Marble Vanity Top Stain

QUESTION:

I have a white marble vanity top in our guest bathroom. There is a brown stain and I do not know what caused it. I think someone might have caused it with a curling iron or makeup. How can I remove the stain without damaging the marble.

ANSWER:

Without knowing what stained the marble it'll be a bit of trial and error, but you'll need to apply a poultice to draw the stain out.

Start with 12% Hydrogen Peroxide. You can get this at a beauty supply store or order online from our products page. The drug store only has the 3% kind, which is too weak. Also buy some talc powder.

How To Make A Poultice

Mix the hydrogen peroxide and talc powder into a peanut butter-like paste. Spread the poultice on the marble stain 1/2 inch thick and 1/2 inch border. Use clear plastic wrap to cover it and seal the edges with masking tape. Leave it for 24 hours. The hydrogen peroxide will soak into the marble and work on the stain.

The next day remove the plastic wrap, but don't leave the poultice alone. Let dry until hard... another 12-24 hours. The poultice drying draws the stain out of the marble.

Once dry, scrap off with a plastic or wood spatula and clean with hot water. Hopefully the stain is gone... if not, then keep repeating the process until it is.

If the stain looks exactly the same after the first poultice then you may have an oil stain for which you'll need to make a poultice with acetone instead of hydrogen peroxide. Follow the same steps as above.

Let me know the results by posting a comment using the link at the bottom of this page.

Good Luck,
Ryan