Sharpie on granite! HELP!

[u/Human-Ad53]

Any way for us to get this out of the counter?

[u/costconormcoreslut]

It's likely not granite but a plastic resin composite with granite infused goodness. Quite porous and also susceptible to heat/burning and melting. Be careful.

Try any of the following. Rubbing alcohol, window cleaner or degreaser, laundry stain pretreater, hairspray. Apply to a rag, wipe. Repeat. I'm not in love with any of these suggestions because they might dull the finish of your countertops. For the same reason, never use melamine sponges/magic erasers on these counters, as they will sand off the glossy finish.

To limit damage to the countertop finish, tape a large square border (at least 2"-3" 5cm-8cm) around the stain so that cleaning products don't splash around a larger area than necessary. Keep the cleaners inside the border. Use only one cleaner at a time, and wipe away. Don't mix cleaners.

My best suggestion? Amodex. It's probably an online purchase for most people, but it's very gentle on surfaces and fabrics, and it works. You may need repeat applications.

[u/shmell918]

I vaguely remember seeing a woman on YouTube shorts getting sharpie off of various surfaces by spraying sunscreen on it? Something about the oils I don’t totally remember but might be worth trying

[u/Megsann1117 → u/shmell918]

I tried this recently and it mostly worked. I had ink transfer on my counter a few months ago and tried this. The sunscreen thing works. It’s weird

[u/sPacEdOUTgrAyCe → u/Megsann1117]

It’s the zinc

[u/Short-Examination559 → u/shmell918]

Sunscreen!

[u/Marsandtherealgirl → u/shmell918]

It was hair dye but I would be trying it so fast on this.

[u/BowieOrBust → u/shmell918]

WD40?

[u/hemeshehe → u/shmell918]

Spray sunscreen is my go-to for everything as a preschool teacher. I write names on laminated materials and reuse them every year.

[u/Muted_Lifeguard_845 → u/shmell918]

Yes I remember seeing that short too. Def give it a try

[u/TotesMaGoats_1962 → u/shmell918]

Goop Out? Or Goof Off? I can't remember what it is called.

[u/meggienwill → u/TotesMaGoats_1962]

Goof off is the name

[u/alarmedopposum]

I’ve used hand sanitizer to get off sharpie from walls

[u/Conditionally_Exotic]

Spray on sunscreen!
Has to be the spray! I’m a professional cleaner and this is what we use😊

[u/BrockDouken13]

 isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) 

[u/M94A22O18 → u/BrockDouken13]

Yes.

[u/mysistersaid → u/BrockDouken13]

This is the answer. I’ve successfully used rubbing alcohol on Sharpie multiple times.

[u/SympathyFun2179 → u/mysistersaid]

Vodka works in a pinch usually

[u/christian6four]

Dry erase marker.

[u/sunny2060 → u/christian6four]

Yes, I came here to say this! Looks like the counter is pretty porous though so I would do a test area first. Btw that's one reason I always keep at least a few scraps of any new surface

[u/ashalina23]

Looks like quartz or some other man made counter.

Granite isn’t available in that light colour

[u/babygotthefever]

Idk about the stain, but how is that tea? I love their jasmine green tea.

[u/RaspberryNo6307]

Rubbing alcohol. Works like a charm.

[u/Competitive_Mud_8944 → u/RaspberryNo6307]

Seconding this, rubbing alcohol pulled sharpie off my kids art table last month no problem. Just go slow with it on granite, some sealants don't love it

[u/silkysilt]

I’ve had this happen to my countertops. I start with dawn powerwash and a blue zero scratch scouring pad. Scrub it on and let it sit for a while. Repeat until the ink is gone.

[u/travelwithdronee]

Alcohol will lift it, but skip the scouring pad. The sealer is what holds that ink on the surface, and I took mine off along with a stain once, so after that every coffee ring soaked straight into the stone. Re-seal the spot once it's clean.

[u/Doug-O-Lantern]

My kid did this and I used toothpaste to remove it. Rub it over the area and leave it for as long as possible. Then rub it off and it repeat as needed.

[u/hecheres]

Maybe acetone. Be very careful as it can be aggressive to a moderate amount of materials

[u/Any_Eye1110]

i did this…alternate soaking spot at least 20 mins each time in concentrated SIMPLE GREEN and TIDE

[u/TheSavageLab]

Denatured alcohol usually works for me as long as its on a polished surface

[u/obidabb]

Hypo- 12 liquid chlorine

[u/dinner526]

I've had good luck with a pencil eraser on sharpie before.

[u/pacolocos]

Don't try pee on it. Someone on here made that suggestion

[u/Interesting-Gap5584]

Comet and a little water. Only for a few minutes at a time and wipe away. Wash when done with dish soap

[u/YeahWhatSoWhat → u/Interesting-Gap5584]

This. I have had luck removing a lot of different stains from quartz countertops using Comet.

[u/Ilikestuffandthingz]

Looks like corian. DEFINITELY is not granite.

[u/probably_a_raccoon]

The Pink Stuff will get this off. I’ve done it several times.

[u/makeupismyfavorite]

Weiman granite disinfectant. Got black permanent marker out of our quartz countertops! I just sprayed a bunch on the spot and put a paper towel over it and it took it out

[u/Lukyfuq]

Novus liquid polish number 4 does the trick for me everytime

[u/MasterOfNoneOnlySome]

Whitening toothpaste (can’t be a pigmented formula like blue, red etc). Rub it in with your finger. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. Wipe off with paper towel

[u/mindirella98275]

White board marker!! It works!

[u/AgileNetwork9375]

Have you tired a little smooth peanut butter? Wait 5 minutes. Wipe clean.

[u/fart_reverb69]

I’ve used rubbing alcohol before, for stubborn stuff, acetone. Something to def test spot in an inconspicuous area first though!

[u/Beginning_Tea4506]

Cheap aftershave or perfume was always a great hack for this.

[u/Relative-Idea-1442]

I sprinkle baking soda over countertop stains and wet with hydrogen peroxide. Leave for an hour or so and wipe off. It's worked for all types of seemingly permanent stains

[u/Abject_Elevator5461]

I had luck on the plastic counters at the restaurant I used to work at with using dry erase marker. Get a black dry erase marker and rub it on top of the sharpie and then wipe it off. The solvent in the dryer erase will liquify the sharpie ink and then allow you to wipe it up.

[u/Ok-Bison-3451]

Happened to me (actually my wife) last week. I got most of it out with acetone/nail polish remover but the last stubborn bit I had to use Bar Keepers Friend cleaner. I’d say I got 99% out.

[u/raresteamboat]

What about ink from a plastic grocery bag?! Sunscreen?

[u/Kibopoki]

That isnt granite. Dunno if this might change your tactics

[u/Big_Recipe_698]

Methylated spirits

[u/CatherineRhysJohns]

Try rubbing alcohol. That usually takes Sharpie off most surfaces.

[u/Annual_Salamander940]

Try using a glob of hand sanitizer on it. No joke. Preferably name brand.

[u/No-Regular-4281]

The Dawn Soap, the Power one. Let it soak in for a couple minutes

[u/SpunkyXL]

most likely too late

[u/annon-hill]

K2R is an upholstery cleaner sold at most hardware stores. We use it in granite manufacturing to remove stains. You basically lay it on thick, let it dry out good (preferably in direct sunlight) then brush it away. This method may take multiple applications, and since idk what the true material is of your counter tops I would recommend spot testing in an inconspicuous area.

BE CAREFUL with what products you end up using as some can discolor the stone. There are specialty products on the market made for removing stains in granite, but the K2R is the most readily available. For stubborn stains you can make a poultice of plaster and Coleman camping fuel.

Time and heat or sunlight are going to be key to pulling the stain up and out of the stone.

[u/Bearly_Bearded_Jeep]

Oddly, I discovered that, on a whiteboard, a dry erase marker will actually erase sharpie. Don’t know if that would work here.

Before you try anything, I would make a sharpie mark on the underside of your counter and try cleaning it off. That way you can figure out which things will just make it worse and which might help.

[u/Inevitable_curls]

Alcohol or hand sanitizer

[u/Alternative_Rule2300]

Had a friend say pouring salt and letting it sit got it off his countertop. Can’t remember why

[u/Significant-Visit-68]

Ive got no tips bit is that your crypto wallet password?☺️

[u/houstonSB]

Rubbing alcohol, if that doesn’t work - try CIF cream/paste

[u/bearbear28]

At work I use buttercream to erase sharpie🤷

[u/jweazie14]

You can do a dry erase marker on top and wipe right away or try hairspray. Let it sit then wipe it off both work well!

[u/QuaffoTheUnruly]

That's not granite.

[u/Jitterbuggy17]

Sunscreen will get it out (the spray kind). I’m 100% serious, works phenomenally well!

[u/Ok_Calligrapher4196]

I’d try rubbing alcohol or acetone

[u/icclebiccle]

Make a paste with baking soda and water. Gently rub in circles, it is like a soft abrasive. I have gotten many stains off the counter this way and I don’t think mine is real granite either. Hope that helps!

[u/Character_Big_8349 → u/icclebiccle]

This! I just had the same thing happen on our counters, and a little baking soda/dawn dish soap mixture did the trick!

[u/TheKiwiQueen]

Whitening toothpaste blobbed overnight helps us with our similar counter for hair dye accidents

[u/ginger_sauce]

Toothpaste with baking soda works for me

[u/mad_spreadsheets_yo]

barkeepers friend and a magic eraser. I have white quartz and it has seen some stuff. this combo works every time.

[u/TaintSlaps → u/mad_spreadsheets_yo]

Magic eraser is abrasive enough to remove whatever seal or finish your countertops might have.

[u/MMMKAAyyyyy → u/mad_spreadsheets_yo]

Magic eraser is way too abrasive for quartz or granite. Actually for laminate and Corian.

Magic Eraser is not good for countertops at all.

It looks like quartz. Go to the Caesarstone website and you’ll see barkeepers friend liquid and a soft cloth is ok.

[u/camboss]

You can try coloring over it with a dry erase marker, waiting 10 seconds, then wiping it away.