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
Coffee stains in granite are tannins that have soaked into the stone. Blot, wash with pH-neutral soap, then draw the stain out with a hydrogen peroxide poultice covered with plastic for 24 to 48 hours. True granite does not etch, so a dull ring left behind usually means the surface treatment has worn.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Brown or tan ring, surface still smooth: a stain. Follow the steps below.
- Dull ring with no colour: usually worn resin or sealer on the surface, not the stone.
- Both: remove the stain first, then deal with any dull mark.
What you need
- Paper towel
- pH-neutral dish liquid
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Flour, talc or diatomaceous earth
- Plastic wrap and tape
- Plastic scraper
- Gloves
Step by step
Blot, do not wipe
Soak up any liquid with paper towel straight away. Wiping spreads it across a bigger area.
Wash the area
Clean with warm water and a few drops of pH-neutral dish liquid, rinse and dry with a soft cloth so you can see what is left on the granite.
Test first
Try the mixture on a hidden spot of your granite (inside a cut-out or under an overhang) and check the finish after it dries.
Mix the poultice
Stir an absorbent powder (plain flour, talc, diatomaceous earth or whiting) into 3% hydrogen peroxide from a pharmacy (test it on a hidden spot first, as peroxide can lighten darker stone) until it has the consistency of peanut butter.
Apply it
Spread it 5 to 6 mm thick over the coffee ring, extending about a centimetre past the edge. Resin-filled fissures in granite will not absorb much; concentrate on the stone around them.
Cover and wait
Cover with plastic wrap, tape the edges and poke a few small holes so it dries slowly. Leave it 24 to 48 hours until completely dry: the drying is what pulls the stain up into the powder.
Remove and rinse
Lift the dry poultice with a plastic scraper, rinse with clean water and dry the granite. If the coffee ring is lighter but still there, repeat up to three times.
Dark stone: On dark granite, use 3% hydrogen peroxide only and test it first, as stronger peroxide can lighten some stones.
What not to use on granite
- Scourers, steel wool and abrasive creams on a polished surface.
- Mixing cleaning chemicals, especially bleach with anything else.
- Bleach: it rarely lifts tannin stains from stone and can damage the finish.
When to call a professional
Call a stone restorer if the stain survives three poultices, covers a large area, or sits in a resin-filled or treated area. A stone restorer can re-polish granite with diamond pads and draw out deep stains.
Understanding coffee stains on granite
Granite porosity varies enormously: dense dark granites barely absorb anything, while light, coarse-grained granites soak up oil around the cooktop.
A stone restorer can re-polish granite with diamond pads and draw out deep stains.
Good to know
Coffee rarely stains dark granite, but light granites such as Kashmir White are porous enough to take a brown ring overnight, especially beside the kettle.
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 · Stain removal guide · Coffee stains on every surface