Linda said, “I accidently left a small tube of superglue on my granite countertop. Even though I noticed it right away and tried to rub it away (which probably made it worse) it left the area totally dull. Is it possible to clean/repair this type of damage/stain.”
Table of Contents:
It
is always scary when superglue lands somewhere it isn’t wanted. However, even super glue can be removed when necessary. Follow the steps below to remove the glue.
Removing the Glue
You Will Need:
- Dish liquid
- Water
- A cloth
- Plastic wrap
- Rubbing alcohol
- Pure acetone
- A cotton ball
Steps to Remove the Glue:
- Stir some dish liquid in water to make suds.
- Soak a cloth or paper towel with the soapy water.
- Lay the cloth over the super glue.
- Leave the cloth on the superglue for several hours. If needed, rewet the cloth or cover the cloth with plastic wrap to hold in the moisture.
- Once the glue has softened, use the damp cloth to gently scrub it away.
- If needed, gently scrape the glue off with a razor blade.¹
- If the glue is stubborn, you can try using either rubbing alcohol or pure acetone. Dampen a cotton ball with the cleaner and rub it over the glue until the glue is gone.
- When the glue is gone, wipe the area with a damp cloth to remove any residue from the cleaner.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Acetone and rubbing alcohol can remove the finish from some surfaces. Always test a cleaning solution on a small, hidden area of the surface first to look for any adverse effects.
- Do not use nail polish remover in place of pure acetone as the polish remover often contains other chemicals and dyes.
- Lighter fluid can also be effective for removing super glue, however it may not be safe for the granite so test is on a hidden area first.²
- There may be a dark water stain left after softening the glue. This stain will fade away as the water evaporates.
Sources
- The Queen of Clean’s Complete Cleaning Guide by Linda Cobb
- Haley’s Cleaning Hints by Graham and Rosemary Haley
I have managed to smear super glue in a large area of my daughters new Italian black textured finished granite. The soaking has not helped so far (it’s been 3 hours). I’m afraid to try acetone or rubbing alcohol on it as it is a satin finish. Any ideas?
Laurie,
The soaking part is only to soften the glue; once it has softened, then it will be easier to scrub off. Even then, it will likely take a bit of elbow grease.
You can test the cleaners in a small, hidden area on the granite first to look for any adverse reaction; under a corner edge of the counter might be a good spot. Both rubbing alcohol and acetone are two common stain removers for granite. If your daughter ever got an oil stain or an ink stain on the counter, those would be the cleaners to use.
One idea for something else you could try is lotion. Just spread the lotion over the superglue, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then use a cloth to gently scrub off the glue. Try not to get any lotion on the area surrounding the superglue though, as it could soak into the counter and leave an oil stain, which would put you back to square one of needing to use acetone.
Another idea is plain white toothpaste. Many commenters have written in on the article How to Remove Superglue from Eyeglasses saying that rubbing the glue with toothpaste is what worked for them. The key was persistence with scrubbing.
Good luck!
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Remove Super Glue from Tile
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Remove Stains from Granite Countertops
Perfect result, thank you!!!!!
I soaked the spot overnight & the next morning the razor blade very quickly did the rest. (No acetone was required & spot test was good on high sheen granite, which is good to know.)
Wow & thanks again!
I was using super glue, put the lid back and layed it down on my granite. It glued the whole tube on the granite.
Tried both ideas, neither one worked.
Have any other ideas for me to try?
Sharon,
You can try using heat. Point a hair dryer on it, holding the hair dryer several inches away to avoid scorching the granite. When the heat softens the glue, you can pull off the tube and scrape off the rest.
You can also try hydrogen peroxide (the general kind – 3%). Soak a cloth with the peroxide and lay it over the superglue. Once the glue softens, then you can scrape it off. Keep in mind that the peroxide (or any other remover like acetone) must still be wet; once it dries, the superglue will harden again.
If you still can’t get the glue off, you can always sand it off with sandpaper and refinish that spot.
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Remove Super Glue Stains
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Remove Super Glue from Metal
Use glass top cleaner and scraper. Easiest way to remove.
I repaired a large glass plate with super glue on a granite kitchen counter. Now the whole plate is stuck to the granite! How do I remove the plate and not damage the counter?
Heather,
You can still use the above methods; it just might take longer. Wrap the damp cloth around the edge of the bowl to soak, then use a plastic scraper to gently scrape off the bowl. Repeat as many times as needed to fully remove the bowl.
Another option is to use heat: use a hair dryer to warm the glue so it softens, then gently scrape away the bowl. Good luck!
I spilled a little bit of Krazy Glue on our granite top. I was able to get the glue off, but the affected area seems to have lost its shine. Is there anything that can be done?
Dennis,
This might be the guide you need: How to Restore Shine to Granite. However, it’s possible that the glue removed the finish (sealant), so if a granite polish doesn’t work, you may need to reseal that spot. Doing that is not as difficult as it sounds. There are several ways you can reseal the area – one is to just wipe on a little sealant with a cotton swab, or another is to use a granite sealant wipe (similar to a baby wipe but it has sealant on it) to wipe the spot. Talk to your local hardware store about what products they have available. Good luck!
Source: Home Depot – Stone Care International Granite & Stone Sealer
Source: Home Depot – Granite Gold Sealer Wipes
Hi, how do you remove super glue off a headstone without damaging the headstone as I placed a latern on my mum’s headstone for Christmas and now they would like us to remove it. Thanks very much.
Cathy,
The same method can be used for a headstone. If you need to use alcohol or acetone, be sure to test it on a small hidden area first though. Hopefully just softening the glue with a good soak will be enough. Good luck!