Icing dye on my counter

@sedel1027 (17846)
Cupertino, California
January 29, 2008 2:42pm CST
Today is my son's b-day and I was going to bake him a cake. Well, DH decided my idea was too simple and took over the project (no complaints from me!). In the process of mixing the frosting the dye ran down a bowl. Now my counter is stained an odd shape of pink (the dye was red). We live in an apartment where the counters stain very easily, if the color wasn't a bright pink I wouldn't even bother trying to get it up all the way. How do I get this stuff up?
3 people like this
5 responses
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
29 Jan 08
I think you should be able to use scrubbing bubbles to get the dye out. I use scrubbing bubbles for everything and it works very well to remove stains. do you have any on hand? It won't ruin what you are using it on either. It even works very well on carpet too.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
29 Jan 08
I don't keep scrubbing bubbles on hand. I had a really bad experience with it 5 or so years ago taking the finish off of counters where we were renting. I have a feeling something that harsh would do the same to these counter. They stain super easy and the cheap finish on them comes off with product like 409 if you let it sit for more than a minute.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
29 Jan 08
Well, this was like 5+ years ago. So they may have changed the formula. Our counters are easily damaged. We supposedly got the newer counter tops, but it looks like they just put a cost of something thick over the old counters and then didn't seal them properly or at all. Even a wet dish will mark up the counters.
1 person likes this
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
29 Jan 08
Oh really? I use it on my countertops and it hasn't done that to mine. that is unreal. I would stop using it also if it did it to mine. I haven't had any porblems yet, thank God.
@casinocat (284)
• United States
29 Jan 08
Bleach. It only takes a second or two. or Mr Clean Magic Eraser (seriously, these things are "magic!"
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
29 Jan 08
Ya know, I think I have a box of those magic eraser things somewhere. I will try that out first. I don't keep bleach in the house because we have birds and it is one of the many many things that I can't keep safely in such a small environment.
@jillbeth (2705)
• United States
29 Jan 08
Try cleaning the spot with hair spray. I can't tell you it will work with food dye, but I know it took permanent magic marker off my dining room table!
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
29 Jan 08
Ergh. I don't have any on hand. I don't use the stuff. will any brand work? Maybe I can find a small travel bottle of it at walgreens.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
29 Jan 08
Try some baking soda. baking soda is really good for cleaning counters with out scratching them. Then i would put turtle car wax on the counter for easier clean up all the time. It will protect from stains too.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
29 Jan 08
I will try that if the Magic Eraser doesn't work. I don't want to put wax on my counter because we have cats that jump up and down all the time. Plus I don't know how was would really affect our counters. I don't want to have to pay any crazy repair bill when we move out.
@schilds (410)
• United States
29 Jan 08
My counters do the same - bread bag imprints are common occurances. I use ajax or comet - baking soda would probably work well too. Never thought about turtle wax... doesn't it come right off when you wash the counters?
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
29 Jan 08
I know the ajax will rip up these counters. My son cleaned his bathroom with cleanser one day and wore off about 2 layers of the counter in 2 wipes. I am not going to try the turtle wax since we have cats that jump on the counters and I know my son often will build sandwiches on the counter. I will try out the baking soda though.