How to remove cloudy patches on stone benchtop?

binodn

There are cloudy white patches or  darker patches on the engineered stone tops of the bathroom basins. The affected areas appear dull and hazy. They appearred below or around where ordinary hand wash bottles are placed or water drop during washing. These are Forme products supplied after silica based stones were phased out. These are about 1.5 years and such patches started appearing after about 6 months of use. No strong or abrasive chemicals have ever been used on this surface — only ordinary hand washes and normal bathroom use and normal cleaning. Similar usage has no effect on kitchen stonetop even around the sink in this home (it is a different stone - not Forme product) and had no effect on previous homes' stonetops.

How to remove these patches permanetly and prevent?

MitchellMc

Hi @binodn,

It sounds less like staining and more like the surface finish has been affected.

The first thing I'd do is work out whether the patches are actually on the surface or in the surface. Try cleaning the area with a stone cleaner and then wipe it dry. If the patches remain and still look dull from different angles, it's likely the finish has been altered rather than there being a residue sitting on top.

One thing I'd check is the ingredient list on the hand wash that's been sitting there. A lot of facial cleansers and some hand washes contain ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, or hydrogen peroxide, all of which can affect some engineered stone surfaces if they're left sitting under bottles or repeatedly exposed to drips.

Given the benchtop is only around 18 months old, I'd also be contacting the supplier or installer. If the damage has occurred under normal bathroom use with mild soaps, they may want to inspect it. They should be able to advise whether it's a manufacturing issue, a problem with the surface finish, or damage from a particular product. If this was a product you've ordered through us and can provide some details on what it is, I'd be happy to contact the manufacturer for you.

For prevention, I'd avoid leaving soap or skincare bottles sitting directly on the benchtop, wipe away standing water or spills, and use a small tray or dispenser stand.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell