Removing Acid Stains From Concrete Countertops

Hueston who literally wrote the book on the subject of stone restoration stain removal guide.

Removing acid stains from concrete countertops.

Concrete is a durable surface for countertops but it s extremely porous and without a good seal it stains easily. An acid either citric acid from fruit or acetic acid from vinegar based foods reacts with the cement paste and any calcium based aggregate gradually dissolving the materials and leaving a rough depression and a light colored appearance. For stone tile and concrete will leave the poultice in place for 24 hours. Stains are usually discoloration such as from coffee mustard or red wine and are treated very differently from etching see fixing spots caused by acid etching.

Sealing won t make your marble 100 percent stain proof but it will definitely help says april graves vp of aria stone gallery if a spill occurs immediately blot to sop up the liquid don t wipe which. It s normal for residue to form on the concrete countertop once the acid stain has dried. The amount of reside will depend on the color used. The oh so pretty but softer stone is an easy stain target.

This will allow it to wick the stain out of the countertop in the same way that poultices made with other ingredients pull oil stains out of concrete or venom out of. The staining may be due to a poorly performing sealer not protecting the concrete it could simply be temporary surface stains on a coating sealer or it could be due to staining agents getting into scratches on a high. So it s important to seal your countertops to make them more stain resistant. Before neutralizing it is recommended you remove and clean the residue with a sponge and water.

We are incredibly disappointed. If the seal on your countertop isn t properly maintained or if an acidic substance such as citrus juice is left in contact with the surface you may have a mess that won t come clean. Unlike stains etching is physical damage to the surface. The first step to removing a stain is determining whether it s truly a stain or instead the etching of the surface from a strong food acid such as lemon juice.

I have a feeling that they were not sealed correctly the first time around. Thank you for sharing your experience with resealing your countertops. How to clean it.