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Remove Stain from Marble Surface using Poultice

marble coffee stain

So, your marble is stained?


Marble surfaces add style and elegance and can stand the test of time when properly taken care of. However, despite it’s strength and durability, marble is very porous and susceptible to stains. 

Even when professionally polished and sealed, this beautiful natural stone easily soaks up liquids that can leave ugly stains on the delicate surface. The following is a simple DIY solution to safely remove stain from marble. 

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: Before you attempt to remove any stains from your marble, be sure to learn the difference between a stain and an etch here. Etches and stains get treated differently. 

Poultice Stain Remover 

Red wine happens. So does ketchup, burger grease, coffee and other spills that might stain your marble. Fortunately, the poultice compound can help remove marble stains.

Poultice is a very absorbent medium with a wet clay-like consistency. The material attempts to remove stains from marble surfaces by re-absorbing the penetrant liquid from inside the stone. The entire process takes 48 hours, and even longer for stains deep within the stone

The Marble Clinic’s Poultice Stain Remover works on a variety of stain classifications:

 

    1. Organic stains (coffee, tea, dark sodas and other drinks, gravy, ketchup, etc)
    2. Inorganic stains (ink, colour dyes, mud, etc.
    3. Oily stains (vegetable oil, motor oil, butter, margarine, etc)
    4. Metal stains* (rust, copper, etc)

Rust is very common in white marble such as Bianca Carrera due to its high iron content. When this tile is used in the shower it often accumulates moisture and rusts from the back of the tile to the surface. Often rust won’t come out in this scenario because it has just penetrated the entire depth of the stone.

 

What You Need:

Demonstration:

 

Step 1: Mix the Poultice


First, you must fully mix the poultice until any stagnant liquid has been absorbed by the medium. I personally just like to shake the container and give the substance a quick mix with my fingers.

Step 2: Spread the Poultice to Remove the Stain


Spread the poultice over the stain covering the edges by 1/2″ and try to leave it 1/4″ thick throughout. Be generous with it, the deeper the marble is stained, the more poultice that will be required to remove the stain from your marble surface. There is a trade-off here. More poultice will have a better shot at removing the marble stain, but will take longer to dry.

Step 3: Cover the Marble Stain


After applying the poultice to the stained marble surface, cover the area with plastic and tape down the edges. Once all the edges are taped down you must wait for at least 24 hours. This gives the poultice time to penetrate the surface and attack the marble stain from deep within the stone. If the marble stain is very dark and you apply a hefty amount of the poultice medium, I would recommend leaving this stage for 48 hours. 

Step 4: Let the Poultice Dry


After the initial drying period, you must lift one corner of the plastic wrap to allow for the medium to dry. As it dries it re-absorbs the stain from the stone pulls it back to the top. Leave this to dry for an additional 24 hours. Do not interrupt the drying process – this is when the magic happens!

Step 5: Remove and Clean


Once the poultice has thoroughly dried, remove the plastic and clean away the leftover material. We recommend cleaning the area with R311 Countertop Cleaner. Buff the surface with some paper towel, cloth or sponge.

If the stain is gone then your work is done! 

If you can still see some dark areas do not fret. Go back to the beginning and attempt the entire process again – some oil stains can take 3 or 4 applications to remove fully. If there is no improvement in the appearance of the stain it is possible you have made an error in judging the problem, or perhaps the stain is just too deep for do-it-yourself applications. 

If after 3-4 applications there is still staining present, it is time to contact the professionals! The Marble Clinic, will happily provide a free, no obligation consultation. 

Please include photos of your marble etchings, scratches or stains with your message so we can best serve your needs. 

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The Marble Clinic

The Marble Clinic

Natural Stone Professionals; specializing in the restoration, repair and maintenance of marble, granite, terrazzo & more.

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Rhonda
Rhonda
7 years ago

Hi there just wanted to give you a quick heads
up. The text in your content seem to be running off the screen in Internet explorer.

I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to
do with internet browser compatibility but I figured
I’d post to let you know. The design look great though!
Hope you get the issue solved soon. Kudos

Akki
Akki
5 years ago

I think lemons are best.

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