Marble Stain from Lime-Away on Countertop
QUESTION:Cleaning wommen used Lime-Away product to clean large shower caddy right on new brown marble counter top in bathroom. It left a large (12inch X 12inch) white cloudyish stain on the marble. Is there a way to clean this off?!ANSWER:I know you are probably freaking out a bit about this marble stain... (well, just FYI... it is not a "stain". It's an "etch mark"), but there is an easy solution!Fortunately, etching on polished marble can be repaired using SCP: Marble Polishing Paste, which is made exactly for this marble maintenance job. Easy to use and you see the results instantly. So, to further explain... it's not a stain.... Stains happen when some substance, food, drink, product absorbs into the marble pores and is always darker in color. The "cloudy" spot that you describe is etching and is due to corrosion caused by the highly acidic Lime-Away product. Marble is reactive with acids and will etch upon contact. It's like a chemical burn that has destroyed the surface layer exposing more raw and lighter colored marble underneath. It's important to know though that a substance can etch and then stain if it absorbs, so you can have two completely different problems in the same spot. If it did stain, it would be a dark, dull spot instead of a light, dull spot when it's only etching. So, use the paste unless your marble is honed.... If your marble is honed (matte, non-shiny finish) then the paste won't work and you'll need to follow the instructions provided by the Removing Etch Marks ebook guide. And be sure from now on to use only products safe for cleaning marble and marble maintenance to avoid etching in the future. Also, do not store any products directly on the marble. Use decorative trays or shelves, etc. and coasters for drinks. Etching is the reason marble is not recommended for a kitchen countertop, but usually it isn't a problem in a bathroom once you learn how to properly care for marble. 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. |
