Marble counters are beautiful and often what homeowners seek out for their kitchens!
What comes with this beauty is high maintenance upkeep.
Marble is a particularly porous stone and can bring some issues with stains.
Even water can leave stains on your marble countertops.
If you find yourself with this problem, don’t fret, we have been there.
We did some research to find out the right steps to take to remove water stains from your marble.
Continue reading below to learn how to remove water stains from marble.
What You’ll Need
- Bowl of soapy water
- Flour
- Plastic wrap
- Sponge
Now that you have assembled all the items necessary for removing water stains from marble, continue reading for step-by-step instructions.
1. Add Flour To Soapy Water
Prepare ahead of time a bowl of soapy water.
Then add enough flour to create a paste.
Add more soapy water or flour to get the correct consistency.
2. Add Flour-Water Paste To Water Stain On Marble
Using a sponge, apply the flour-water paste to the water stain on the marble.
Be sure to cover the entirety of the water stain.
Also, be sure to add enough paste to make a thick enough layer.
3. Cover The Water Stain With Plastic Wrap
Take a piece of plastic wrap that is large enough to cover the water stain you are removing.
Place the plastic wrap piece over the water stain.
Leave the flour paste on the water stain overnight to have time to penetrate the porous marble.
The plastic wrap is to ensure that nothing accidentally touches the flour paste.
In addition, it keeps flour paste from drying out overnight.
You want the flour paste to remain slightly wet so that you can sufficiently rub and scrub the paste in the following steps.
Even though marble can be easily damaged, this mixture will not stain or harm the marble by being left overnight.
If the stain is particularly bad, you can leave it on for a more extended period of time.
4. Remove Plastic Wrap
Remove the plastic wrap once you have let the flour paste sit on the water stain for the right amount of time.
You can try to scoop up as much of the paste as possible while removing the plastic wrap.
5. Rub The Stain With Sponge
Using a sponge, rub the stain.
Doing this should help to lightly scrub the water stain while also removing the paste from the marble countertop.
You should see the water stain disappearing from the marble.
If the paste did dry out while you let it sit, be sure to add a small amount of water to return the paste to its wetter consistency.
If you do not, it will cause the paste to be more crumbly and not work to scrub the stain.
Once you remove all flour paste from the marble, check if the water stain is still visible.
If any water stain remains, repeat the steps above until it is removed.
Video Instructions
- Step 1 (:21) — Add flour to soapy water
- Step 2 (:47) – Add the paste to marble
- Step 3 (1:02) – Cover in plastic wrap
- Step 4 (1:13) – Remove plastic wrap
- Step 5 (1:18) – Rub the stain with a sponge
FAQ
What Should I Not Use On Marble?
Since marble is a porous and seemingly delicate stone, you will want to be careful if you try to use either homemade or store-bought cleaners to clean marble countertops or showers.
While some at-home methods are typically safe on most surfaces, certain are corrosive on the porous nature of marble.
Do not use white vinegar, ammonia, lemon, orange, or citrus cleaners.
These substances are all very acidic and will eat away at your marble.
In addition, you will not want to use any abrasive materials or chemicals as you are more likely to scratch the marble in addition to removing stains.
What Are Safe Solutions To Use On Marble?
As marble is sensitive material, you need to be careful when selecting cleaning materials to clean your marble.
You can use dish soap as it is mild enough not to harm the marble.
You can also use hydrogen peroxide on marble as it is more alkaline, and this lack of acidity will be safe to use on marble.
You can also create a similar mixture to the flour and water paste instead of baking soda.
Like hydrogen peroxide, it is more alkaline and shouldn’t harm the marble.
In addition, you can use non-abrasive stone cleaners.
A good option is Black Diamond Stoneworks GRANITE PLUS!
It’s a cleaner and sealer in one bottle plus it gets great reviews.
These are specially made for stone surfaces but are not abrasive and thus will not harm the surface of the marble.
Certain steel wools can be used.
Be sure that you are careful when scrubbing whenever you are using a semi-abrasive material.
Gently scrub to remove the stain but continue to check to ensure you are not scratching the marble.
How Do I Avoid Stains On Marble?
Since marble can be very difficult to clean and remove stains from, there are some things you will want to do to prevent from getting stains in the first place.
One easy way is to remember to use coasters, trivets, and potholders on marble countertops.
This simple trick will reduce any stains and damage from water rings or heat.
Another way is to clean up messes once they happen.
If you notice you have water rings from a drink or if you have spilled a liquid or food on your counter, address the issue immediately.
Doing this will help mitigate any problems that come from stains that have been set for some time since you get it up immediately.
Finally, an important method that should be done periodically is to seal the marble.
Every few months, you will want to either professionally or follow DIY procedures to seal your marble.
If you are looking for a good choice of marble sealant, check out Miracle Sealants 511QT6 511 that I found on Amazon.
It is economical and gets excellent reviews.
While this will not make your marble stainproof, it will make it much more resistant to stains.
The sealant will wear away with time and use, so it is essential to do this periodically before you start seeing evidence of wear and tear.
This simple process will allow for your marble to incur less damage.
