Stone, grout, and concrete are popular choices for indoor and outdoor surfaces, be that flooring or countertops. But what happens when you notice a stain? It’s not the same as removing spots from carpet – how does it work with stone?
There’s a simple answer, but it helps to first understand why wiping it up with soap and water often isn’t enough.
Stone and concrete are naturally porous materials – grout, too. That means they have lots of little pockets for things like oil and grease to get stuck in, and like carpet, they absorb liquids well. In some cases, even water by itself can stain stone. Liquids shouldn’t be allowed to sit for long before wiping them up. But, if something does slip your notice, you’ll need to find a way to pull it up out of those pockets.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution.
Removing Oil Stains
Soap and water can work if the conditions are right. And occasionally, mixing acetone with baking soda can do the trick. But, a simple and safe stain-remover that’s designed for the job is MORE Oil Stain Remover. This product won’t discolor your stone or leave residue behind, and it will get your stain out.
Read the directions before using, but the basics are to test a small area to ensure desired results. Once satisfied, clean the area of any loose debris and apply a ¼ inch layer of paste to the stain, extending one inch beyond its perimeter. Wait 72 hours, then gently remove the dried paste. Clean and reseal, if needed. No scrubbing necessary!
Keeping Your Natural Surfaces Clean
Now that you know how to get your stain out, let’s go over 3 quick ways to prevent them from happening in the first place:
- To protect your beautiful counters and floors, it’s good to give them a dependable sealant before letting anything touch them. Once the sealant is applied, wiping up spills and staying stain-free should be much easier.
- The next thing you can do is to avoid setting greasy products directly on the surface. Place bottles of cooking oils on plates rather than directly on your counter. Or, if placing grease products on the floor, put down a plastic sheet or baggie with a paper towel on top first, to catch any drips.
- Another good tip is to keep things clean, in general. Depending on where your stone or concrete is, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, wiping down, and dusting often are all great ideas. That way, if anything does escape your notice, it won’t sit for very long before it’s removed. This makes big stains less likely to occur.
Enjoying your natural surfaces
Once your pesky stain has been removed, you can go back to admiring your beautiful, natural stone floors and counters.
You now have the know-how to keep them clean, and what to do if something shows up. Sleep won’t be lost again because of a pesky, little grease stain.
