Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
Granite does not etch from kitchen acids the way marble does. True granite is made of quartz, feldspar and mica, which kitchen acids do not dissolve. Some stones sold as granite do contain calcite, and factory resin treatments can mark. So a dull or cloudy mark usually has another cause: worn factory resin or sealer, mineral deposits, calcite within the stone, or a slab that is not really what it was sold as.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Dull mark that wipes away with warm soapy water: residue.
- White crust you can feel: hard-water deposit. See the hard water guide.
- Dull mark after lemon juice that does not wipe away: the stone may contain calcite or be a dolomite. Try the lemon test on an offcut.
What you need
- Warm water and dish liquid
- Microfibre cloth
- Lemon (for testing an offcut)
Step by step
Clean the area
Wash with warm soapy water and dry. Residue often looks exactly like a dull etch.
Check for deposits
Run a fingernail over the mark. A crust means minerals; see the hard water guide.
Do the lemon test
On an offcut or hidden spot, leave a few drops of lemon juice for five minutes, wipe and look at an angle. A dull mark means your stone contains calcite and can etch.
Get it assessed
A stone restorer can re-polish granite with diamond pads and draw out deep stains.
What not to use on granite
- Scourers, steel wool and abrasive creams on a polished surface.
- Mixing cleaning chemicals, especially bleach with anything else.
When to call a professional
A stone restorer can re-polish granite with diamond pads and draw out deep stains.
Understanding etch marks on granite
True granite is made of quartz, feldspar and mica, which kitchen acids do not dissolve. Some stones sold as granite do contain calcite, and factory resin treatments can mark.
On polished granite, problems usually show as dull traffic areas, dark oil patches on lighter slabs, or water spots on dark ones.
A stone restorer can re-polish granite with diamond pads and draw out deep stains.
Good to know
If lemon juice leaves a dull mark on your granite, the stone may contain calcite, or the factory resin treatment on the surface may be what reacted.
Stop it happening again
Whether yours is light granites like Kashmir White and dense dark granites like Absolute Black, repairing it fixes today's mark; protecting it stops the next one. Our clear Stone Protection Film sits over the surface, so liquids cannot soak in. Choose Gloss for polished granite or Matte/Satin for honed and matte finishes. The protection is identical. It is installed across Sydney with a 10-year written warranty.
How we protect granite · Fixing etch marks · Etch marks on every surface