From vindaloos and char siu to pepperoni pizza and mushy peas, these dishes might taste amazing, but they’re also the ones most likely to leave lasting damage on your worktops.
Kitchen expert Liv Reed, from Prestige Granite, has trawled through takeaway menus to uncover the meals and sides that can cause the priciest, and in some cases even irreparable, stains.
That’s right: if they’re not dealt with quickly, a cheap side order or topping could end up costing you thousands in repairs.
Liv has listed her top offenders to watch out for below.
Indian Cuisine
Most Stainable Item:
“Curries packed with turmeric are usually the biggest culprits, think vindaloos, yellow dals or any dish that mixes turmeric with tomato. Those are the ones to watch out for if you’re eating Indian food and want to avoid worktop stains,”
Why it stains badly
“Turmeric has a really strong yellow pigment and tomato brings both colour and acidity. Put those together with a bit of oil and you’ve got the perfect recipe for stubborn stains, especially on porous surfaces.”
Chinese Cuisine
Most Stainable Item:
“Dishes with dark soy sauce or glossy brown sauces can be very tricky. Think red-braised pork belly, char siu or anything with that deep, sticky glaze. They’re delicious, but definitely the kind of meals to watch out for if you’re worried about stains.”
Why it stains badly
“Dark soy carries an intense pigment, and when you add oil or sugar into the mix it really clings. That glossy sauce can sink into surfaces fast, and once it sets it can be tough to shift, especially from anything porous.”
Pizza
Most Stainable Item:
“A really greasy, heavily sauced pizza is a nightmare for stains, especially ones loaded with tomato sauce, extra red sauce and oily toppings like pepperoni. They might taste amazing, but they’re a recipe for mess if you’re not careful.”
Why it stains badly
“Tomato, oil and spices together make the perfect stain combo. The oil carries the pigments deep into surfaces, while the tomato adds acidity and colour, making the marks extra stubborn to shift.”
Kebab
Most Stainable Item:
“A loaded kebab with a rich red or brown sauce, think spicy chilli or tomato-based, plus the oily drippings from the meat is one to handle with care. It’s messy food at the best of times, but the sauces and grease together make it a real stain risk.”
Why it stains badly
“The mix of strong sauce pigments and grease is the problem here. Ingredients like paprika and chilli add deep red colour, and the oil helps those pigments spread and stick, making the stains extra tough to deal with.”
Fish and Chips
Most Stainable Item:
“Classic fish and chips can be surprisingly risky for stains, especially when you’ve got the fried batter, a splash of malt vinegar, tartar sauce and those brightly coloured mushy peas. Once the vinegar soaks into a worktop, it can really lock everything in.”
Why it stains badly
“It’s the combination that does it, greasy fried batter, sharp acidic vinegar and strong pigments from sauces or peas. Together they create a stubborn stain that clings to surfaces and is tricky to lift out.”
Prestige Granite’s Liv Reed had these quick hacks for beating food stains:
“Not all worktops are created equally, while a quartz worktop stands a better chance of beating the stains, other material like wood, marble and granite could be at risk.”
- Blot, don’t rub: Dab spills with kitchen roll right away, rubbing just pushes the stain deeper.
- Soak up the grease: A sprinkle of baking soda or even talc works wonders at lifting oily patches before you start scrubbing.
- Cold first, hot later: Rinse or dab with cold water to stop colours setting, then switch to warm soapy water once it’s lifted.
- Vinegar or lemon to the rescue: A splash of either can help break down those stubborn red and yellow pigments.
- Gentle and repeat: Little and often beats going in hard, scrub too much and you’ll make the mark worse.
- Mind your surfaces: Porous worktops or fabrics need extra care, wipe, rinse, and dry quickly so nothing soaks in.
- Finish strong: Once the stain looks gone, give it a proper clean or wash to stop any sneaky residue reappearing.
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