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ghost stains on granite countertop

Article Number: 604 | Rating: Unrated | Last Updated: Mon, Oct 8, 2007 at 12:00 AM

I recently had "peacock" granite countertops installed in my kitchen. It appears that some foods (strawberries)and liquids (lemonaide) leave a ghost stain (ring) under the plate, bowl or glass if left on the tops. The tops were "sealed" but it still occurs. The dealer has replaced the top three times without improvement. HELP I would really like to keep the tops but need to be able to clean the stains/rings.

Dear Dexter:

They actually replaced your countertop three times?!?!... WOW! Talk about customer service!!...

Well, perhaps if they'd stop trying to seal a stone that can't be technically sealed the problem would never arise. You know, it's hard to envision the possibility of getting different results by doing the same thing over and over, don't you think?... But that would imply for them not to do a thing that they've been thoroughly trained (brainwashed, better defines it) to do by the "salesmen" - no question asked. And that is probably too much for them to handle...

Wash your countertop with a mild solution of water and phosphoric acid a few times (let the solution dwell for a few minutes before blotting and rinsing). That should get rid of the (in this case) totally useless impregnating/sealer that had no business being there in the first place. After that, you should be just fine, providing that you learn how to care for your stone on a daily basis which is vastly more important than the sealing (if and when possible and/or advisable) and it's all too often neglected. As you can tell by reading many of this site's postings, you're not likely to get good information about it from your dealer or installer. Don't become another statistic! By logging into the Helpful Hints section of our website at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/helpful-hints.htm, you will be able to get the short version of our maintenance guidelines at no charge. The full version of it – a 7-page document considered by many as an industry benchmark – is available in pay- per-download format in our Educational Literature section at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/literature.htm.

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Ciao and good luck,

Maurizio Bertoli

www.marblecleaning.org – The only Consumers' Portal to the Stone Industry Establishment!