WELCOME TO IPT, INC., PRODUCTS FOR THE STONE CARE PROFESSIONAL

Instructions for Removal of Stains With Hardrock Poulticing Powder

Hardrock Poulticing Powder may be used to remove stains from marble, travertine, granite, terrazzo, limestone, and other masonry surfaces. On very old or deep stains several treatments may be needed for maximum stain removal. We suggest that you try a small sample patch to test the result you will obtain.

The most important step in removing a stain is to first identify what caused it. The most common types of stains are as follows:

  1. General dirt or yellowing from smoke or age.
  2. Organic stains such as tea, coffee, fruit, flowers and tobacco.
  3. Oil based stains from grease, cooking oil, butter and salad dressing.
  4. Biological stains from algae, moss, mildew and lichens.
  5. Metallic stains from iron (rust), copper and bronze.

Each type of stain requires the use of a particular chemical or cleaning agent which will most effectively serve to dilute, break down and dissolve the stain. Following is a general guide which will suggest cleaning agents for the more common types of stains:

Stain Type                    Color                                      Agent  

General dirt                    Light "dirty" yellow                   Bleach

Organic                          Light to dark brown                 Hydrogen Peroxide

                                      Or color of the fruit

Organic/Flowers             Color of the flower                   Hydrogen Peroxide Plus 10 drops of

                                                                                      ammonia per cup of poultice powder.

Oil based                        Brown to yellow or                   Acetone alone or

                                      "dark shade"                              50/50 acetone and ammonia.

Biological                        Black                                        Bleach

Metallic/iron                    Brown/yellow "rust color"          Ammonium bi-fluoride

Metallic/bronze/copper    Green or brown                         Ammonium chloride

Note that the Ammonium bi-fluoride used for rust stains may etch some stones which will require refinishing and polishing after. Always follow the manufacturers safety recommendations for the agent being used.

Applying the Poultice

  1. Clean or strip the area to be poulticed to remove any surface dirt, wax or sealers.
  2. Wearing rubber gloves, mix the poultice powder and the cleaning agent to form a paste about the consistency of peanut butter.
  3. Moisten the area to be treated with some of the cleaning agent and then apply the poultice paste with a spatula to cover an area one or two inches larger than the stain. The paste should be 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
  4. Cover the area with plastic sheeting or film and seal the edges with masking tape.
  5. Allow the poultice to stand 48 to 72 hours and then for all agents except acetone, remove the plastic/film. For acetone, cut a few slits in the plastic. Allow it to stand until the poultice is completely dry. This may take several days but is very critical because the stain is being drawn out as the poultice dries.
  6. After it is dry, remove the poultice with a spatula and clean the area with fresh water to remove any residue.

If the stain is gone, congratulations. If it is only lighter or less apparent, repeat the process. If the stain was not affected at all, more than likely, the wrong agent was used. Try again with the next likely cleaning agent. Note that some stains such as rust can be very "set in" and after three or four tries if you are not successful it probably will not come out.