In the Gordon and Sweet stain, what is the recommended fix if the counterstain is too long?

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In this staining method, the counterstain establishes contrast so the targeted structures stand out against the background. If the counterstain is left on too long, it can overwhelm the section and tint everything too much, washing out the subtle color differences the primary stain is meant to reveal. The fix is to shorten the time in the counterstain, which restores the intended contrast and keeps the primary staining clearly visible. Increasing the time would make the problem worse, skipping the counterstain would remove contrast altogether, and using a different counterstain changes the color more than it solves the timing issue. Adjusting the counterstain duration is the appropriate adjustment to regain proper differentiation.