How do I remove rings, left from glasses, from marble?

Q. We recently bought a polished marble top bar for our rec room. My daughter had some friends over and the glasses (probably had soda in them) they placed on top of the marble left ring marks on the marble. Obviously the marble has not been sealed, but how do I get the rings out? I've tried some cleaners and also tried a mixture recommended on a web site of dish soap and flour, but neither works.

A. It sounds like your marble has been etched. That being the case, no 'cleaner' will resolve your problem. If the 'stain' is lighter than the stone, it's an etch not a stain. Although you may be dealing with a stain and an etch. If that's the case, you need to treat each separately. An etch remover and a poultice / cleaner to draw out the stain. Directions for a poultice can be found in our Stain Management App. You can also download our free Stone and Tile Care Guide for more tips. 

Feel the damaged area. Can you feel roughness? If so, you may need to call in a professional. If not, we recommend that you polish out the areas with etch removal marble polish. Be sure to follow the label instructions carefully.

By the way, even if the marble had been sealed you would probably still be dealing with this. Marble is sensitive to acids and sealers do little to nothing to protect the surface from this kind of damage. Using coasters and cleaning up spills immediately is the best way to prevent this.

If you do find you need to call in a professional stone restoration contractor, contact us.