How to Get Food Coloring Off a Granite Countertop

Homeowners revere granite countertops for their multicolored textures. Granite, however, has an open grain, making it able to absorb liquids. Many pigmented liquids, such as food colorings, cause stains. For this reason, granite countertops require protective seals. Over time, seals can wear down, making the granite once again vulnerable to stains. If food coloring has left your granite countertop with unsightly blemishes, treat them with a stain-absorbing poultice, then reseal the countertop to avoid future stains.

Talc powder
Plastic mixing container
12-percent hydrogen peroxide
Plastic wrap
Painter's tape or masking tape
Stone cleaner
Impregnating granite sealer

Instructions

- 1
  Add talc powder to a small, plastic mixing container.
- 2
  Stir in a few drops of 12-percent hydrogen peroxide until a paste-like consistency develops.
- 3
  Spread the paste generously over the food-coloring stain, extending the paste about 1/4 inch past the perimeter of the stain.
- 4
  Cover the paste with a piece of plastic wrap, and tape down the edges to fully seal in the paste.
- 5
  Leave the plastic taped over the poultice for one or two days to allow the poultice to leach the food coloring from the pores of the granite.
- 6
  Remove the plastic, and wipe away the poultice. Rinse the area with fresh water.
- 7
  Treat the area with a second poultice application if any of the stain remains.
- 8
  Clean the entire countertop by washing it with stone cleaner. Rinse the counter, and allow it to dry.
- 9
  Apply impregnating granite countertop sealer to the granite. Follow the instructions of the sealer you purchased. Generally, leave the sealer to absorb for 20 to 30 minutes, then wipe away any excess. Leave the coat to fully dry, then apply a second coat.

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