skip to main content

The Kitchen Table

Did you know....

8 years ago

Steel Wool is the go to tool to remove mineral stains from granite?

For a couple of years now, I’ve had a growing white mineral stain around the faucets in our kitchen and was afraid chemicals would ruin the granite.

Well, Monday I had a restoration company come in to do a variety of things, one of which was to repolish around our kitchen sink and seal the granite.

I was so excited to see the minerals gone so I asked him what he used and he said steel wool. I’m sure others may know this already but maybe a few don’t and it will be helpful to them....

So....do you have a “did you know” trick you can share?

Featured Answer

Sammy

8 years ago

A paste of baking soda and water will reverse stains in stainless steel caused by acids such as bleach.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

ravencajun Zone 8b TX
8 years ago
Alcohol and water in a spray bottle will take care of pretty much every problem with granite and quartzite
User thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
Related Discussions
Did you know if you buy a bunch of dry beans
Q
Comments (15)
I had a thread going last year 'adventures with pantry beans'. Most were disappointing but one was so good I saved seed from the 1 lb bag to plant as a fall cover crop. They were the Camelia baby green limas. I will plant them again, they were delicious as shellies, which is something you do not get from the store, even when you can get the dried seed. Something to consider. Even the lowly black eye pea shellies, when you can get them, fetch a pretty coin.
...See More
Did you know you can do this?
Q
Comments (3)
A couple of years ago someone at the KT posted a good recipe for holiday pecans done in the microwave. I tried it, and still have the recipe somewhere......
...See More
Did you know that there are red and purple corydalis?
Q
Comments (9)
I grow the white one (Corydalis ochroleuca I think) in several places. It is almost evergreen here - very early to start growing and blooming in spring and continues into the fall, although peak bloom is in early June as seen in this picture from June 9 2022: It does spread from seed but the seedlings - and full-sized plants - are easy to pull out. Plus it only does well in bright shade (too much sun or too much shade and it won't grow in my experience!) so it only likes to grow in the places I want it to :-) Everything I've read says it doesn't do well in dry conditions but it seems to do well here in areas - like along the house wall in the north alley as seen in the picture above - that are dry-ish and don't get any supplemental water. This is one of my favorite plants....
...See More
Did you know there's a drop-down for emoticons?
Q
Comments (23)
I was happy to learn, by accident, that holding down keys on my virtual keyboards can show me other characters, including ”degree”, diacritics, and more. I texted something to my brother and he was so delighted to know that he could now spell his friends’ names with the appropriate accents (he taught internationally and has friends globally. If he wanted to be truly accurate he had to change the keyboard mid-sentence, which is a real bother). It bugs me that some are different or in different places on the Android phone and the iPad, even the shift keys show difrerent characters.
...See More
Elmer J Fudd
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Good to know. I don't have any steel wool but I do have a few spots I can try it out on when I get some. Thanks!

Does alcohol dissolve dried ahard mineral deposits?
User thanked Elmer J Fudd
annztoo
8 years ago
Thanks for the steel wool and baking soda tip for SS. I've been using a razor blade to remove the calcium deposits around the faucet.
User thanked annztoo
Fun2BHere
8 years ago
Vinegar, a weak acid, dissolves calcium/mineral deposits. I soak the aerators from my sinks in vinegar every few months when they start to get encrusted.
User thanked Fun2BHere
mamapinky0
8 years ago
Lemonade Koolaid brand without sugar...if your out of citric acid and you want to run a clean cycle on your dishwasher.
User thanked mamapinky0
Michael
8 years ago
0000 steel wool is the best windshield cleaner.
User thanked Michael
User
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Sammy, thanks for posting that, I’m going to have to give it a try!

I use water and alcohol to clean my counters and it didn’t work for the stains I had. We have well water that’s mineral heavy so it was more than just a few little spots, it was caked around the bottom of the faucet and the steel wool got it all off the granite. It looks new again.

That’s cool about the Koolaid Mamapinky.

Another did you know....Pledges spray polish works great on both granite and SS. It will give your granite that newly polished luster again.

Related Stories

VALENTINE’S DAY Tell Us: Why Did You Fall in Love With Your House?

By Vanessa Brunner

What was it about your house that made your heart flutter? Share your photo, and it could make the Houzz homepage

ARCHITECTURE Roots of Style: Where Did Your House Get Its Look?

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Explore the role of architectural fashions in current designs through 5 home styles that bridge past and present

DISASTER PREP & RECOVERY Remodeling After Water Damage: Tips From a Homeowner Who Did It

By Judith Taylor Designs

Learn the crucial steps and coping mechanisms that can help when flooding strikes your home

LIFE You Said It: ‘They Did Not Have a Throwaway Mentality’ and More

By Becky Harris

Houzz articles about Fred MacMurray's farm, sci-fi style, hoodoos, and 31 true remodeling tales struck a chord this week

WORLD OF DESIGN 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Italian Marble

By Laura Molteni

How did the ancients extract marble? What makes it white or colored? We unearth fascinating facts about this luxurious stone

Let's Dish! Did You Watch the Flipping Out Premiere?

By Becky Harris

Contemporary Remodel Kicks off Design Show's New Season. What Did You Think?

BUDGETING YOUR PROJECT Houzz Call: What Did Your Kitchen Renovation Teach You About Budgeting?

By Erin Carlyle

Cost is often the biggest shocker in a home renovation project. Share your wisdom to help your fellow Houzzers

FUN HOUZZ Did Elves Make a Home in a San Francisco Park?

By Vanessa Brunner

Speculation has swirled around a Lilliputian doorway in Golden Gate Park. We give you the true story — and a design dilemma

EDIBLE GARDENS Houzz Call: What Did You Grow This Summer?

By Annie Thornton

Let’s celebrate the homegrown fruits and vegetables of the season. Post your pictures and tell us about your harvest

FUN HOUZZ Double Take: Did MoMA Drop a Mini House in the Yard?

By Becky Harris

Or maybe it's garden art or even a modernist-loving giant's step stool. Use your imagination, then get the true tale here

Sponsored

More Discussions

Who has shingles?

114

Hose spigot/bibb recs

5

Your most prized desk possession

16

Smile today - 8/26/26

7

Tim Curry has died too

2