrew says

    Worked like a charm! My stain consisted of strawberry juice, from a handful of strawberries that were trimmed and left to sit overnight. Good as new, now.

    Reply

  45. Jan says

    I have a black granet counter top in my bathroom it has a lighter spot on it either from water or C L R cleaner how can I get this out

    Reply

  46. Monica says

    Thank you! We left a wet pink post it note on the counter for an hour Nd it left a stain that wouldn’t come up. We panicked! Your tip worked in less than 10 minutes. We could monitor the stain release through the sandwich bag too.

    Reply

  47. Ann donovan says

    Well I had my granite vanity one day and My soap depenser had a black felt on the bottom leaving an ugly black stain. I was so upset. I read the article about using bleach and plastic wrap. Well I applied it three times and also made a paste of baking soda and water. Well stain is gone and we are now sealing the granite… Thanks so much.

    Reply

  49. Karen says

    You saved our countertop! I was so afraid to put bleach on it. We rarely use it for the same reasons you stated but glad I had it on hand tonight. The stain was months old and it is almost gone now after only 30 minutes. Thanks so much!

    Reply

  50. Ben says

    Hi Sherry! Thank you for the granite stain removing tip! We had a huge pink strawberry stain and after following your awesome advice, it completely disappeared. You are awesome! Thank for your gracious tips!!!

    Reply

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