Deep Cleaning

From time to time you may want to give the surface a thorough clean. The best way to achieve this would be to wash the granite with a good alkaline product like Heavy Duty Tile and Grout Cleaner. Bear in mind that this process is likely to take off any surface polishes that may have been applied, so they may need reapplying afterwards. There are three important words to remember when doing this: Dwell-time, Agitate & Rinse.

Step 1 – Apply the cleaner (mixed at say, 1 part to 5 parts water) and allow it to Dwell for 5 to 10 minutes

Step 2 – Now Agitate (scrub) the surface with a non-abrasive white nylon pad or similar.

Step 3 – Now mop up the cleaning solution with paper towels and finally the all important Rinse. It is the rinsing with fresh, clean water that removes the last of any dirt and along with any trace of detergent, which if simply left to dry on the surface can leave a dull residue. For a great finish, buff off with a cotton towel.

Removing Stains

If after a deep clean there are some deeply ingrained stains, then all may not be lost; Certain stains such as oil or grease can be effectively ‘pulled’ from the granite by using a poultice. Poultice Stain Remover by Aqua Mix is one such product; it can be mixed into a paste with water, or other cleaners to make a very effective poultice. Pour the mixed paste onto the stain, spread it out so it is about 20% bigger than the stain itself and cover with plastic film, then leave it for 24 hours, remove the film and leave it until dry. Then carefully remove the (now dry) poultice using a plastic scraper, if the stain has gone just rinse the work top and throw away the poultice (sometimes you can see the stain, transferred to the poultice!) occasionally for some stains you may need to repeat the process.

Just one small word of caution; some granite work-top sellers are, unfortunately selling inferior quality stone, sometimes this type of stone is not real granite at all, there are even some out there that have been treated with a dye to make them appear uniform in colour for example, some of these may be adversely affected by certain cleaning regimes, including the use of poultices. If you suspect that you may have this type of stone, or cannot ascertain if it is the genuine article, then proceed with caution, test an inconspicuous area first to make sure it is compatible.

Copyright Ian Taylor and The Tile and Stone Blog.co.uk, 2013. See copyright notice above.