Starsan damage to countertop

[jmgreen7]

Push me to the right thread if this isn't the place to discuss this. I left a container of starsan on my laminate countertop for well too long. There apparently was some that ran down the outside of the container and onto the countertop. Now there is a white-ish ring where the container sat that i cannot get off. Does anyone have any ideas on whether this is removable, and what to use?

 

[Daybis]

I have it on my counter too. I thought it might have been from oxyclean, never thought about it coming from starsan. I was never able to get it off.

 

[Homercidal]

You are screwed. I wish I were kidding. I hope you are not married!

 

[Yooper]

I think it was IrregularPulse who did that with his brand spanking new granite countertops that his wife paid for and installed with her own savings. It never does come off- it's permanently etched.

 

[BrewKnurd]

Push me to the right thread if this isn't the place to discuss this. I left a container of starsan on my laminate countertop for well too long. There apparently was some that ran down the outside of the container and onto the countertop. Now there is a white-ish ring where the container sat that i cannot get off. Does anyone have any ideas on whether this is removable, and what to use?

My guess is that it is not removable because there is nothing to remove. The starsan probably removed the top layer of your countertop. But I don't know enough about star-san/laminate countertop chemistry to say for sure.

 

[thom]

I also destroyed my laminate countertop this way. I told my wife that something hot must have been left on the counter. I was vague about assigning blame.

 

[jmgreen7]

Wow, a lot of responses. None of them good.
Homercidal - I'm married. I told her we bought the laminates b/c we could replace them. Her response was, that yes, we expected them to get damaged. Just not after 3 years...

oh well. At least it was damaged for a good cause.

 

[BrewKnurd]

Homercidal - I'm married. I told her we bought the laminates b/c we could replace them. Her response was, that yes, we expected them to get damaged. Just not after 3 years...

Well, that's a better response than "Right. So replace them."

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Mild bleach solution has yellowed my inexpensive laminate countertop in my laundry room. Since I do sooo much brewing activities there, I just leave it the way it is.

M_C

 

[Kieran]

I put a huge ring into my granite countertop where some Star San solution got under a bucket. Lesson learned, but from what I've read there is no inexpensive fix to the etching in the surface.

 

[Homercidal]

You could always just do a whole bunch more and make it look like a fancy pattern...

 

[jmgreen7]

You could always just do a whole bunch more and make it look like a fancy pattern...

You know better than that. That would be the end of me. You should be ashamed of yourself for wishing death on a fellow brewer.

 

[bernerbrau]

Yeah, my wife says I owe her a new countertop. There goes my brew budget...

 

[Homercidal]

You know better than that. That would be the end of me. You should be ashamed of yourself for wishing death on a fellow brewer.

All you have to do is pay an artsy lady to suggest it. If she suggests it (and not you) then the wife will think it's the bees knees!

 

[bernerbrau]

The star san stains (of which I have far too many for being in my house 8 months) "disappear" when wet. I am wondering if there is perhaps some kind of lacquer or other surface chemical you could coat it with to reduce the appearance of the stains.

 

[rico567]

The star san stains (of which I have far too many for being in my house 8 months) "disappear" when wet. I am wondering if there is perhaps some kind of lacquer or other surface chemical you could coat it with to reduce the appearance of the stains.

I can't keep track....are we talking granite or laminate here? We have granite, and granite has a sealer put on when it's installed. It can be re-sealed, the installer gave me the rest of the bottle, but I've never done it. Maybe if your counter is granite you could re-seal it, and it would help....

 

[BA_from_GA]

mental note taken... starsan stays the hell off the countertops....

thanks for the chance to learn from your mistakes...

 

[bernerbrau]

I can't keep track....are we talking granite or laminate here? We have granite, and granite has a sealer put on when it's installed. It can be re-sealed, the installer gave me the rest of the bottle, but I've never done it. Maybe if your counter is granite you could re-seal it, and it would help....

Laminate. I've damaged both granite and laminate with star san, but the granite is my old apartment complex's problem now.

 

[jlpred55]

Ive got it on my granite countertop. I put the cap down on it whiile I was using it and never wiped it off. Now I have a little ring the size of the cap on my huge granite countertop. It is not super noticeable, but it is etched and it does not remedy with any type of sealer. I've used both the granite sealer and a enhancer type sealer that is supposed to be used for shiny applications to both granite, limestone and slate. They didn't help the apperance.

I will say if the Star San is mixed properly it should not hurt a granite countertop, but if it is the concentrated form or heavily mixed it will etch it.

 

[jetmechG550]

Here's my Star San thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/star-san-disaster-239658/

 

[Dunerunner]

Did the same thing to my Corian counter top. It is permanent!

 

[bovineblitz]

I damaged my laminate countertop too... fortunately it's a cheap one from Ikea that I can replace for $60. I learned my lesson though and always throw a clean towel over countertops when brewing from now on.

 

[lylo]

Holy crap,I just switched over to Starsan from bleach because of all the heat
I took ,over the little white spot trail from my beer room to the stairs!I guess I better keep being careful! Actually that wan't the only reason for the switch.

 

[ThickHead]

...throw a clean towel over counter tops when brewing from now on.

Yup...only I have three towels that I throw down on the floor which becomes my "sanitation station." Star San never goes near the counters.

 

[Malintent]

you can repair granite by having it polished. Laminate is ruined forever.

 

[robtotten]

I think it was IrregularPulse who did that with his brand spanking new granite countertops that his wife paid for and installed with her own savings. It never does come off- it's permanently etched.

Brutal! haha

 

[krebs119]

I did the same thing to my laminate counter top recently. I don't think there is any permanent fix.

However! After scouring google, I found a suggestion to spray some oil on it (vegetable oil type stuff). It's not perfect, and definitely not permanent, but it does cover it to the point where the only one who notices it is me. It lasts maybe a week or so. Not a permanent solution, but not bad for when you're having guests over....

Just spray a little on and wipe it down with a paper towel. My counters are a dark brown color, so ymmv. Good luck...

 

[Nugent]

I've got the job of replacing the countertops this summer to prove it.

 

[Dunerunner]

I did the same thing to my laminate counter top recently. I don't think there is any permanent fix.

However! After scouring google, I found a suggestion to spray some oil on it (vegetable oil type stuff). It's not perfect, and definitely not permanent, but it does cover it to the point where the only one who notices it is me. It lasts maybe a week or so. Not a permanent solution, but not bad for when you're having guests over....

Just spray a little on and wipe it down with a paper towel. My counters are a dark brown color, so ymmv. Good luck...

That works temporarily on Corian also, lasts until the wife cleans the counter top!

 

[PhelanKA7]

Also be warned that Star-San will ruin your wife's ~$600 leather Coach purse.

 

[Ravenshead]

This is one of many reasons why I brew in the garage.

 

[specsman]

Did the same thing to my Corian counter top. It is permanent!

Can't you just buff it out? I have an extra fine sanding sponge I use on my corian countertop to get rid of tough stains and imperfections.

That's even what wiki says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corian

Nicks and scratches can be buffed out with a Scotch-Brite pad or orbital sander.

 

[Montanaandy]

mental note taken... starsan stays the hell off the countertops....

thanks for the chance to learn from your mistakes...

Yep, ditto on that...

 

[samc]

What good is non-infected beer if you get bobbited whilst you sleep?

StarSan is dangerous to your health!


LOL

 

[Montanaandy]

If you have Corian it can easily be repaired. My wonderful eldest daughter decided that she was Julia Child one day and placed a 200+' pan on the Corian countertop. Left a burn ring. The burn ring area was cut out, replaced, and buffed. You can't tell the difference. This is in fact a big reason why we went with Corian (3 young kids at the time).

 

[iaefebs]

If you have Corian it can easily be repaired. My wonderful eldest daughter decided that she was Julia Child one day and placed a 200+' pan on the Corian countertop. Left a burn ring. The burn ring area was cut out, replaced, and buffed. You can't tell the difference. This is in fact a big reason why we went with Corian (3 young kids at the time).

I find this very hard to believe. Show us a picture of the area.

 

[specsman]

I find this very hard to believe. Show us a picture of the area.

I don't. It pretty much says this exact thing is possible on the related wiki page I linked to.

 

[Montanaandy]

I find this very hard to believe. Show us a picture of the area.

If I get a chance to take a pic and post it I will.

In the meantime, call a Corian dealer and talk to them about it. They will confirm it. Since you are so skeptical, have them show you the process. It is done all the time. This is one of the major benes Corian over stone. It is also easy to buff out scratches and re-seal.

 

[Malintent]

The ability to repair corian is well documented.. and a major selling point. Basically, it is plastic. To repair, they use something like an iron to melt the repaired area together and it supposedly looks like brand new.

 

[Dunerunner]

I have buffed the areas of my Corian counter tops (yes, I did it more than once) and essentially I have a ring with a lighter colored buffed area around it now. The local contractor wants $500 to buff the entire counter top and was unsure as to whether it would remove the etched ring caused by the StarSan. Both Corian colors are discontinued and unavailable. Oops!!