Marble Shower Floor Stain

by Beverly
(Danbury, Texas)

QUESTION:

There is a dark stain on the marble floor in our shower and today I noticed some dark shading in the shower floor. I didn't know not to use harsh cleaning chemicals. Could this have caused the stain? I don't want to change the floor out. What alternatives do I have and how do I clean the floor and the whole shower from soap scum and hard water deposits.

ANSWER:

Harsh cleaning products will etch marble causing a spot that is lighter in color than the marble. "Stains" are caused by a substance being absorbed by the marble.

Personal hygiene products typically used in a shower will not stain, unless they have oil in them (not likely), but even then you'd have to leave the product on the surface long enough for it to absorb.... also not likely with soapy water constantly running over the area.

Based on your description, the most probable cause of the dark stain with shading is that water is seeping into cracks in the grout and getting trapped underneath the tiles. The marble tiles become saturated and are thus a darker color then surrounding tiles.

You may be able to take out the existing grout, let it dry out and re-grout, but you may also have a plumbing/drain problem. I'd call a professional stone installation company to take a look.

However, if you think it is a stain, follow the instructions in the Removing Granite & Marble Stains e-book.

For soap scum and hard water, I recommend a specially formulated marble cleaner like the Soap Scum / Hard Water Remover.

Good Luck,
Ryan