How to fix white chemical spot in bathroom laminate?

Question

Not sure how to get this out, the PH raise drops have what i think, chemically burned the surface of the laminate. As it is a rental, my bond is going to potentially take a hit.

I've tried warm water mixed with vinegar, and dish soap.

I'm thinking my next course of action would be polishing to maybe remove/thin that layer?

Appreciate any help and open to other suggestions.

Thanks,

John

MitchellMc · Answer

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @jcarlo29. It is great to have you with us, and many thanks for your question about repairing your laminate benchtop.

From the photo, I suspect you're correct that this is chemical damage rather than a residue sitting on the surface. The pH raiser appears to have altered or etched the laminate's finish, which would explain why cleaning with vinegar and detergent hasn't removed the white mark.

I'd be very cautious about polishing or using an abrasive compound. Laminate only has a very thin decorative surface layer, and attempting to polish through the damaged area could remove more of the finish and leave you with a larger, smoother or differently coloured patch that's even more noticeable.

I'd first wash the area thoroughly with clean water to ensure there's no chemical residue remaining and then leave it to dry completely. If the white appearance remains unchanged, it's likely permanent surface damage.

Unfortunately, there's no straightforward way of restoring chemically damaged laminate back to its original factory finish. Given that this is a rental, I'd avoid experimenting with abrasives, solvents or stronger chemicals, as there's a significant risk of making the damage worse.

Let me tag @Noyade, @TedBear and @DIYGnome to see if they have any thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell