Cleaning Marble Coffee Stain

by Rachael

QUESTION:

I have a coffee table that is a 4ft by 2ft slab of Italian Marble. I did not use a coaster for my latte and it left a ring where the glass had been that is a shade darker than the table and looks almost rusty. Is there a way to clean/remove the mark? Please help, I am in so much trouble!...Rachael

ANSWER:

Uh Oh! Looks like you stained the marble, but you may also have "etched" it.

Coffee is acidic. Acids will etch (corrode... eat away) marble. Does the marble have a shiny polished surface? If yes, is the ring also more dull than the surrounding surface?

If so, then you have destroyed the polish AND stained the marble. Polished marble is not very absorbent and doesn't easily stain. Typically what happens is the marble gets etched exposing a more porous surface that then absorbs the coffee creating a stain.

If the marble has a honed (matte) finish then you may not notice a difference or any dullness and you may escape with only one problem to solve!

Removing The Coffee Stain

Removing marble stains is not too difficult and most stains can be removed, however, traditional cleaning methods won't work since the substance doing the staining is below the surface.

The necessary procedure is fairly simple, but depends on what substance stained the marble.

You'll find complete step-by-step instructions for cleaning marble stains of all types in the Removing Granite & Marble Stains e-book.

Etching

If the coffee also etched (dulled) the marble polish then you have another project after you have removed the stain.

If the marble has a shiny polished finish (except for the etch mark) then you can use the Marble Polish / Etch Remover to quickly restore the shine and color.

If the etch mark is mild, the marble polishing paste should do the trick. If it is severe (rough to the touch), you may have to hire a professional to re-polish the area. The paste works great up to a point the marble is too raw and damaged. This is rare, but only a pro can fix it at this point.

And if it is a honed surface then you'll have to follow a different, but still simple procedure outlined in the Removing Etch Marks e-book.

Sounds like a pain, but really these jobs aren't difficult once you have all the necessary tools and ingredients.

Good Luck,
Ryan