How to Fix Etched Marble with Water Spots

Marble is a very soft, calcium-based stone that can be used throughout a home as counter tops or tiles. Because marble includes calcium, it is easily etched by acids and dulled by water spots. Etching is the removal of the marble's surface particles by contact with an acid such as lemon juice, which erodes the calcite. Water spots, unlike etching, do not remove the marble's surface; instead, they are the buildup of hard water on the marble's surface. Removing etching and water spots requires lots of polishing.

Neutral marble stone cleaner
Soft cloths
0000 steel wool pad
Marble polishing powder
Buffer with soft, wool buffing pad

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the marble's entire surface well with a neutral marble stone cleaner and a soft cloth. Spray the cleaner on the marble, and wipe the surface dry with the cloth. Rinse the area well with clean water, and dry it thoroughly.
- 2
  Remove water spots with a 0000 steel wool pad. Keep the surface dry, and apply light pressure on the steel wool pad as you work it in circles over each water spot. Keep rubbing until you remove each water spot.
- 3
  Sprinkle marble polishing powder over the etched areas. The powder is made of very fine grit that polishes the stone. Spray clean water over the polishing powder, and use a buffer fitted with a soft, wool buffing pad to buff the polishing powder over the marble. Continue buffing until the marble surface has an even, glossy shine.
- 4
  Rinse the marble surface with water to remove leftover marble polishing powder. Dry the rinsed surface well with a soft cloth.

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