Granite Countertops by Arch City Granite, St. Louis
Does Granite Stain? This is one of the more frequent questions we hear from first-time granite buyers. It should be a simple question, but there is a lot of misinformation floating around on the internet.
Yes, technically granite can stain, but it’s not very common. Technically all natural stones are porous. Some stones like granite are less porous and other stones like marble are more porous. Granite is relatively impervious to water and is only minimally absorbent. That’s one of the reasons it is such a popular choice for building exteriors all over the world. Most of the time, any liquid spilled on granite will remain on the surface for at least a few minutes. If the granite is unsealed, this liquid may soak into the granite pores. In these cases, it will usually dry back out within 15-20 minutes.
In some cases, particularly with oils or grease, liquid left on the counter can soak in and create a stain. However, even when this happens, the stain is not necessarily permanent. Most of the time it can be removed using a topically applied paste that draws out any moisture from the stone.
And if the chances of staining weren’t already small enough, you’ll never have to worry about water rings, temporary dark spots, or stains if you properly seal your granite every year.
At Arch City Granite and Marble in St. Louis, we use a top-of-the-line sealer from Dry-Treat Sealer. Dry-Treat makes sealers with advanced “Nano-Technology” that are effective for 15 years. Our sealer is an alcohol-based formula that fills pores in the granite, stopping any liquids from penetrating the stone. Sealer will not change the appearance of your stone; in fact, it will make it more sanitary and easier to clean, since no liquids from food can get into the stone.
How to Seal Granite
Like most quality fabricators, we seal your granite immediately after installation to make sure it’s protected from day one. After that, you can easily repeat the process yourself to ensure your granite stays like-new for years and years to come. Just follow these simple steps:
- Clean your granite counters off with water and allow them to dry completely.
- Shake the sealer and apply it liberally to every part of your counters using a clean paint roller (you can use a clean paintbrush or paper-towels to get all the way into the corners). The idea is to have a thin film of sealer on the entire surface of the stone.
- Let the sealer soak into the counters for 15 minutes. Then you need to wipe off the countertops with a clean cloth.
- If you have a white granite or other stone that is more susceptible to stains, you may want to apply a second coat. In that case, wait for at least 48 hours before you apply the second coat the same way as the first.
- Wipe off the counter with clean towels or paper towels, making sure to wipe away any excess sealer. Whatever didn’t soak into the counters is excess.
- Let your countertops sit for 24 hours before you use them if possible.
- Clean your rollers or brushes with water and store in a clean place.
For regular cleaning, we recommend using Dry-Treat’s Rejuvenata Spray. This product not only cleans and polishes, but also adds a small bit of sealer to make sure there are no unsealed patches on your granite counters.
If you have more questions, please visit our St. Louis granite showroom to speak with natural stone experts.