Marble Vanity Top Cleaner Damage

QUESTION:

I mistakenly used Lysol Bathroom Cleaner on my white carrara marble counter in my bathroom. The result is what appears to be staining and etching (I think) covering the entire area. Is this correctable? I live in the Los Angeles area. Do you have anyone you could recommend to fix for me?

ANSWER:

Yep! You've etched your marble vanity top. Etching is not a stain. Nothing is absorbed, so cleaning marble is not the issue here.

Etching is physical corrosion of the marble countertop surface and yes... it is correctable. The marble simply needs to be re-polished, but you'll need to call a professional to do it.

You can give it a shot yourself first using some marble polishing cream or powder, but I wouldn't recommend that you waste your time. Marble polishing creams are great for small and light etch marks, but almost certainly won't provide satisfactory results over the entire countertop. You may get some of the polish back, but it will be uneven and still look crummy.

We do plan to compile a list of recommended restoration pros and such in the future for our visitors, but at this time you'll have to start getting referrals for one locally.

Good Luck,
Ryan