The Science Behind Why Turmeric Stains Everything (And How To Remove The Stains Once And For All)

Whether you're making a curry, a delicious glass of evening golden milk, or you're adding a pop of color to some rice, turmeric is a delicious, healthy addition to your kitchen. The spice is a hallmark of Southeast Asian foods, adding a peppery, earthy, warm flavor to dishes. That being said, actually using the spice can be a bit of a pain since it leaves bright yellow stains on everything it touches. Chowhound talked with Britt, the food scientist behind @theblackfoodscientist on Instagram and TikTok, to get the skinny on exactly why turmeric stains everything and what you can do to get rid of the bright yellow hue (spoiler alert: You need soap and some serious elbow grease).

"Turmeric gets its signature yellow color from a compound... called curcumin," Britt exclusively told us. "Curcumin is actually the compound that has potential health benefits associated with it, such as anti-inflammatory properties." If you've found yourself scrubbing a hole in your counter trying to get rid of a turmeric stain, you're not alone. There's a reason why it's so hard to remove: "Curcumin penetrates porous materials quite easily, creating hard-to-get-rid-of stains," says Britt. "Curcumin is also not water soluble, so it is not easy to just wash away from a porous material."

If you've got a counter splattered with turmeric stains, water isn't going to cut it. It's time to pull out the big guns: "Adding dish soap, vinegar, or laundry detergent to water can help," says Britt. "Dish soap and laundry detergent contain surfactants, which can help remove the oily portions of the stain." If you decide to give laundry detergent a try, go with an unscented version; you don't want the long-lingering scent of laundry detergent scrubbed into your kitchen counters.

If you still aren't quite able to get the stains out, you might need to use a commercial-grade cleaner; Britt recommends Bar Keepers Friend. Before you start scrubbing, be sure the cleaner and your counters are compatible. While you're often able to get rid of turmeric stains with hard work and a variety of cleaners, some stains might be stuck for good. "Sometimes clothing is hard to remove stains from, depending on how long the turmeric has sat," says Britt. "Really porous countertops could also potentially be an issue." If you're working with new countertops and you'd prefer not to risk stains, use a turmeric substitute that doesn't have the same ability to stain countertops, such as ginger.