First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels, and don't rub.
- Pretest any remover on a hidden spot first, and stop if color transfers or changes.
- Keep heat away, with no dryer, iron or hot air, until the stain is gone.
Oil that lands on granite has to be drawn out of the stone, so a wipe alone rarely does the job. Fresh spills respond well to a flush and a poultice, while old stains take repeat applications and may only be partly lifted. Granite can take plain water, so the early steps stay gentle until the stain gives you a reason to push harder.
Plan for a few rounds on a stubborn granite countertop stain rather than scrubbing harder. Keep to a pH-neutral, stone-safe cleaner for each round. If a deep stain on a granite floor or slab still shows after that, call a professional.
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
8 items
What you'll need
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- Clean, dry white cloth or white paper towelsFor blotting up the oil without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Mild soapFor the first flush with plain water. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaThe base of the poultice. (opens Amazon)
- Distilled waterFor wetting the poultice and the final rinse.
- Plastic sheet and tapeTo cover and seal the poultice while it dries.
- Soft clothFor drying and buffing the stone. (opens Amazon)
- Mineral spirits (optional)For a stronger poultice on stubborn stains. (opens Amazon)
- Polishing powder and a felt buffing padOnly if the chemical has etched the surface.
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Blot the spill without wiping
Lift as much oil as you can with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels, pressing gently from the edges toward the middle. Keep blotting with fresh, dry sections until the cloth stops picking up oil.
Step 2 of 6
Flush with mild soap and water
Wash the spot with plain water and a little mild soap, then rinse it several times. Dry the area thoroughly with a soft cloth and repeat the flush if the spot still looks dark.
Careful. Scouring powders, creams and scrub pads can scratch stone, so keep them off the spot.
Step 3 of 6
Mix and spread the baking soda poultice
Mix baking soda with water to a thick paste about the consistency of peanut butter. Wet the stain with distilled water, then spread the paste 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, reaching about one inch past the edge of the stain.
Tip. Keep a little spare paste on hand in case you need a second application.
Step 4 of 624 to 48 hours
Cover it and let it draw
Cover the poultice with plastic and tape the edges down to seal it. After about 24 hours, remove the plastic and let the poultice dry the rest of the way.
Careful. Keep heat off the spot while it dries: no dryer, iron or hot air, because heat sets the stain.
Step 5 of 6
Lift off and rinse the poultice
Remove the dried poultice, rinse the area with distilled water, and buff it dry with a soft cloth. If the stain is still there, spread a fresh poultice, repeating up to five applications for difficult stains.
Careful. Acidic cleaners, including vinegar, can damage granite, so keep them away from the stone.
Step 6 of 6
Polish away any etch marks
Only if the chemical has etched the surface, apply polishing powder and buff with burlap or a felt buffing pad. Keep buffing until the dull patch blends back into the stone around it.
Careful. Polishing powder is only for etched areas, so skip it on a spot that is already clean.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for oil on granite
Choose a powdered poultice material made for stone, and a solvent such as mineral spirits, if the baking soda poultice doesn't clear the stain.
Granite Gold® Daily Cleaner
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.
See what to do for what you're seeing →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
After the poultice comes off and the spot has dried, it should look lighter and feel less greasy. If the mark is still there, repeat the poultice rather than moving to a harsher cleaner.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your granite
Granite countertops
Countertops are used every day, so the job is mostly about keeping the poultice undisturbed. Clear the counter around the spot and keep pots, cutting boards and cups off the tape for the full 24 to 48 hours.
If the spot sits near the sink and looks dull afterward, that points to a surface problem rather than a stain that needs harder scrubbing. Call a stone pro for that, as covered below.
Granite floors, slabs, and paving
On a fresh spill on a hard, porous surface such as paving, cover it with an absorbent first: cornmeal, sand, sawdust or Fuller's earth. Leave it for a few hours, then sweep or vacuum it up before starting the flush.
For a large slab, mix enough poultice to cover the whole stain plus the one-inch border. Concrete and brick driveways are covered in the Concrete, Brick & Driveways guide.
Unsealed or new granite
Unsealed or worn granite is more open to stains, so start the flush and poultice as soon as you can. If you don't know whether the stone is sealed, pretest on a hidden spot and stick to the mild soap and distilled water steps until you know.
With a new or unsealed surface, the choice of cleaner matters most, so don't reach for anything beyond the poultice without checking with your stone supplier or installer first. Ask them about resealing before you apply anything stronger.
White granite
On white granite, oil shows as a darker, grayish patch that can be hard to judge while it's still damp. Keep the same steps as above, and check the result in daylight once the poultice has come off and the spot is fully dry.
Don't switch to a harsher cleaner just because the spot looks faint on a light stone. Repeat the poultice instead, and pretest anything new on a hidden spot before using it.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old oil has had time to soak deep into the stone, so it's harder to lift than a fresh spill. Expect to repeat the poultice rather than expect one round to clear it.
If the stain has dried and hardened, mix powdered poultice material with mineral spirits to a thick paste the consistency of peanut butter, in place of the baking soda and water. Keep it 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, cover it with plastic, and let it dry for 24 to 48 hours.
Repeat the poultice for up to five applications on difficult stains. Work in a well-ventilated room with no flames, pilot lights or sparks nearby, because solvents are flammable.
Acetone is also listed for oil-based stains on granite, but pretest it first. Some stains may never be completely removed, and at that point a stone professional is the right call.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on oil on granite?
Mild soap and water and a baking soda poultice are the safe picks on granite, since most others are risky on stone. Most of the others are risky on stone or made for other stains, so skip them.
Works1Skip4Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't wipe the spill.
Wiping pushes the oil across the stone and drives it deeper. Blot it and let the poultice do the drawing.
Don't give up after one poultice.
Difficult oil stains can take up to five applications. Give each round the full 24 to 48 hours to dry before you judge the result.
Don't use the wrong cleaner on the sealer.
Improper cleaners break down the sealer, which leaves the granite more open to stains. Stick to mild soap, distilled water and the poultice, and test anything else on a hidden spot first.
Don't mix bleach and ammonia.
Together they create a toxic, lethal gas. If you've used one product, rinse it out with plain water before you reach for another.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
The poultice cracked and fell off early
It dried too fast. Make a fresh batch, keep it under plastic with taped edges, and remove the plastic only after about 24 hours.
The stone looks dull where you treated it
The chemical may have etched the polish. Apply polishing powder and buff with burlap or a felt buffing pad.
The stain is lighter but not gone
Repeat the poultice. Difficult stains can take up to five applications.
When to call a professional
Call your stone supplier, installer or a restoration specialist if the stain resists poulticing, if there are deeper scratches or nicks, or if etching won't polish out. Dull areas around the sink are a sign the stone needs restoration, not harder scrubbing.
Questions
Does acetone remove oil stains from granite?
Acetone can, but only as a last resort. It is a strong solvent, so pretest it on a hidden spot, keep it away from flames and sparks, and use it only if the poultice doesn't clear the stain. Pretest it on a hidden spot first, keep it away from flames and sparks, and use it only if the poultice doesn't clear the stain.
Does oil stain granite?
Yes. Oil soaks into granite, especially where the sealer is worn or missing, and it can leave a dark mark. Blot it right away and treat it with the steps above.
Which oil stain remover should I buy for granite?
Look for a powdered poultice material labeled for stone, and mineral spirits for the solvent step, rather than a general-purpose remover. Skip anything acidic or abrasive, since those are off limits on granite. The baking soda poultice works without buying anything extra.
Can I use vinegar to remove oil from granite?
No. Vinegar is an acid, and granite may contain acid-sensitive minerals, so it can damage the surface. The baking soda poultice is the safer choice.
How many days does a poultice need on granite?
A single poultice needs 24 to 48 hours to dry, so plan on a few days. Difficult stains may need up to five applications. Some stains may never be completely removed.
Will heat set an oil stain on granite?
Yes, heat can set the stain, so keep the dryer, iron and hot air away from it until it's gone. A hot pan set on the counter won't damage granite, but don't warm the stain itself.
Oil 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.