Remove Vinegar Stain On Marble Countertop

QUESTION:

Soooo... we bought a new house that has marble countertops in the kitchen... I was cleaning the coffee maker with vinegar, like I always do 1x/month, and it left a huge stain!

It seems like it traced the bottom of the coffee maker on the countertop and left a big mess all around it. It looks dull and bleached out.

In reading your site... I'm sooooo in trouble, what should I do?

ANSWER:

Yes, you are in big trouble, but I'm going to turn you into a marble maintenance magician!

This vinegar damage on the marble countertop can be removed with a fairly simple DIY method.

Here's what happened...

You didn't actually "stain" the marble. What you did was "etch" the marble countertop. Or rather the vinegar did.

Etching causes dull spots, so-called "water stains" and cup rings. However, these are not the same as marble stains.

Stains cause dark spots from when a substance absorbs into the stone. Etching is direct damage to the marble surface. Think of it as a chemical burn.

Etching occurs upon contact with acidic substances like vinegar, soda, coffee, wine, fruit and many more.

Lysol cleaners damage marble too, but they are not the only ones. Alkaline cleaners, which includes most brand-name cleaning products, can etch marble countertops, travertine tile, limestone, and onyx.

Unfortunately, that's not all... Bleach damages marble, as well as, ammonia, also lemon or orange-based cleaners and other common or generic household cleaners.

The acids/cleaners corrode the marble, which removes the shiny layer exposing the dull and lighter colored raw marble underneath.

To remove the vinegar stain /

etch mark damage you'll need to use a good marble polishing compound like ETCH REMOVER / Marble Polishing product... the one I like best.

This marble polishing product is easy to use (rub on spot) and will restore the color and shine. In extreme circumstances where the etching is severe a marble restoration pro would be required to restore the surface. But most often the paste makes all look new again.

That product is for use on a shiny "polished" marble countertop or floor tile. When the surface is honed, you need a different solution.

On a honed marble finish (FYI) use the Etch Remover Pads - Drill Kit.

Also, I'd highly recommend you get the Cleaning Marble Secrets Guide since you are new to marble maintenance.

You'll learn a lot on various pages of our site like the Marble Cleaning Do's & Don'ts page and the Etch Repair & Marble Polishing page, however, this guide is far more detailed. It's the most comprehensive guide on cleaning marble and marble repair available.

Oh... and it also provides an alternative DIY method for fixing etch marks on honed marble. So, you can use the Drill Kit Pads or the steps in this ebook.

The Marble Cleaning Guide will teach you everything you need to know about cleaning marble countertops and floors and keeping them in tip-top shape including inexpensive, proven DIY solutions to any issue or problem you may encounter and product recommendations for the best & safest marble cleaners.

You will certainly want to know all about proper marble care, because marble countertops in the kitchen will require extra vigilance and maintenance to keep looking good.