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
Red wine stains in granite lift with a hydrogen peroxide poultice: blot the wine immediately, wash the area, then leave the poultice covered for 24 to 48 hours to draw the colour out.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Purple, pink or grey-blue mark: a wine stain. Follow the steps below.
- Dull mark with no colour: worn surface treatment rather than the stone.
What you need
- Paper towel
- pH-neutral dish liquid
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Flour, talc or diatomaceous earth
- Plastic wrap and tape
- Plastic scraper
Step by step
Blot fast
Blot up every drop straight away. On granite, the first few minutes decide how deep the colour goes.
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 wine stain, 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 wine stain 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.
- Salt, soda water and white wine "tricks": they do nothing for stone and can spread the stain.
When to call a professional
If colour remains after three rounds, or you are dealing with a treated or resin-filled surface, call a restorer. A stone restorer can re-polish granite with diamond pads and draw out deep stains.
Understanding red wine 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
Wine rarely penetrates dense dark granite. On lighter, coarse-grained granites, a glass left overnight can leave a pink shadow that a peroxide poultice lifts.
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 · Red wine stains on every surface