Ask Mrs. Clean: House Cleaning, Stain Removal and Organizing Tips

[babel_fish]

First of all, I'd like to tell you how wonderful I think this forum is!!! :D
I hope you'll be able to help me with my problem.
I have granite tiles on my balcony and they got stained :cry: .
We were having parquet put in one of the rooms and the builders cut some floor-boards on that balcony. Naturally, there was wood dust, which unfortunately we forgot to clean for some time... there was rain, it must have got wet and there you go - the juices from that wood dust have permeated the tiles :( .
If you could tell me some way of cleaning this, I would be forever grateful :) !

[mrscleannw]

Hello babel_fish, we are glad you are enjoying our forum.

First I will mention Never clean your granite with vinegar. Vinegar works great on wood and laminate floors, but it will instantly damage your granite flooring. Any acidic product, vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, etc. when spilled on granite, will be ruined as the acid etches and dissolves the surface and will permanently remove the beautiful shine.

For your stain try making a poultice of hydrogen peroxide and whiting or cream of tartar or corn starch.

If the stained area is exposed to the elements, you will want to cover it to keep it dry.

* To use this method simply mix medicinal strength hydrogen peroxide (you can purchase this in any drug store) with one of the items listed above.
* Cover the affected area with the mixture and put plastic wrap over it to keep it damp. Then place a towel over this to keep light from it as hydrogen peroxide will turn to water when exposed to light.
* Depending on the level of staining, let this poultice sit anywhere between 2 to 48 hours.
* The poultice should draw out the stain.

Note: Test in an inconspicuous place first to make sure there will be no damage to the stone.

If this works you may want to think about sealing it again to prevent any future stains.

If this doesn't work unfortunately it may be permanent and you will probably need to call a professional to sand and reseal the granite.

Good luck!

[mold removal tampa]

Hello everyone,

Organic stains such as tea, coffee or tobacco can be removed from your marble or granite tile by soaking in a 20-percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. Using the same poultice method as the one used in rust removal, make your paste with hydrogen peroxide and whiting. Let the covered paste sit on the stain for 24-48 hours before rinsing. If the peroxide is ineffective, substitute mild powdered detergent and begin the process again.

Hope this helps you..!!
Thanks.

[mathew]

:roll: Dear friend, you can remove the organic stains from the granite surface with the help of 20% solution of hydrogen peroxide. Never use acidic products, but you can use mild detergent(pH 7). You can even remove the rust stains with the help of a paste, made up of rust remover and powdered whiting. I know this much, you can also seek the information from the net. :lol:

[marry]

This is a major problem. I want the solution too.

[cleanway]

Never resort to using an acidic product like vinegar on marble/granite floors. The best you could do for cleaning purposes is plain water mixed in disinfectant. If any doubt or question that might have regarding stain removal etc, the first thing I would advise is to get in touch with your flooring suppliers. If I had to tell you, try using a very small proportion of baking soda for cleaning up the stains. it works wonder on glass fibers, stubborn toilet stains etc. Give it a try.

[mrscleannw]

I don't recommend using baking soda on stone.
Baking soda is alkaline which is just as bad as an acid. Both acids and alkalines will etch and damage delicate materials. Baking soda is also abrasive which could cause scratching on stone depending on it's composition. Whatever you use, it's important that the cleaner is ph neutral - (as close to 7 on the ph scale as you can get.)

[cleanway]

Neverthless, it should have been mentioned not to be tried on natural stones. Thank you Mrs.Cleannw:-)

[mrscleannw]

You are very welcome Cleanway