if solid surface counters are non-pourous, why are they staining?

[leanneabe]

We recently renovated our kitchen and had Livingstone solid surface countertops and sink installed (along with Ikea cabinets, which are awesome, by the way). Everything I've read about solid surface countertops says that they are non-pourous, which keeps them stain free (non-pourous meaning stains can't "soak" into the material?)

If this is true, why does enchilada sauce and rust stain the surface? In my mind, if something is non-pourous, I should be able to scrub off any stains (like chile sauce and rust) with a scrubby sponge or, at worst, a Mr. Clean eraser-type thing. Even with Ajax and a scrubby, the stains persist. A soak in Oxiclean paste gets it out, as does a quick spray of Clorox kitchen cleaner.

Don't get me wrong. I love our countertops and it takes just seconds to get the counter and sink clean. And, so far, it's only been enchilada sauce and rust that sticks around. I'm just wondering if there's something I don't understand about solid surface material that causes these agents to stain, when I understood the material would be stain-free.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Lean,

I am a physical chemist, or rather I have a high education as a physical chemist, but now work in a slightly different field (still science). Most people when they say something is non-pourous, they only means it in the macrosccopic sense. There is no large holes, so liquid cannot phyically penetrate deep down through the holes. This does not mean liquid cannot chemically penetrate your counterstop (chemical reaction). In all fairness, chemical penetration is not going to be as deep as physical penetration. In your case, materials have chemically penetrated to your counter and to fix that you can use whatever cleaning product which also chemically penetrates the countersurface to "loosen any chemical bond and dilute" the stain out.

I cannot think of anything is absolutely nonstainable, because that implies that something is absolutely nonreactive, and I cannot think of one. So you maybe in vain for searching a non-stain countertop.

[jackl1]

I have a white kitchen sink. Enchillada sauce got dumped in my sink and not rinsed out immediately so now I have a stain all over. What do I use to get this out?

[Chemicalkinetics]

Jack,

You can try to use some mild methods first, like using vinegar or baking soda solution. Now, my guess is that you will have better luck with vinegar and lemon juice method because I am guessing your stain is tomato-based, right? You can buy really cheap white vinegar. In either case, try to let the acidic solution sit on the stain for a hour or more before trying to clean it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5519979_remov...

Jack, is your sink made of stainless steel or enamel cast iron? If you have a stainless steel sink, then you can use harsher methods if necessary. On the other hand, you probably have an enamel sink, which is why it is tough for you to take the stain out.

[leanneabe]

If your sink is enameled, I'd try Ajax or some other bleach scrub. If it's a solid surface sink, I can tell you that a spray of Clorox bleach cleaner (not straight bleach) left on for a few minutes will take care of that enchilada stain easily.

[Paulustrious]

We also need to differentiate between a 'stain' and 'paint'. I can paint a glass window which is almost totally impervious to most foodstuffs. So it depends on what you mean by stain. If it it surface staining many things can be broken down with an oxidising agent... chlorine (bleaches plus assorted cleaners), acids, hydrogen peroxide. I would ensure that the work surface was compatible with these products.

An aside: Whenever you buy a work surface (especially natural stone) keep a piece for testing. Ask for it when you buy it or have it fabricated.

[flourgirl]

I have arctic white corian counters and I too have had rust stains etc. Most of the time chlorox clean-up or a magic eraser will take them right out - but a few very stubborn stains will only come out with the use of Bar Keeper's Friend and a scrubby sponge.

[josephnl]

Right...Corian is a solid material in which the color/pattern are consistent throughout. If it should stain, it is only the surface which stains. The material is relatively soft, so using minimally abrasive cleansers such as BarKeepers Friend will easily remove any staining. This is one of the great things about Corian. We have Corian in our baths, and we love it.

Our kitchen counters are Silestone which is q quartz product. We love this surface for kitchen counters. We put warm (not sizzling hot) pots on it and spill food onto it all the time.. It is extremely stain and heat resistent. We love it and must definitely take issue with a previous poster who said that manufactured quartz surfaces can stain "badly". This has definitely not been our experience with Silestone which to us seems totally impervious to staining. Maybe under some circumstances it can stain, but under reasonably normal usage, it will not stain. Would love to hear from dmd_kc who says that quartz surfaces can "stain badly". We have not had this experience!

[ferret]

Non-porous means they won't penetrate the material but you can still get surface discoloration. The recommended solution, as you've discovered, is to put a kitchen cleanse/stain remover on the area for a short time (always err on teh side of caution). You can stain just about any material (even stainless steel). What differentiates some from others is the ease with which those stains can be removed.

[puddin head]

You are not kidding on the stainless steel! My SS stove almost immediately acquired stains and spots from food and drippings (I am not the world's tidiest cook). Every once in a while I just leave a barkeeper's friend mix on it for a while to try to remove them, but it never looks perfect. I'm quite disappointed actually.

I have soapstone countertops. While the buggers chip like crazy, they never stain. surface rust spots eventually just clean away. I use my kitchen to dye fabric as well, and the counters just clean right up.

[ktmoomau]

I am not familiar with your countertops, but is there any chance they need sealed before they become non-porous?

[leanneabe]

They're like Caesarstone or Corian... I've never heard of a solid surface material needed to be sealed prior to use.

[dmd_kc]

leanneabe, which is it -- a quartz like Caesarstone or a plastic like Corian? Very, very different beasts.

At any rate, they both stain, sometimes very badly. I don't know whether products like Whink are safe on your material, but I'd check with the manufacturer.

[dmd_kc]

Hold on -- I re-read and noticed you said it's Livingstone, which is acrylic like Corian.

[josephnl]

I have never heard of quartz staining! Corian definitely yes, but at least from our experience with Silestone, it is absolutely will not stain with normal kitchen use. We have had Corian, which stains quite easily, but is also very easily refinished to remove surface stains. I have no experience with Caesarstone, but have never had a hint of staining with Silestone. dmd_kc states the quartz can stain very badly...please tell me how; that has definitely not been our experience with Silestone, nor with the experience of our certified kitchen designer who recommended it to us years ago.

[dmd_kc]

Firsthand knowledge: A good friend has a light almond quartz (Silestone) countertop that has two bad stains from coffee after about three years' use. He made a warranty claim and was turned down, with the company pointing out that their literature only claims it's stain-resistant - not stain-proof.

It's not hard to find others with similar issues:

http://www.countertopspecialty.com/quartz-countertop-stain.html

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthre...

The crystals in quartz composite countertops are still bound together with resin, AKA plastic. The lighter your quartz, the easier it is to stain. Most quartz counter material contains around 5% plastic. I believe the same goes for the recycled glass and paper products too.

All plastics will always be prone to stains, especially from oil-based materials.

[josephnl]

Silestone is not plastic...it is re-engineerd quartz and yes, it surely contains some synthetic bonding agents, it is a very high quality product which is highly impervious to staining. Ours is a dark color, and has never shown any hint of staining. Our kitchen designer who recommended the product had used it in hundreds of kitchens with nary a single complaint. All I can say is what we have experienced. There are many lower quality quartz products out there, and there are many people who do not use common sense in caring for their homes. If one puts ones mind to damage something, there is no product in the world that can always resist. No...I would not take a 400 degree roasting pan out of the oven and put it directly on a cool Silestone surface, nor would I caramelize sugar with a blowtorch on the surface. Some things require common sense, and I can assure all of you that if you use reasonable common sense with Silestone, especially in a relatively dark color, it will not stain.

[dmd_kc]

I never said it was plastic. I said quartz counter material is about 5% plastic, which is true -- and it's also something many salespeople, especially in big-box home centers, aren't aware of.

The plastic is what stains, not the quartz particles. And as I said, you notice it much more in lighter colors.

I did side-by-side comparisons myself in choosing my own kitchen finishes, using red wine, lemon juice, rusty water and red Kool-Aid.

White marble -- my favorite material looks-wise -- stained worst with all substances except lemon juice.

Red wine stained the marble, light-colored Silestone brand quartz, and light-colored granite. Marble was the worst.

Rusty water stained the marble and Silestone. No effect on the granite.

Lemon etched the marble, and the granite was even worse. The Silestone wasn't affected.

Nothing left a stain on the Formica except the Kool-Aid, which then came out undetectably after some bleach and a couple of days. But I ultimately chose a material that isn't as prone to edge wear as laminate, and has darker color to hide imperfections -- soapstone.

Some salespeople insist engineered quartz is a miracle material that's impervious to kitchen hazards. It is not. And quite frankly, many (I'd guess most) people who have high-end kitchen finishes don't really do much cooking themselves in the first place, so it's a moot point to them.

I'm doing half my kitchen in an extremely easy-to-stain material: butcher block. I'd do it everywhere because it's so soft and practical and the imperfections become part of its character -- but it doesn't work well around sinks or cooktops. Let's face it: Stone, natural or engineered, is a great choice for the moisture of the kitchen, but it isn't kind to glassware or ceramics.

All in all, stainless steel would meet all my requirements of a forgiving texture and being waterproof -- but I want my kitchen to look like it belongs in a house, not a catering facility. And stainless is way outside my budget anyhow. It's all a trade-off in one feature or another.

[josephnl]

Not to belabor it but...I cook 5-6x/week for 2-4 persons. We have had a dark gray Silestone kitchen for 3 years. It is used heavily, but with some degree of common sense. The countertops look as good today as the day they were installed. We do nothing to care for them other than to take reasonable precautions as mentioned above. We are totally pleased with them, and agree with our certified kitchen designer who has designed dozens of kitchens, that it is an excellent material. Nothing is perfect...even stainless steel can be dented (indeed quite easily) and it is impossible to fix short of replacement. Butcher block looks great, but also stains, and can retain bacteria. So...nothing is perfect, but for us, and I would think for most, Silestone (or granite) would come pretty close to that goal.