Stone care & repair
Turmeric & curry stains: how to fix them on every surface
Turmeric, curry and saffron leave bright yellow stains that look permanent but usually are not. The pigment, curcumin, breaks down under oxidisers like hydrogen peroxide and fades in sunlight.
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.
Choose your surface
Every surface compared
| Surface | What is different on this surface | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marble | On white marble turmeric can look alarming, but it is an organic stain and responds well to a peroxide poultice and a few days of sunlight. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
| Travertine | Turmeric on a travertine table often stains the fills more strongly than the stone, leaving bright yellow dots. Poultice the whole area and give it sunlight. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
| Limestone | Limestone takes turmeric deeply and quickly. Expect more than one poultice, and let the sun reach the benchtop if you can by opening blinds or curtains. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
| Onyx | Turmeric on onyx shows through the stone when it is backlit. Gentle 3% peroxide and sunlight are the safest first steps. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
| Dolomite | Turmeric is mostly a surface stain on dense dolomite and often fades after one peroxide poultice and a few sunny days. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
| Granite | On light granite, turmeric stains the feldspar grains and can look speckled. It responds to peroxide like other organic stains. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
| Quartzite | Turmeric on quartzite settles in the porous zones of the slab. Once the stain is gone, those zones are the ones worth protecting first. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
| Quartz | 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. | Easy | Read fix |
| Porcelain | Turmeric on porcelain sits entirely on top. A cream cleaner removes it, and anything left fades in daylight. | Easy | Read fix |
| Terrazzo | In terrazzo, turmeric stains the binder more than the chips, which can make the chips look outlined in yellow. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
| Concrete | Turmeric can stain concrete deeply where the sealer is worn. Peroxide and sunlight work, but older stains may need the surface refinished. | Easy to moderate | Read fix |
Rules that apply to every surface
- Act fast. The sooner you blot or wipe, the less there is to fix.
- Test first. Try any method on a hidden spot and check once it is dry.
- No acids on calcite. Vinegar, lemon and most descalers etch marble, travertine, limestone and onyx.
- Protect after repair. A clear film stops the same mark happening again.
Frequently asked questions
Porous and acid-sensitive stones such as marble, travertine, limestone, onyx need the most care. Non-porous surfaces like porcelain and quartz are usually the easiest.
Always. Try any chemical or poultice on a hidden spot, such as inside a sink cut-out or under an overhang, and check the finish once dry.
A clear protection film over the surface keeps spills and acids off the stone. Stone Film Sydney installs it across Sydney with a 10-year warranty.
Stop fixing. Start protecting.
Clear anti-etch, anti-stain film for every stone in Sydney. Free, no-obligation quote, on site or over the phone.