Do you know what’s worse than cracked countertops? Permanent stains! They’re ugly, they’re a nightmare to get rid of and they don’t always go away. So, if your granite countertops are stained and you want to freshen them up, then try out these tips.

Use Baking Soda

Baking soda is the answer to all of the problems related to stains. It is a miracle ingredient that can be found in your kitchen. If you see a light food or oil stain that isn’t being removed by your normal cleaner, then don’t worry, because baking soda is here to save the day.

All you need to remove the stain is a teaspoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of vinegar, and a toothbrush. Pour the vinegar on top of the baking soda sitting on the surface of the countertop and you will see a fizzing reaction occur immediately on contact. This fizz is basically what’s going to get rid of the stain.

Once the fizzing starts, grab your damp toothbrush and rub it over the stain. You will see that the stain will disappear almost immediately and your kitchen countertops will be spotless. This hack works great for granite countertops especially, because there’s no chance of damage, so that’s a huge plus, and not to mention, it’s inexpensive.

Lemon Juice Is Your Best Friend

If you don’t have vinegar or baking soda on hand, but have lemons, then that’s also going to help get rid of those pesky food stains. You only need a lemon for this. Cut the lemon in half. If you have it on hand, then baking soda will help a lot. Dip the lemon in baking soda and then rub it on the granite countertop stain. You will see a slight fizzing reaction, but it won’t be as vigorous as vinegar.

Lemon is a natural cleaning and bleaching agent that’s used to clean stains and it will work wonders on your countertops too. You can also mix in some lemon juice with your regular countertop cleaner and that’s going to be a great combination to clean your countertops and prevent stains it will lead to a freshly smelling countertop too.

So, it’s great if you are worried about smelly countertops. Lemon is also quite gentle as compared to other harsh chemicals and it won’t damage your precious granite countertops. Try this hack out on your countertops if you have a stain that’s bothering you, and you’ll see the results for yourself.

What To Do For Dried Food Stains?

Sometimes, water and food stains aren’t the problem, rather the dried food crusts are. They can be pretty ugly to look at and if you’re not quick enough then it can lead to permanent stains. So, if you have some dried-up food that’s crusting up, then you’ll need two things.

A plastic or metal scraper and a toothbrush. If you’re using a metal scraper, then be extremely careful, because you don’t want to accidentally scratch your countertops. So, a plastic scraper is a better option. Use the scraper around the dried-up food crumbs and get it loose. One to two scrapes should be enough to get rid of the food crumbs.

Now that that’s gone, you’re going to have to do something about the stain left behind. Well, that’s easy too. All you need is a bit of detergent, and with a wet toothbrush, scrub the surface where the stain is. The toothbrush is a much gentler tool to use than a scrubber because you don’t want to damage your granite countertops. Use a back-and-forth motion with your toothbrush and use a wet washcloth to wipe away the stain. Your countertops will be as good as new.

Amazing Cleaner For Oil Stains

Oil stains can also be a huge pain in the neck because they aren’t cleaned as easily. Well, there is an easy fix for them and you will be blown away by the results. Oil is slippery and emollient, so you’re going to need something that’s going to dissolve the oil and get rid of that slick feeling. You can use dish soap for this because that’s literally what makes the dishes clean and free from that yucky oily feeling and it can do the same for your granite, marble, and quartz countertops Rockville.

All you need is a bit of detergent and drop it right on top of the stain. Now, if you want to guarantee that the stain is gone for good in the first go, then you will need some baking soda, lemon, or vinegar. These are oil repellents and they’re going to get rid of the stain in no time. Take a toothbrush run it under cold water and start scrubbing. You will see that the stain is gone almost at once and so is the slippery and oily film.

Water And Detergent

This is something that can be used every day for cleaning, but it’s also a preventative measure to avoid stains in the future. Use water and detergent as your countertop cleaner and that’s going to keep the surfaces neat and clean and you won’t have to spend a lot on specialty cleaners for your countertops.

Use Hydrogen Peroxide

If the stains are old and are not going away with the above-mentioned hacks, then it’s time to pull out the big guns. Hydrogen peroxide is a pretty harsh chemical, but it can get rid of stains in the blink of an eye. The trick here is to use it sparingly so that it doesn’t damage or discolor your countertops because hydrogen peroxide tends to do this. Mix a couple of teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide in your daily countertop cleaner and stains will be history.

Sand The Surface

Sometimes, the stains can penetrate a bit deeper into the surface of the countertops, and removing them can be hard. This is where sanding the surface will help. You can use a slightly rough sandpaper to sand the surface of the stain and it will be removed almost immediately.

A huge advantage of using sandpaper is that you will also be getting rid of scratches at the same time, so it’s a win-win situation.

Call In The Professionals

If there are a lot of stains on your countertops and they’re getting quite old too, then you will need professional help to get rid of the stains completely. You can only spot so many stains. So, try to call in a professional contractor and have them look at your countertops.

Chances are that they will need to remove it and take it to a workshop where they can do extensive sanding and treatment to get rid of the stains. This is the only way to salvage the granite countertops if there are a lot of stains on them.

Conclusion

Granite is a very easy target for stains since it’s extremely porous and if you don’t seal it up, then they can be a problem. These tips will help you out. But if the stains are stubborn, have professionals to remove them or consult granite installers Potomac and replace the countertop.