Dog Urine Stains On Marble Tile
by L. Choma
QUESTION:Had a marble floor installed and had it professionally cleaned and sealed (think this was a bad idea), however, our pets have had had accidents on the floor. The urine left a few stains that I cannot get out. I have used only water to wipe the area down, but the stains come back. Perhaps whatever the technicians used to seal the floor is what is the problem. Any advice? Many thanks.ANSWER:If your marble floor was properly sealed, then liquids should not absorb and stain. However, an acidic liquid like urine could etch the marble (which many mistake for a stain) and then also cause a stain.Etching: marble is corroded and physically damaged from contact with an acidic substance (like urine). These spots are lighter than the marble. Many call them "water spots". Stain: something absorbs into the pores of the marble. These spots are darker than the marble. What happens is the urine etches the marble, which damages the surface layer of marble including the sealant. So, the sealant is not the problem. If liquid is on the marble long enough it may absorb and stain too. So, you almost certainly have some etching and if the spot is yellow, then you have some staining too. The marble maintenance solutions to remove depend on whether the marble is polished or honed. And of course, since they are different issues, the solutions for removing stains is different than for etch marks. You'll have to remove the stain first though. I'd recommend you get the Cleaning Marble Secrets Guide, which thoroughly covers both staining and etching for honed and polished marble along with everything else you need to know to properly maintain marble long-term, product recommendations, etc. We have separate guides for just stains and just etching click here for those, but the "Secrets" guide includes those other two guides and has way more info. Good Luck, Ryan P.S. Get all the facts, answers, explanations and simple solutions with step-by-step instructions for any issue, problem or question with our Granite & Marble Maintenance Manuals.
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