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Whether it is your granite countertop or your granite floors, it is unfortunate to find out that it has a stain or two. Stains look messy, and they can ruin the appearance of your home. If you find them, the first thing you should consider is how to get the stain out of granite.

Before you can do anything, you will need to identify the stain. After that, there is a series of steps that you can follow to keep your granite surface polished and clean again.

Types of Granite Stains

Before you work on the granite stains, the first thing you need to do is to identify them. Whether you are making your homebrew treatment or buying a poultice powder, this is necessary so that you can properly remove the stain.

When you identify the type of stain, you can choose the suitable liquid solvent for your homebrew formula. While if you decide to buy poultice, some formulations are more effective on certain granite stains.

Here are the types of granite stains that you should keep in mind.

• Acidic Stains - Acidic stains are one of the most common types. These are from coffees, juices, and the like. 6% Hydrogen Peroxide is usually the recommended solvent for this.
• Oil-Based Stains - This kind of stain usually originates from cosmetics, milk, and nail polishes. If you want to make your solution, you should use acetone or ammonia for your solvent.
• Paint and Ink Stains - This kind of stain has various causes - ink pens, wall paints, watercolor, and similar items. These stains are particularly tricky to remove. If you plan to create treatment, use 6% Hydrogen Peroxide as your treatment.
• Rust Stains - As its name suggests, this is composed of rusts, mostly from rusted metallic materials placed on top of the granite surface. This type will need specific rust remover formula if you choose to brew your treatment.

Steps on Getting the Stain Out of Granite

If you want to know how to get the stain out of granite, here is a detailed step-by-step instruction that you can follow. 

Step 1: Identify the type of stain.

Before you can start, you will need to identify the type of stain. There are various types - from rust stains to ink-based stains. This knowledge will be significant because different types require different formulas. 

To identify the stain, try to figure out what caused it. Check for the color and texture. Also, consider the surface area of the stain, so you will know how much treatment you will use.

Step 2: Clean the surface.

Before you use any stain remover, you must clean the surface. You can wipe it with a wet cloth or remove bits and residue by hand. The granite must be clean beforehand because it might affect the formula's effectiveness that you will use.

Step 3: Treat the surface with a stain remover.

The next step is to use a treatment. There are two ways for you to do this. You can either create your formula or buy a poultice powder. When you want to make your treatment, you will need baking soda, water, and specific liquid solvents. When you purchase poultice powder, see if it works for your granite stain.

After you have your treatment, scoop it up and place water on it. Mix it until it gets a toothpaste or a peanut butter consistency. Finally, apply the poultice to the granite surface.

Step 4: Cover the surface. 

To ensure that your stain removal will work, you need to prevent it from drying out fast. To do this, you can cover the area with a plastic cover. Wait for 24 hours and check if the surface is still wet. If it is, continue to keep the plastic in place.

Step 5: Clear the area.

Once the stain remover has done its job, you can now clear the area. Remove the cover and scrape off the remaining poultice. You can also rinse the surface and then dry it off afterward. Make sure to be careful when you are removing the treatment.

Granite Maintenance Tips 

Whether the granite is on the wall, the floor, or the countertop, it will help if you can maintain it. Here are some tips that you can keep in mind to always clean, polished, and look good.

• Treat stains immediately.
• Apply sealants on granite surfaces.
• When using homemade treatment, make sure to use the right ingredients.