How to Remove Stains from Natural Stone

Once upon a time a woman was preparing to dye her hair and accidentally spilled some 40 volume creme developer on her marble vanity top, which happened to have a severe stain. As she cleaned up the developer, she was pleasantly surprised to discover the stain had disappeared, as well!

Okay… we totally made up that story. But whether this stain removal method was the result of a happy accident or otherwise, it is, in fact, very effective for removing some stubborn stains that are unresponsive to traditional stain removal methods, such as poulticing.

Instructions

• Head down to your local beauty supply store and get some 40 volume creme developer (a concentrated form of hydrogen peroxide).
• Wet the stained area with water.
• Before applying creme developer to the stain, test a small area in a less-visible spot and leave it on for about an hour to determine whether it will discolor or etch your stone. If the area looks good, then you can apply the creme developer to your stain with a rubber spatula.
• Let the application sit for 4-8 hours uncovered, checking periodically to gauge whether the stain is removed.
• Once the stain is completely gone, use paper towels and a pH-neutral, stone-safe cleaner to remove the developer and clean the area.

Precautions

• Keep children and pets away from the developer, as it is caustic to skin and can cause blindness.
• Use caution to avoid the developer coming into contact with eyes and limit its exposure to skin.
• This technique is not recommended for rust or oil-based stains.

This is one of a series of articles written and published  on behalf of Stone and Tile PRO Partners.