Did you try Vim or mr. clean eraser ?

I'd ban permanent markers from your house, lol....

kais

I did many tests on our stone before selecting - oils, salad dressing, wine, lemon, mustard, ketchup & the likes - We have sharpies - never thought of performing that test. To me little ones and sharpies are just a bad combo - That's why they have little kiddie markers

Rubbing alcohol or hairspray may get it off. (Drinking alcohol may make you not worry about sharpie stains.) ;^)

I am also considering quartz countertops and in typical TKO fashion, have samples all over my kitchen. I just did the sharpie test on honed "Misty Carrera" Caesarstone. Nothing I tried (not even alcohol or BKF) could get the sharpie off it. On the polished Cambria (colors "Templeton" and "Waverton") the sharpie market came right off. In all cases I only let the sharpie marks set up for five minutes before trying to remove. All good to know.

I got sharpie off a leather sofa -- I would think it would come off. Alcohol, nail polish remover, goo gone, magic earaser -- but if nothing works, be glad it's a sample.

Website said felt markers, not permanent markers. Lots of felt tip pens are water based and/or washable.

First wipe with a paper towel moistened with acetone. Wipe once, do not rub repeatedly. If there's still a stain, apply a peroxide/baking soda poultice overnight.
Casey

The largest component in quartz countertops by volume is actually acrylic, not quartz. They publicity says 93% quartz, but they omit that the ratio of that is calculated by weight not volume! Volume wise, the quartz is about 40-45% of the total. That means that quartz has a lot more in common with acrylic solid surface counters like Corian than they do with stone countertops.

Acetone can and will melt/etch acrylic if it's allowed to come in contact with it for an extended period. (think of acrylic nails and nail polish remover=acetone) Acetone is for a quick wipeup, and that's it. If a mark won't come off of the slab with a quick wipe, then don't do anything else with acetone that involved extended time! You'll "etch" the "stone".

When I've had coworkers accidentally get sharpie marks on my Corian desk counter at work, the only thing that has worked was to sand them out. That's the beauty of a renewable surface. Unfortunately, that won't work on quartz as the quartz component won't allow you to remove the thin top layer that's stained--unless you're a fabricator with the right tools. You might try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, as it's a very fine micro abrasive. Other than than, I really don't think there's a solution. A poultice would work if this was real stone, but the acrylic component is the one that's the problem here, not the quartz component.

I am beginning to wonder more and more about caesarstone's quality with what I've been reading lately. I wrote an email to caesarstone customer service and asked them about these claims that people are making that their counters are stained or chipped. The C/S dept basically said, "caesarstone continues to grow in popularity they had no need or desire to answer to these claims." I'd venture to guess based on this answer that they are growing so big that quality is going down. Customer Service response was a big turnoff since we "were" planning on doing kitchens and baths in caesarstone. Now to find another product. Suggestions anyone?

I got red sharpie off my caesarstone with softscrub with bleach followed by magic eraser. It was probably there a week. My color is oyster, which is very light. I have had it for 1 1/2 years and love it!!

Some manufacturers may have added microban to their product (triclosan embedded into the binder), which is controversial right now. I Really am not trying to start something here about the subject, just educate yourself.

In addition to the sharpie test, I did the "rust" test also. I left cast iron pan on a wet spot. I find that rust is an accidental stain that happens in my house, ie a can or cast iron pan left on wet spot. The rust did not come off easily. It did after alot of scrubbing with that white Mr Clean magic eraser. It was not easy. I can see if I left more significant rust spot, it may not come off at all....

In my house, tiny sharpie marks just happen. Kids use it for school project etc. My kids are not that little. It's just a fact of life that sharpie marks will happen. So does rust.

On my light colored 20 year old laminate, over several weeks, these stains tend to wear out and one does not notice it any more. Another stain that takes time to wear out of laminate is curry (turmeric). Rubbed on turmeric came right out of quartz material with windex.

I am not sure how light colored stones; ie granite or marble, do with rust, curry, sharpie .... Any experience?

Coupled with the fact that it is not heat tolerant; ie I can't set cookie sheets out of oven, I am not really sure if this is all it is cracked up to be. I don't want to spend this much money and have to use it just like I would laminate surface. I know that it looks "nice"... I was "looking" at a finished kitchen. Their light colored quarts had a HUGE stain (maybe rust) or burn mark that looked awful. The owner was not there for me to ask.

I may need to visit a stone yard. I was thinking of even light colored quartz was it....

The attitude of their customer service department would be enough to make me look for an entirely different counter top product. In fact, when I reach the countertop decisions during our build, they aren't even going to be a consideration.

They don't care about the issues people are having with their product....only with the money they are getting from them?! Well, they may be getting money from them right now, but it will eventually backfire on them. They will either be out of business or singing a different tune down the road.

Customer service is a huge part of anything I purchase these days. It has to muster up as well as the quality of the product or I don't buy it.

francois47,
thanks for the heads up about Cambria. I found Pental Chroma was easier on stains than Caesarstone also.

I think when the product is adverstised that it is stain resistant to felt markers, than I expect "sharpie" to be in that category. Not true.... I think this is misleading, IMHO.

I only thought to test a Sharpie after reading their product literature, not before.

I didn't have a Sharpie but I tried black shoe dye, and markers in hot pink, bright blue and green on Caesarstone Organic White. Just wiping those up left the sample badly stained but it cleaned up with a paste of Comet and water and some light scrubbing. No change in the gloss of the sample.

Sharpies! You guys are going overboard!

clg7067
I am not going overboard with Sharpies. My kitchen island is where my kids to their homework, make posters for school, do their art work. Accidents happen. I have had plenty of Sharpie marks on my laminate island countertop over the years. They are not big marks, they are little marks that were accidentally made while doing art projects. (go look at any artroom in schools. The counters are permanently marked with Sharpie marks.)

On my laminate, they come off over several weeks and vigorous scrubbing with Mr Clean magic eraser.

I am getting a light counter. Accidental Sharpie marks would bother me if it was truly permanent and I could not get the marks off at all!

If Sharpie marks are permanent, then I have to cover the counter with paper before any art project. That is too much upkeep for something as utilitarian as a countertop. This means I can't have this product for my kitchen which will be used as a family countertop for doing art.

I'm with clg, I think your expectation that a permanent marker should come off is unrealistic. The whole point of a permanent marker is that it is permanent. I never let my kids use Sharpies when they were young, regardless of the surface. We had dozens and dozens of washable markers in every color for the kids, why on earth would I give them a sharpie and then expect it to wash off somehow?

Kaismom, I am just cracking up reading about what goes on in your house. Here, click this link to this NYTimes article I just read yesterday. So funny!

Here is a link that might be useful: stuff kids ruin

Purell (the hand sanitizer) will remove Sharpie from fabric; perhaps it will remove it from Caesarstone...

Kaismom, please give us an update as to whether any of our suggestions worked in removing the Sharpie stains from the Caesarstone. Would love to know, as would others considering using it also for their counters.

I got a sample of Pental's Chroma in super white, honed finish. I put spots of red wine, olive oil, tomato sauce, turmeric, and tea on it and drew a line with a black Sharpie. I left all this on it for 6 hours. I was able to remove it all with soap and water except the Sharpie, which came off with Comet.

Caesarstone can almost always be cleaned with the right product. A sharpie uses alcohol to transfer the color on the the counter, alcohol will take off most of it colour. What is left an be cleaned off with bleach - leave it on for about 5 minutes and wipe off, repeat if necessary. Rinse after cleaning. Avoid Abrasive cleaners because if you scrub to hard you will dull the finish. A light scrub will work on most things. Rust can be removed by putting a product called Bar Keepers Friend on it. Cover with a wet cloth and in about 5 minutes it will be gone. Do not scrub, just leave to soak and clean off.

COMET!Oops, I used a sharpie on my white quartz and it soaked through the paper. Wasn't thinking. Windex didn't work, damp cloth with Comet and 2 minutes of scrubbing did!!

I love this old thread. We too are a family addicted to sharpies. They are awesome! My kids use them & get them on my 20 year old laminate counters. They put paper down but accidents happen. I don't stress because 1. my counters are from the 90s & I hate them 2. Because Bar keepers friend & elbow grease gets it right off. Now I am getting a new kitchen & considering LG minuet. My girlfriend says she can get sharpie off her minuet counter tops which are brand new.

BKF & elbow grease gets sharpie marks off my Ceasarstone Organic White, too. So I don't stress either!

The only recommended stain remover is Soft Scrub with Bleach. Abrasives can leave small scratches that dull the resin base of quartz. You may not see it in your lighting, but someone else with a counter in front of a window or an overhead light might. I had a Caesartone countertop replaced because of Barkeeper's Friend.

Apologies in advance for posting to an old thread. :p

All I clean my Caesarstone with is Dawn in water.

My only seam is at the sink. It's short and not too obvious, but I can see it. About every 6 months I go over the seam with a black Sharpie (dark gray counter) and wipe it till it blends perfectly. It doesn't stain the quartz itself.

We're doing the stain test right now on our sample of PentalQuartz Pure White. So far olive oil, balsamic dressing and dried up berries came off easily with soap and water. Pen marks required hairspray. Permanent marker hasn't come up (not with hairspray or baking soda) - we have no kids in the house - it won't be an issue - but I still would like to test these suggestions! Comet is next, then maybe Goo Gone.

How about soft scrub?

Acetone.

Hairspray? Which kind? How does that work? Is that why most of the pigment is gone from my hair?

Ethanol dissolves Sharpie. During my lab worker years we labeled everything with a Sharpie and just hosed it off with alcohol. (That was for killing things, not necessarily to remove the writing...but it did.) Other brands of marker may have different properties, but Sharpies are my favorite. :)

Does vodka work, Fori? I think I could get behind a martini and scrubby cleaning regimen.

You know, that would make the job more appealing somehow. It's not as concentrated as the stuff I used so it takes a little rubbing but I think the vermouth more than makes up for it. I've used rubbing alcohol before and as long as you accept that there will be rubbing it's okay as well. But if the Sharpie soaks INTO the material? Probably just end up spreading it. :)

mrspete: Great tip. Thanks.

As far as Caesarstone goes, don't believe all the claims. I put their "Raven" color in a kitchen in a vacation house (used mostly in the summer) 2 years ago and it has already chipped around the sink AND on the surface. Not sure how that happened. Also under the drainboard it has water marks that I haven't been able to get out. I tried bleach, comet, soft scrub, acetone, nothing works. When I contacted Caesarstone, they said soft scrub with bleach, but even that did not work. I've given up and will live with it, but if I had known that it wasn't as "bulletproof" as everyone claims, I might have gone with a different countertop.

For marker, rubbing alcohol and nail polish remover didn't work! I tried Goof Off and it was the best thing by far!!!!!!....the black marker stain is almost gone, you can only see a very faint slightly darker patch if you look close, it's pretty unnoticeable. The stone surface is a bit porous so the ink of the marker seeps into the surface. Do the same with Goof Off, put a tea-spoon (little puddle) on the surface on the stain and left it seep in for 5-10minutes, putting on more as it dries off. Goof Off is pretty toxic, so I recommend wearing gloves and try not to breathe in the fumes or get it in your eyes. Hope it works for you, too!

This is an old thread, but I just used bar keeper's friend on a sample with a green scotch write pad and it came out. But I guess I would be dulling the resins. I am testing this because I am choosing between butcher block and quartz. I have butcher block now. I just oiled it. My five year old insisted on using a sharpie and it bled through the paper to my butcher block. I just got a regular sponge with dish soap and it came right out of my butcher block. I have a bunch of quartz samples sitting in my house and I thought I would try sharpie on them. Bar keepers friend worked. But it's dark and I'll check out the staining in the light.