First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Dust talcum powder on the grease to soak up as much as you can, then brush it off.
- Lift off any solid or semi-solid grease with a rounded spoon or dull knife before adding liquid.
- Blot with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels. Don't rub.
Grease on granite is thickened oil, so water alone won't lift it, and a fresh spot is far easier to draw out than one that has been sitting. Deep-seated grease may need a poultice, and stubborn marks can take more than one round before they fade. Granite can take water and mild handling, but abrasives are a no, so a gentle poultice is the better tool here.
For a grease stain on a granite countertop, start with a stone-safe cleaner before you try anything else. If the granite is unsealed, test the cleaner in a hidden corner first, because oil soaks in deeper. The same stone-safe cleaner works for a grease stain in a granite sink, so you don't need a second product.
Before you start
What granite can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care6
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Heat, once the stain is out
Avoid1
- Scrubbing and abrasives
10 items
What you'll need
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- Distilled waterFor wetting the stone and for the rinses, so the poultice starts on a clean, damp surface.
- Baking sodaThe base of the poultice that draws grease out of the stone. (opens Amazon)
- Mild dish soapFor the first wash, to lift the grease film left on the surface. (opens Amazon)
- Plastic wrapTo seal the poultice so it stays wet while it works. (opens Amazon)
- Painter's tape (opens Amazon)
- Rounded spoon or dull knifeTo lift off solid grease without scratching the stone.
- White cloths or paper towelsFor blotting up liquid grease without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Soft clothFor buffing the stone dry after rinsing. (opens Amazon)
- Plastic spreaderTo spread the paste evenly over the stain.
- Mineral spirits (optional)Only for a set-in stain on sealed granite after the baking soda rounds have failed. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Lift off the solid grease
Scrape off any solid or semi-solid grease with a rounded spoon or dull knife, so nothing thick gets pushed deeper into the stone. Then blot the liquid with a clean, dry white cloth, and keep blotting until nothing more comes up.
Step 2 of 6
Wash with mild dish soap
Wash the area with warm water and mild dish soap, using a soft cloth. Rinse it with clean water and dry it before going any further.
Careful. Stick to mild soap, because acidic cleaners can harm granite's acid-sensitive trace minerals.
Step 3 of 6
Wet the stain with distilled water
Wet the stained area with distilled water so the paste starts on a damp surface. Use distilled water here and for the final rinse too.
Step 4 of 6
Spread the baking soda poultice
Mix baking soda with water into a thick paste, about the consistency of peanut butter. Spread it 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick over the stain, extending about one inch past the edges of the mark.
Tip. Mix only as much paste as you can spread in one go.
Step 5 of 624 to 48 hours
Seal it and let it dry
Cover the paste with plastic and tape the edges down to seal it. Leave it undisturbed until it has dried thoroughly, which usually takes 24 to 48 hours.
Careful. Heat sets stains, so keep the spot away from dryers, irons, and hot air until the grease is gone.
Step 6 of 6
Remove, rinse, and buff dry
Lift off the plastic and the dried poultice, then rinse the spot with distilled water. Buff it dry with a soft cloth. If the grease is still visible, repeat the poultice, up to five applications for difficult stains.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for grease on granite
Choose a mild dish soap with no bleach or acid in it. Baking soda and distilled water are all the poultice needs, so you don't need a special stone product.
Aqua Mix® Poultice Stain Remover
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on granite, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
A cleared spot dries to the same color as the stone around it, with no oily sheen or dark halo. If it still looks darker or shiny after a full poultice cycle, the grease has gone deeper, so run another round.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your granite
Granite countertops
On a countertop, the spot is usually a cooking splatter that has sat for a while, so start with the lift and blot step before anything wet touches it. If the grease sits near an edge or a seam, press the plastic down firmly so the paste stays put for the full drying time.
Before using the counter for food again, give the spot a final rinse with distilled water and dry it well. The rest of the countertop can be cleaned with the mild dish soap wash as usual.
Unsealed granite
If you can't tell whether the stone is sealed, treat it as unsealed and stick to the gentle steps only. Unsealed stone is more open to staining, so lift and blot any spill straight away rather than letting it sit.
Skip the mineral spirits option entirely on unsealed granite, and test any cleaner on a hidden corner first. The baking soda poultice is your main tool here, and if it doesn't clear the spot after its full rounds, a stone professional is the next call.
Granite sink
A sink basin is curved and wet, so the paste can slide down the sides faster than it does on a flat counter. Keep the poultice at the same thickness and press the plastic tight over the rim so it stays in place for the full 24 to 48 hours.
When you rinse the poultice away, rinse the basin well so no paste goes down the drain. Dry the basin before using it again, and keep the drain clear while you work.
Old, dried or set-in stains
An old grease stain has had time to soak deep into the stone, so one poultice may only pull up the top layer. Repeat the baking soda poultice with fresh paste each time, up to five applications, and expect each round to lift a little more.
If the grease has dried into a hard, dark ring, let the next poultice sit its full 24 to 48 hours and don't rush the rinse. Between rounds, rinse with distilled water and buff dry so you can see how much is left.
If the stain is still there after the fifth application, you can try a mineral spirits poultice on sealed granite, following the solvent safety rules from the mistakes section. Some stains won't come out completely, and at that point a stone professional is the right next step.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on grease on granite?
Many household products claim to cut grease, but several of them are wrong for granite. Check what the stone can take before trying any of them.
Works2Skip3Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't wipe the grease around
Wiping spreads the spill across the stone and makes the stain bigger. Blot with a clean white cloth instead, and lift off solids before anything else.
Don't scrub with scouring powder
Scouring powders and creams can scratch the stone, and scrub pads act like abrasives. Use a soft cloth and let the poultice do the work.
Don't mix cleaners together
Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar, or rubbing alcohol, because bleach mixed with ammonia gives off a toxic, lethal gas. Rinse each product out with plain water before you move on to the next one.
Don't reach for gasoline or lighter fluid
They are not grease removers, and they are dangerous to use around a kitchen or bathroom. The baking soda poultice is the safe choice for this job.
Don't use solvent near a flame
Mineral spirits and other dry-cleaning solvents are flammable. Only use them in a well-ventilated room with no flames, pilot lights, or sparks nearby.
When to call a professional
If the grease survives up to five poultices, call your stone supplier, installer, or a stone restoration specialist. They can handle stains that resist poulticing, along with deeper scratches and etching you can't polish out.
Questions
Does grease stain granite?
Yes. Grease can soak into granite and leave a dark mark, especially if it sits. A baking soda poultice draws it out in most cases, though some old stains may never fully lift.
Can I use vinegar on granite to remove grease?
No. Skip the kitchen acids and stick to the mild dish soap wash and the baking soda poultice, which are the gentle options for this stone.
How long does the poultice need to stay on?
Let it dry fully under plastic, which usually takes 24 to 48 hours. If the grease is still there after rinsing, repeat the poultice, up to five applications for difficult stains.
Will the poultice leave a mark on the stone?
It shouldn't, as long as you rinse the spot fully with distilled water and buff it dry. Leftover paste is the most likely cause of a faint mark, so don't skip the rinse.
What if the grease stain is still there after the poultice?
Repeat the baking soda poultice, up to five applications in total. If it still shows after that, a mineral spirits poultice on sealed granite is the next step, and a stone professional is the call for anything that resists both.
Can I use mineral spirits on my granite?
On sealed granite, yes, but only as a second-round poultice after the baking soda rounds have failed. On unsealed granite, skip it and call a stone professional instead.
Can I clean a grease stain in my granite sink with dish soap?
Yes. Wash the basin with warm water and mild dish soap first, then rinse and dry it. If the grease remains, move on to the baking soda poultice.
Grease on other materials
Other stains on granite
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.