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How To Remove Stains From Marble Surfaces

How To Remove Stains From Marble Surfaces

Marble is one of those beautiful materials that can instantly elevate any room to look high-end and sophisticated. However, the quickest way to ruin the effect of a stunning marble countertop is with a big stain that just won’t go away.

You can try to avoid stains, but in places like the kitchen, your surfaces are bound to experience some unavoidable spills and drips.

Thankfully, marble is easy to clean.  There are a few ways you can use to get tough stains off marble surfaces with affordable at-home concoctions. These work on stains of all types, including food, oil-based, and even rust.

Try these steps at home to get your marble countertop clean, and if all else fails, call our team of experts at All Dry USA.

1. Plan Ahead with These Pointers

Before you scrub your surface, you’ll want to keep the following factors in mind:

  • This material is porous, meaning that stains can easily seep into the material if not cleaned up soon enough. This means that your cleaning agents will need time to seep into the material and treat the stain by deep cleaning. Don’t take this project on if you can’t let the material sit.
  • Most of these methods of cleaning must sit overnight, so be sure that you have proper ventilation for the fumes.
  • Before you apply any soap or solution to the area, conduct a test. Apply the solution on a small, inconspicuous area of the countertop before slathering it all over. This should always be done with any new cleaning product to ensure that it doesn’t in some way damage your marble.

Once you’ve completed your test, follow the steps below to treat tough, persistent stains on your marble surfaces.

2. Wash With Soap And Water

The first thing that you’ll want to do with any stain is wash with soap and water. This is your first line of defense that is the safest to try on marble. Some stains may come off with a simple rinse and scrub, which is ideal. While cleaning agents get rid of stains, they can also cause wear and tear to the countertops. If you can get the stain off without using cleaning supplies, you’ll avoid any potential damage.

Make sure that you use a good sponge with a rough scrubbing surface to see if you can lift the stain from the surface. Sometimes a little warm water will be enough to leave your surfaces gleaming. However, due to the porous nature of marble, the stain might require a solution or chemical to sit for a longer period.

White And Grey Marble Surface

3. Try A Homemade Baking Soda Solution

This recipe delivers great results and can be modified (as detailed in the next section) for stains that remain after treatment. This recipe involves only two ingredients, baking soda, and water.

All you have to do is combine equal parts baking soda and water (a good amount to start with is 1 tsp of each) to create a smooth and thick mixture. You can add water to create the consistency that you prefer.

Once you have created the solution, apply it to the stain and let it sit overnight. In the morning, it will look dry and flaky. This will make it easy to scrape and rinse away with soap and water.

If the stain persists, you can try more batches of this same solution for additional nights. 2-3 nights is standard.

4. Add Extra Strength (Modified Baking Soda Solution)

If that stain still won’t fade from your marble surface, you can modify the above homemade solution to give it some extra strength.

In this version, instead of equal parts baking soda and water, use equal parts baking soda and hydrogen peroxide for extra bleaching power. Apply and let it sit for the same period as above. Leave it overnight to rinse and scrape off when it is dry in the morning.

Keep in mind that in some cases this solution can strip any sealer away. Be mindful of where you put it and what surfaces it could damage so that you can avoid this. Also know that the stronger a solution is, the more likely it is to do general wear and tear to your counters.

Be sure that you’ve given it enough scrubbing with simple things like soap and water in between treating with mixtures to see if you can scrub it out. Sometimes a little elbow grease is all it takes.

Steps Modified For Rust Stains

If you are dealing with a rust stain on your marble surface, it may be more advantageous to go with a different approach. Use this process to treat indoor or outdoor rust stains and eliminate them. All you need is the following:

  • Paper towels
  • Ammonia
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Plastic wrap
  • Tape

Here are the five steps for dealing with rust stains:

  1. Tear up the paper towel and put the pieces in a medium-sized bowl.
  2. Then drop in a few drops of ammonia. Fully soak the paper towels with hydrogen peroxide (but don’t over soak). This is the mixture that will remove your stain.
  3. Apply the pieces of paper towel to the area to cover it. Since the pieces are wet, they will stick to even vertical surfaces.
  4. Cover the area with plastic wrap and tape the plastic wrap down just to ensure that the solution isn’t removed.
  5. Cut a few vents for airflow and let it sit until it is dry (about 2-3 days).
  6. When it’s time to remove the solution, all you need is some warm water to wash and scrub the surface clean.

Steps Modified For Oil Stains

If you are dealing with an oil-based stain due to tomato sauce, olive oil, or other common kitchen spills, this will be the best method to eliminate tough stains. Try a soft liquid cleanser mixed with a few drops of either acetone or ammonia.

Conclusion

When you’re dealing with marble surface stains, you must carefully select your treatment materials. Otherwise, you risk damaging your marble permanently.

If you’re worried about the risk, leave this job to the professionals. No one knows more about cleaning marble than our expert team at All Dry USA.

Contact All Dry USA today to get your free quote and find out how we can remove your marble floor stains with our residential or commercial restoration services.

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