Choosing marble as the main material to use in your home is indeed great because you will get that stunning look. Whether it’s the living room, dining room, kitchen, or bathroom, the shiny and beautiful marble will enhance the quality of the room.
However, as one of the natural stones, marble needs extra care since it’s very porous and susceptible to staining. If you spot spills, clean them immediately to prevent them from becoming stains. On an important note, whether it’s spills, stains, or scuffs, you have to clean it carefully because using an acidic cleaner or harsh cleaning tool will add more damage to the surface.
If you are a homeowner surrounded by marble, you may want to check some tips we have on how to remove stains from marble floors.
How to Remove Stain from Marble Surface
First of all, know some types of stains so you can get the right cleaning product, tool, and method.
- Oil-based stains: just like the name, it’s stains caused by oil-based products such as cooking oil, butter, grease, and body lotion. The stains usually look yellow or light brown.
- Organic stains: these usually come from coffee, tea, or food spills. These ones can look light or dark brown.
- Rust stains: a few items that cause these stains are flower pots, nails, screws, furniture, and metal cans in copper or brown.
- Water stains: these are usually caused by water that stays on the marble surface for too long like a sink, countertop, or shower. This happens a lot in a kitchen or bathroom.
- Soap scum: this happens a lot if you have a bathroom covered by marble.
- Etch marks: the enemy of natural stones is an acidic substance like lemon, vinegar, orange juice, and wine. They don’t only cause stains but also leave etch marks.
Tools and supplies that you will need:
- Ammonia
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Non-acidic cleaner
- Soft cloth or microfiber mop
- Baking soda
- Grade 0000 steel wool
Follow these steps:
In general, before cleaning the stained surface, make sure that it’s clean. Use a soft mop or microfiber cloth to wipe instead of using a vacuum cleaner since it may leave scratches.
Oil-based Stains
- Mix a non-acidic cleaner with a few drops of ammonia.
- Apply the mixture to the stained spot.
- Gently wipe (don’t rub) the surface.
- If the stains remain, you may want to use a poultice.
Organic Stains
- Mix a few drops of ammonia and 12% hydrogen peroxide.
- Apply the mixture to the stained spot.
- If you have dark marble, test it out first on an inconspicuous surface to check if it causes discoloration due to hydrogen peroxide.
Rust Stains
- Apply a non-acidic cleaner or poultice to the stained area.
- Wipe it with a soft cloth.
- If this method doesn’t work, consider consulting a professional.
Water Stains
- Use a regular marble cleaner to clean the stains.
- You can also use a 0000 steel wool.
Soap Scums
- Depending on the size of the stained surface, mix half a cup of ammonia with a gallon of water.
- Apply the cleaner to the surface.
- Wipe the surface softly with a microfiber mop.
Etch Marks
- For etch marks, wet the surface with water.
- Sprinkle marble polishing powder on the affected area.
- Use a damp cloth to buff the powder.
- You can also use a poultice.
Those are a few tips that you can use to remove stains from a marble surface based on different stains.
