Julie asked: How do I clean stains in cultured marble sinks? I have a grayish ring-type stained area around the drain area of my cultured marble, bathroom sink. Do you know how I can clean this stain?
Cultured 
marble is a beautiful material, but one that requires special care to keep it in good condition. A stain around the drain is likely from mineral deposits from the water that commonly sits in that area. Below are two stain removal methods: one for removing mineral deposits and the other for removing general stains.
Removing Water Deposit Stains
You Will Need:
- Vinegar
- Barkeeper’s Friend
- Marble cleaner and polish
- Water
- Soft cloths
Steps to Remove the Stains:
- Moisten a soft cloth with white vinegar.
- Lay the cloth on top of the hard water stains. (If the stain is on a vertical surface, such as a shower wall, use a paper towel instead of a cloth, press the paper towel over the stain, cover it with plastic wrap and tape the plastic wrap in place.)
- Allow it to set for several hours.
- Remove and rinse completely with cold water.
- If the stain remains, make a paste of water and Barkeeper’s Friend.
- Apply the paste and allow it to set on the stain for several hours to overnight.
- Rinse with cold water.
- Follow up with a marble cleaner and polish, if desired.
Removing Everyday Stains
You Will Need:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Ammonia
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Water
- Rubber gloves
- Soft cloths
Steps to Remove the Stains:
- For dark stains, soak a cloth with hydrogen peroxide.
- Lay the wet cloth on top of the stain. (If the stain is on a vertical surface, such as a shower wall, use a paper towel instead of a cloth, press the paper towel over the stain, cover it with plastic wrap and tape the plastic wrap in place.)
- Allow it to set overnight.
- Rinse completely with cold water.
- If the stain remains, mix the following items in a bucket, adding them to the bucket in the order listed below:
- 8 cups hot water
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup vinegar
- ½ cup ammonia
- Allow the mixture to foam.
- Use a soft cloth or sponge to apply the mixture to the stains.
- Allow it to set for five minutes.
- Rinse completely with cold water.
Additional Tips and Advice
- As with any cleaning product, test a small area first to ensure there are no adverse effects to the marble, coloring or surface.
- If the stains are not removed with the above stain removal methods, they may have to be buffed out of the marble. Once completed the marble will have to be refinished. This is a job that needs to be completed by a professional.
In regards to the question from Julie on how to remove stains from cultured marble: I have tried all of the above suggestions and nothing works on my bathroom sink. There is never water standing in the sink. I clean the sink weekly with a special marble cleaner, and I wipe the sink dry each time it is used. The stain is smooth to the touch and seems to be deep within the marble. I checked with a cultured marble dealer, and they said the only solution is to replace it.
Did they tell you how to prevent it?
I had burn marks on a cultured marble countertop that were caused by a young teenage daughter who mistakenly left her straightening iron sitting directly on top of it. I used a dishrag and glass cooktop cleaner to remove most of the burn with no problem whatsoever. The mild liquid abrasive did not need a moist rag; I was patient and used on a little of the glass cooktop cleaner at a time, repeating the process until the burn did not show. The countertop was not scratched by the this process, whatsoever.
Part of the burn was more pronounced, so I used a mild scouring pad (like the green ones used for dishes) along with the glass cooktop cleaner. Being patient and using a little of the glass cooktop cleaner at a time, I removed the entire burn mark with no problem. Again, the countertop was not scratched – in fact, the process removed all the little scratch marks that show up on faux marble after years of use. This process restored the luster, removed the burn marks and actually made the countertop look brand new!
Hello, I just wanted to let all of you frustrated people out there know that I couldn’t get a purple dye out of my cultured marble sink; I tried everything! The list could go on! The only thing that worked for me was my husband’s Goof Off in a spray bottle! 🙂 It is a miracle! Good luck!
We are replacing the trim faucets of our bathtub, and the new faucets do not cover the entire area of the old faucets. The old faucets left a yellow color on our tan-colored cultured marble. Obviously, I want to get rid of the yellow without damaging the surface so we can use the new fixtures. Any suggestions?
It is always a good idea to seek the advice of a professional marble cleaning specialist; they will have the experience and knowledge to offer the best stain removal service with lasting results. Each stone type is so different, so there is a requirement to use products that match cultured marble.
Has anyone ever tried to use a household steam machine? I just purchased one, very inexpensive, and have yet to try it on my marble sink.
Thanks,
Angel
Angel,
A home steam cleaner is a recommended way to clean marble, however, overuse (daily, etc.) of the steam cleaner can be damaging to the stone. You should only need to use the steam cleaner for deep cleanings of the sink though, so it should be not only fine, but a great asset.
Source: Stone & Tile Pros – Marble / Granite Cleaning – Is it safe to use steam cleaner on marble shower walls / floors and granite countertops
Source: eHow – How to Steam Clean Marble
Source: Apex Marble – Tips to Care for Your Stone
DO NOT USE VINEGAR!!!! IT DESTROYED MY COUNTER AND BEAUTIFUL SINK. I had a few stains on my sink and counter…took the top layer off and now it is completely discolored and not even smooth. It is UGLY.
Wish I had seen this earlier–me too!
Toothpaste removes stains from cultured marble.
I read the instructions and the comments.
Here is what I did and the results:
First, I tried the toothpaste with old toothbrush… it worked well on the lighter stains around the bathroom sink drain.
Then, I applied the Barkeeper’s Friend paste to the remaining third of the ring.
Gone!!! Beautiful and white; looks brand new! This stain has been here for several years. I’m so pleased! No scratching either.
Thanks everyone for your input.
What is Barkeepers Friend? Thanks Claire.
Dino,
Bar Keepers Friend is a household cleaning product. You can find out more information about it at http://www.barkeepersfriend.com.
It’s a gentle cleanser found at Walmart or Home Depot.
I was always told toothpaste is considered abrasive…do we have any facts on this, please? My side of the marble sink has no stains, but his side does. The only thing I can think of is that he shaves and it must be his shaving cream???!! Just so afraid I’ll damage the marble and lose the shine. Any suggestions will be appreciated. We also have the bronze faucets and accessories from Lowes…any safe suggestions to clean those will also be appreciated. Thanks everybody. Nothing more helpful than true facts of people trying and sharing their cleaning experiences. Will anxiously await help on my inquiries. Have a wonderful cleaning day… ; )
Sheran,
Toothpaste is a mild abrasive. According to Wikipedia, “Abrasives constitute at least 50% of a typical toothpaste.”
Consider getting your man a gel shaving cream to use instead and see if the staining continues. If your marble cleaner does not remove the stains, the article How to Remove Shaving Cream from Vinyl Siding might help.
For the bronze faucets, the articles How to Clean Bronze and How to Clean Bronze Flatware might help.
Source: Wikipedie – Toothpaste
Believe it or not, shaving with vitamin E oil is so much better than regular shaving cream, and it hasn’t left any stains on my sink for going on three years now. It’s also MUCH cheaper!
Could you please help me get rid of a tan (blush) makeup on my marble sink?
Thanks,
Carole
We have a brand new marble dining table (grayish black color) and we used, at times, disinfectant wipes to cleanse the top and now we noticed that there are white dots all over the top table! Tried to clean it with soap & water, and nothing’s happened; remains the same. Looks ugly now because of the white dot marks on top. Please advise what’s the best remedy to get rid those white dots!!
I have found that you can mix 50/50 white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and leave for a few minutes then rinse and dry and give a good rub with a micro cloth. This is also good for shower cubicle glass and taps.
I have well water in NY home, so there were dark rust/iron stain in my cultured marble tub and sinks. I purchased a cheap liter of cola and a scrubbing type sponge, and it removed every stain. Everything is white and shiny again.
We have white on white cultured marble sinks. We started with my husband’s sink and were replacing all of the fixtures. His sink has had a mineral build up for awhile, but I didn’t want to use anything really strong until the fixtures were out. Well, we have widespread faucets. All three holes in the sink have circle rust stains. The bad part is, the new faucets that I purchased a few months ago are smaller in diameter than the ones that were in the sink. I called the place where we purchased the sinks, (they make them there). She gave me this website. So, before I called her, I tried The works, The Works toilet bowl cleaner, Mr Clean Eraser, and after I came to this site, I have tried vinegar, and Bar Keepers Friend. Everything that I tried I let set overnight. Nothing is touching it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am hoping his is the only sink with the rust issue. We have a long double sink in our bathroom then 2 other bathrooms. I am just ready to get all of the faucets changed. HELP!!!
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Someone used toilet bowl cleaner on my cultured marble bathroom counter top….not a good choice ’cause it left a yellow stain. Toilet bowls are probably China & aren’t damaged, I’m going to try the cook top cleaner…sounds like a good choice to me.
I have two quarter sized areas that are lighter than my tan marble. I think it was fingernail polish remover that spilled on my cultured marble vanity. Is there any way to fix it? The texture is not any different in these places than the original marble…just a good bit lighter in color.
Hi, I’m confused. Isn’t cultured marble the cheap stuff used in the late 70’s-early 80’s in bathroom sinks made to look like real marble? I have a double vanity sink where the wash bowls are cut into the slab of cultured marble…so it’s all one piece. They are stained terribly, actually beyond godzilla terrible. I called a local merchant who told me the best thing was to get new sinks (which he just happened to sell). So is there anyone out there that has godzilla-looking stained sinks like mine that can recommend a tried a proved product(s) so I don’t have to replace them? Please, I need help. Thanks in advance.
Irene,
You are correct; cultured marble is a synthetic material that is cheaper than natural marble and first appeared in the late 70’s. If the home remedy stain removers listed above don’t work to remove all of the stains, you can always have a professional buff them out.
Source: Classic Granite & Marble, Inc. – What You Need To Know About Cultured Marble Vanity Tops
Sprinkle baking soda all over serface of sink. Then spray a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and water all over that. Let sit for 15- 20 minutes. Don’t let the vinegar entirely dry. Wipe with microfiber cloth. You might have to scrub a bit, but this gives amazing results.
I have Soft Soap stains, circles, and one from Bar Keepers Friend on a sponge I put down on it for about 2 minutes. The finish was not damaged; it seems this went below. It is still shiny.
Help.
Maxine,
If the above methods for Everyday Stains don’t work, try using isopropyl alcohol instead of peroxide. Be sure to test it on a hidden area first though to look for any adverse reaction.
Source: HowToCleanStuff.net – How to Clean Soap Stains from Granite
I also have a grey ring around the drain on my cultured marble bathroom sink. In addition there are several other individual grey stains near the ring. Some of these stains seem to be scratched. The scratches are shallow and you can’t see them by eye. However if you rub your fingernail across these stains you can feel the scratches. Are the shallow scratches a sign of crazing? How can I remove the grey ring and the individual grey, scratched stains near the ring? Thanks.
Harold,
Yes, the rough areas around the drain could be crazing, or they could be etching. Since you are describing them as scratches (which indicates more if a line-type feeling rather than a rough circular area like a stain), it sounds more like crazing. First, use the section above for Removing Water Deposit Stains (the grey ring is a collection of mineral deposits from the water). Then, you can work on fixing the crazing (by applying marble epoxy over it). Good luck!
Source: Hunker – How to Fix Crazing in Cultured Marble Sinks
Source: Washington Post – How to: Clean a stain around a bathroom sink drain, or find solid wood exterior doors
I used acetone based nail polish remover while my hand rested on top of my vanity. It left huge streaks all over the area where I was removing nail polish! I’ve damaged the finish, but is there any way to fix it? The vanity is the type with integrated bowls. Kind of like the old cultured marble sinks from the 70’s, but an updated version that is made to look like Corian.
Karen,
If the finish was removed, then you need to refinish it. You can do that yourself, though it is a fairly involved process, or you can hire a professional to do it for you. For a quick fix, you might be able to simply apply a little Gel-Gloss (cultured marble polish) using a cotton swab or small paint brush to the streaks to fill in the finish. Good luck!
Source: Buzzle: How to Refinish Cultured Marble Countertops
Source: Handymanwire – Help! Removing nail polish from cultured marble
The dye from the green fabric basket on top of my marble sink stained my marble sink top. How do I get this off? Thanks.
Buki,
Use rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) as described in the Removing Candle Dye Stains section from the guide How to Remove Wax from Marble. If you don’t have isopropyl alcohol, try using either hand sanitizer or hair spray, both of which usually contain a significant amount of it. Good luck!