If your home has granite countertops or granite flooring, you must have witnessed stains caused due to hard water on them. Not only do such hard water stains on granite look shabby, but it is also tough to remove them. Hard water gets deposited over the granite and stains it in the shape of rings.
Granite is a porous stone in which water or other liquid seeps in and causes damage to the rock. These stains can hamper the quality of the marble and can cause discoloration. If not removed timely, the stains can form a solid layer which will not be easy to clean. Two types of stains are caused by water on granite. The first type is just a water stain left behind when you leave a vessel of water on the granite.
The second type of stain is the stain caused due running hard water. Hard water stains are rather hard to remove. It is important to remove hard water stains from granite in your home so that your home looks clean and tidy. In this article, we are giving you 4 tips on how you can remove hard water stains from granite easily.
Things You Will Need To Remove Hard Water Stains From Granite
Some things will be used in the procedure of removing hard water stains from your precautions granite. It is advised that you should collect these mentioned things beforehand. Most of the things which will be needed are easy to get and can be found easily in the household. They are:
- A soft cloth
- A sharp razor blade
- Granite cleaner
- Gloves
- Denatured alcohol
- Dish wash detergent
- Water
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Paper towels
4 ways to remove hard water stains from granite easily
By following any of the four below-mentioned ways, you can easily remove hard water stains from granite.
1. Using blade and granite cleaner
For this step, use a designated granite cleaner which can be bought from your nearby supermarket. Before beginning the process, protect yourself by wearing safety gloves. Now, using the sharp razor blade, gently scrape away the solid deposits on the hard stains. Please do not use a blade aggressively as it can cause damage to the granite.
Once you have removed the solid mineral particles, wipe them away using a soft cloth. Pour the granite cleaner on the stain and spread it all over it using a clean sponge. Leave the liquid for some time as per the given instructions on the packaging of the liquid, and then wipe it clean away using a cloth. This will help in vanishing the stain. If the granite cleaner fails to remove the stain, then you can use muriatic acid instead.
2. Using denatured alcohol
If you want to get rid of those stubborn hard water stains and make your granite countertops shiny, then cleaning them with denatured alcohol is the best means to do so. Mix one part denatured alcohol with three parts water and add a few drops of dish wash.
Now pour this liquid on the hard water stains and rub with a clean cloth in a circular motion. Keep changing the sides of the cloth with which you are rubbing the liquid in the granite. Keep doing this until the stain fades away and you get the shiny granite surface.
You can store this liquid in a spray bottle for everyday cleaning purposes. While using this liquid, make sure that you use a dish wash detergent which is pH neutral as acidic dish wash can react with the granite and can cause etching on it.
3. Using a baking soda poultice
Baking soda is basic in nature and will help effectively in ‘sucking’ up the stains. Before putting baking soda paste on the stains, wet it and blot the spot. Next, prepare a baking soda paste in water by mixing baking soda and water to form a thick paste.
After applying the paste on the spot, cover it with plastic and leave it as it is for almost 24 hours. During this time, baking soda paste will start acting upon the stain. After 24 hours, wash the spot with mild soap and water to remove the leftover stain from the granite.
4. Using white vinegar
White vinegar is much less acidic than normal vinegar and won’t etch the surface of the granite. Grab a couple of paper towels and spread them over the hard water stains. Now douse the paper towels with a few drops of white vinegar and let the towels dry for twenty to thirty minutes.
After some time, pick up the towels and wipe away the remaining stain with a soft scrubber. While waiting for paper towels to soak up the stain, make sure that the paper towels don’t dry up as they will cause further stains on the granite.
Conclusion
Granite is costly but looks marvelous. It is tough to keep it clean and stain-free. Normally wiping it with a damp cloth would prove to be of very little help. You would require smart ways to clean granite countertops and to keep them shiny. Hard water stains are tough to get away with.
If you have a sink made of granite, it is most likely that you will notice white spots on it due to hard water. To prevent hard water from staining your sink, you can install a water softener or a water treatment plant to get rid of stains once and for all. The methods which we have described in the article will help you in removing hard water stains from granite.
These are easy-to-do methods and can be used frequently to keep granite shiny. Although it is advised that you must never use an acidic substance like lemons and edible vinegar on granite as it may cause damage to the texture of the granite.
