How to polish marble

A quick search for ‘how to polish marble’ produces a lot of conflicting (and slightly worrying) answers. We’ve reviewed these and shared a little bit of Athena Stonecare expertise to help bring you onto the right path when it comes to making your marble lasts forever.

How to polish marble when it is etched

The high levels of calcium carbonate present in marble mean that it is highly sensitive to acidic substances. Everyday acid that comes into contact with the stone will cause a chemical reaction. This results in a ‘burn’ known as an etch mark. On a polished marble surface this will usually show up as a dull or white patch on the stone. Most often this is caused by the use of an inappropriate cleaning product. Our maintenance steps outlined in the final section will help to prevent this.

However, if an accident does happen and you want to attempt removal of the etch mark, the only DIY kit that we would suggest is from Fila. This mimics the professional restoration by using abrasives to gently buff the stone removing the damage and re-polishing the surface.

How to polish marble if it is scratched

Addressing scratches in a marble floor or worktop depends very much on the severity. Lots of micro-abrasions can leave the stone looking lack-lustre in general and if this is the case then it is probably time for a professional maintenance visit. The best thing that you can do for your marble, is to try and prevent this to protect the polish as long as possible. You can read a little more on prevention and maintenance below.

For darker stones (particularly worktops, sinks and showers) you may also be able to mask some of the daily wear by applying a colour-enhancing sealant such as Fila Stone Plus. This will maintain the level of protection from water and oil-based penetration and will also preserve the deep colour and aesthetics. Pour a small amount onto a microfiber cloth and apply to the stone surface in small circles until you have covered the whole area. Buff any residue with a fresh cloth and leave to dry naturally.

If you have a deeper scratch then the Fila Marble Restorer kit is the best option. However, please note that you may need to treat a larger area in order to blend and create as much uniformity as possible.

How to polish marble if it is stained

There is some misconception that you can also ‘buff away’ stains in a similar way to etch marks and scratches. However, the important thing the note about etch marks is that these are surface level. Usually the protection applied to a marble surface during installation is an impregnator. The purpose of an impregnator is to prevent liquids from causing damage within the stone and you can read a little more about this here. These ‘sealants’ leave the marble surface unprotected and therefore vulnerable to acids. They should however prevent deep staining as long as you wipe up spillages as quickly as possible.

Penetrating stains usually occur following a large water ingress such as a flood or leak, or from a spillage of something oily/ greasy that is left sitting on the stone. The way to tackle a stain on marble will depend on the nature of the stain. After identifying the correct product, you will also need to equip yourself with a lot of patience. Stain removal (whatever the cause) will usually require repeat applications.

For oil stains we recommend Faber No Oil. It is a ready mixed poultice, so once you shake the container well, it will come out as a thick cream coloured semi-solid paste. Apply it to the oil mark and allow it to dry out until it becomes a powder. Sweep it away and see how things look and then repeat as required.

For water and rust staining we are happy to send you a bespoke method for attempting a DIY removal. Please send photographs to info@athenastonecare.co.uk. Please also include  details of the issue that you’ve experienced and we can provide a more detailed process for you to follow.

How to polish marble to make it last forever

There are a multitude of websites and videos that share hugely complex methods for maintaining the polish to your marble. However, we like to keep it simple. From the day that it is installed there’s just a few things that you need to remember:

1. Keep the floor as free from scratch hazards as you can. This means having a ‘shoes off policy’, good quality matting at the entrances and popping felt pads on the base of furniture
2. Regularly dry sweep your floor. Frequent use of a soft, long-hair Swiffer will remove a lot of the small particulates which can scratch and dull your floor. Apply the Swiffer to the floor and it will attract dirt, hair, dust, and loose debris. It is a lot quicker than vacuuming and much kinder to your marble.
3. Only use pH neutral cleaning products. Many common household cleaners are acidic and will damage your stone. Acidic products react with the calcium carbonate in marble causing a chemical burn known as an etch mark. Fila Cleaner Pro is our recommendation for a maintenance cleaner that is pH neutral and very effective.

There is a little more detail on how to care for marble worktops specifically here. You can request a copy of Athena Aftercare containing information on how to look after all natural stone by emailing info@athenastonecare.co.uk.