Q&A for How to Clean Marble

No, don't use vinegar. Anything acidic or abrasive is going to stain or damage your marble. You have to use something mild, like dish soap or special marble cleaner.

It's a natural stone, it's soft, and it's porous. So when something sets into the marble, it's just really hard to get it out without damaging the marble.

Not really. Marble is a pretty fickle material, and I'm actually not all that fond of it as a material for counters. It's really soft so it scratches and chips quite easily, and it stains quickly if you let a liquid sit on it.

Your local grocery store should stock all three.

Yes, you will have to sand it smooth. Start with a 120 grit paper and use a small angle grinder with a sanding pad attachment. An orbital dander will do, but will take longer. Work up through the grits to at least 400 grit for white marble and 1200 for black. Polish with marble wax, do not use silicone waxes.

I would recommend Granite Gold shower cleaner; you can find it at Home Depot or Bed, Bath and Beyond. It will also prevent mold and mildew.

Use a mix of bicarb and peroxide, and follow up with 3 coats of sealant from a hardware store. You can also follow the methods listed above.

Use arm water and a terry cloth towel to gently buff the marble.

Use a safe, neutral cleaner like Crystal Clean. Next, you'll need to polish or hone (depending on whether your counter is shiny or matte) to remove the etch/stain. This can be done with a variable speed hand grinder, white/honing pad and polish/honing powder. Once completed, clean the area again with the neutral cleaner.

You'll probably have to strip the sealer and clean the dirt. Most sealers wear off after a period of time so you'll just have to "deal with it" if it proves to be more trouble to strip and reseal.

Spray WD40 on the stain, let it sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe it off with a little rough cloth or a soft loofah. Do not let the liquid sit for too long, as it is corrosive.

If it is lime scale, get a cleaner for that. To renew the marble, get products at any home improvement store, like Home Depot or from places that sell marble.

Use a small amount of cement cleaner. Do not touch it, it is ACID. One wipe will do, then dry the table and wash it several times.

No, vinegar damages the marble. You should use hydrogen peroxide. Some people mix it with baking powder to make a paste, but the hydrogen peroxide alone will do the job of cleaning dirty marks (as well as freshening the color of the grout).

I have found that using a spray that I use on my car windows for helping the rain run off the windows protects my marble and other surface tops, while giving the surface a beautiful protected shine.

Use steel wool 0000 fine grain, rub it with hand palm and use Best Friend cleaning liquid.

Pour vinegar on the stained area, then vigorously scrub with a wire brush. Finish using SOS pads.