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
Turmeric sits in the surface of quartz and Caesarstone rather than soaking in. Wash with warm soapy water, then gently work a paste of bicarb soda and water or a non-abrasive cream cleaner over the yellow mark and rinse. Curcumin, the yellow pigment in turmeric, fades under UV light, so a few days of direct sunlight on the stain often finishes the job.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Bright yellow mark after cooking: turmeric or curry.
- Yellowing that is brownish and near the cooktop: possibly heat scorching instead. See the heat marks guide.
What you need
- Dish liquid
- Bicarb soda or non-abrasive cream cleaner
- Soft cloth
Step by step
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 quartz.
Gently lift the colour
Make a paste of bicarb soda and water (or use a non-abrasive cream cleaner), rub gently in small circles for a minute, then rinse and dry.
Let the sun help
Curcumin, the yellow pigment in turmeric, fades under UV light, so a few days of direct sunlight on the stain often finishes the job.
Dark stone: On dark quartz, test any cleaner on a hidden spot first so you do not leave a lighter patch.
What not to use on quartz
- Scourers, steel wool and abrasive creams on a polished surface.
- Mixing cleaning chemicals, especially bleach with anything else.
- Oven cleaner, paint stripper and strong alkaline degreasers, which damage the resin.
- Bleach, which can discolour the resin in quartz.
When to call a professional
If the stain has not faded after a week, ask your manufacturer about an approved stain remover or call a benchtop repairer.
Understanding turmeric and curry stains on quartz
Quartz (engineered stone) is crushed quartz bound in resin. It is essentially non-porous, so most stains sit on or just in the resin at the surface.
A benchtop repairer can fix chips and some surface damage. Because Australia banned new engineered stone in 2024, repairs and protection are how existing tops are kept looking good.
Good to know
Turmeric is the classic quartz stain: bright yellow and stubborn. It sits in the resin at the surface, and sunlight is surprisingly effective: curcumin, the pigment in turmeric, fades under UV.
Stop it happening again
Whether yours is Caesarstone, Essastone, Silestone, Smartstone and other engineered stone, repairing it fixes today's mark; protecting it stops the next one. Our clear Stone Protection Film sits over the surface, so marks stay on the film, not the surface. Choose Gloss for polished quartz 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 quartz · Stain removal guide · Turmeric & curry stains on every surface