How do you remove yellowish-brown stains from cultured marble?

Question

How do you remove yellowish-brown stains from cultured marble?

Answer 1

Oh thats horrid! I hope for your sake it isn't a cigarette burn a friend had a party and some idiot put a cigarette on the edge of the marble vanity and let it burn down, they had to replace the marble... however, you can remove some stains, but do you know what it is, there is this fantastic article on this site...

http://eurotechmarble.com/removingstains... which I have pasted the relevant part of below, but if your particular stain isn't in there, try here (they explain how to apply poultice and NOT to wipe but blot at stain etc) http://www.housekeepingchannel.com/a_121...

and these people sell marble benchtops and have some good ideas too, http://www.kitchenbenchtops.com/0/3/3/Ma...

If I were you I would review them all before deciding what may work, because you can do more harm than good if you put the wrong thing onto marble. Good Luck and I hope it comes out!

Marble and natural stone are porous materials. This porosity is why it stains so easily. It is also why stains can be removed. All that's needed to remove a stain is to reverse the staining process. In other words. the stone has literally absorbed the stain and we simply re-absorb it into a different material

This different material is what we call a poultice. A poultice can be made with powdered whiting and hydrogen peroxide or a chemical reducing agent-depending on the nature of the stain. Whiting is sold in most paint stores. The poultice should be made and applied as described for removal of each particular stain.

Some of the more common poulticing materials and powders are:

cotton balls

paper towels ( maybe Rosie is right)

gauze pads

Stain Removal Guide

All solutions are given starting with the gentlest method first. All the chemical solutions mentioned can be purchased at most hardware stores or from a marble supply distributor.

1. Iron Stains (rust)

Poultice with on the the following:

a. Sodium citrate and glycerin or

b. Ammononium Oxalate or

c. Oxalic Acid or

d. Orthophosphoric Acid and Sodium Salt of EDTA in water or

e. Dilute Hydrofluoric Acid or

f. cannot be removed, is part of the stone

2. Ink

Poultice with one of the following:

a. Light colored marbles only use Bleach or Hydrogen Peroxide;

b. Dark marbles use Lacquer Thinner or Acetone;

c. Methyl Chloride

3. Oil Based Stains (grease, cooking oil, tar, food stains, etc.)

Clean with:

a. Scouring Power with Bleach or

b. Household Detergent or

c. Ammonia or

d. Mineral spirits or

poultice with:

e. Baking Soda or

f. Mineral Spirits or

g. Methyl chloride

4. Organic Stains (paper, tea, coffee, cosmetics, fruit, tobacco, etc.)

a. Pour Hydrogen Peroxide 35% directly on stain and add a few drops of ammonia, leave until bubbling stop ors

b. Repeat above but add poultice or

c. Acetone or Toluene or Xylene

5. Efflorescence

Poultice with:

a. Distilled Water

6. Copper Stains

Poultice with:

a. Ammonium Chloride or

b. Ammonium Hydroxide

7. Biological Stains (Lichens, algae, moss, fungi, mildew, etc.)

Clean with:

a. Dilute Ammonia or

b. Bleach or

c. Hydrogen Peroxide or

d. Sodium Hypochiorite

8. Wax (Acrylic yellowing coatings)

Strip with:

Alkaline Stripper

9. Urethane Coatings

a. Methyl Chloride or

b. Grinding

10. Crystallization coatings

a. Strip with Oxalic Acid based Stripper or

b. Methyl Chloride

11. Paint

a. Alkaline Paint Remover

b. Methyl Chloride

12. Grout and Thin Set Residue

a. Scrub with neutral cleaner and red pad or

b. Re-polish

13. Scratches

a. Re-polish or

b. Re-hone

14. Streaking

a. Buff with felt pad-dry or

b. 0000 Steel wool-dry or

c. Re-polish

15. Acid/Alkaline Etching

a. Re-polish or

b. Re-hone

16. Stuns/Crystal Fractures

Re-hone

17.Water Spots and Rings

a. Buff with a dry 0000 Steel wool or

b. Re-polish or

c. Re-hone

18. Discoloration

Clean with:

a. Alkaline Stripper or

Poultice with:

b. Bleach or

c. Hydrogen Peroxide or

d. Re-hone and polish

19. Swirl Marks from steel wool

a. Re-polish or

b. Re-hone

20. Random Dull Spots

a. Check for etching or

b. Re-polish

Frediric M. Hueston has a degree in Chemistry and is also an experienced and accomplished marble and stone craftsman, Founder and president of Cambridge Floor Care Systems, based in Winter Park, Florida. Hueston is a recognized leader in the marble and stone care and restoration field.