Stubborn Marble Stains

Let's face it, stubborn marble stains can be a real pain to deal with. While marble is usually a fairly easy material to keep clean, there are times when there are going to be some fairly stubborn, or difficult stains. However, there are two main ways that you can go about cleaning these kinds of stains from your marble. These two methods are described here.

Specialized cleaners.

There are some specialized cleaners available that you can use to clean stubborn marble stains. One example of such a cleaner is a product called Motsenbockers's Lift Off, which has been specially formulated to deal with strong or stubborn stains without many of the problems that other cleaners have. Other cleaners that you may wish to consider using are ones that have been specifically formulated for cleaning marble. While more expensive than general cleaners, they will most likely get off any stubborn marble stains that you may be faced with. Simply be sure that you follow the manufacturers directions closely.

General cleaners.

With general cleaners, you will need to use more elbow grease. In order to get your marble really clean, you will need to grab a timer, an adjustable nozzle spray bottle filled with some filtered or de-mineralized water. Use powdered cleanser (such as OxyClean or Comet), and bleach to make some slurry. Mix together the powdered cleanser and bleach, using equal amounts of both materials. Set your timer to 45 minutes, and then put enough of the slurry onto your stain to cover it to a depth of around 3/8 inch. Start your timer, and periodically mist the slurry till the timer stops. The reason for this is that the slurry will not work very well if it is allowed to totally dry, so it will need to remain moist. Once the 45 minutes has passed, rinse the area thoroughly with water. If the stain has not been completely removed, you can repeat the process. Another option is to make the slurry once again, cover the stain with it, and then cover the slurry with plastic, and then a towel and allow everything to sit overnight.

Be aware that you should keep your work area well ventilated since the cleaner will usually begin bubbling as it begins to dissolve the organic components of the stain. If you happen to be sensitive to chemicals, then you may need to wear a mask to help protect from the scent. When handling the slurry, make sure that you are also wearing some rubber gloves to help protect your skin from any irritation.