Owner Manual

8
9
What Type of Stain is It?
The following sections describe the types of stains
you may have to deal with and the appropriate
household chemicals to use and how to prepare
and apply a poultice to remove the stain.
Oil-based
(grease, plumbers’ putty, tar, cooking oil, milk,
cosmetics)
An oil-based stain will darken the stone and nor-
mally must be chemically dissolved so the source
of the stain can be flushed or rinsed away. Clean
gently with a soft, liquid cleanser with one of the
following: household detergent, mineral spirits,
or acetone.
Organic
(coffee, tea, wine, fruit, tobacco, paper, food, urine,
leaves, bark, bird droppings)
May cause a pinkish-brown stain and may disappear
after the source of the stain has been removed.
Outdoors, with the sources removed, sun and rain
action will generally bleach out the stains. Indoors,
clean with 12% hydrogen peroxide (hair bleaching
strength) and a few drops of ammonia.
Metal
(iron, rust, copper, bronze)
Iron or rust stains are orange to brown in color
and follow the shape of the staining object such as
nails, bolts, screws, cans, flower pots, metal furni-
ture. Copper and bronze stains appear as green or
muddy-brown and result from the action of mois-
ture on nearby or embedded bronze, copper or
brass items. Metal stains must be removed with a
poultice. (See website on Using a Poultice – www.
marble-institute.com/poultice) Deep-seated, rusty
stains are extremely difficult to remove and the
stone may be permanently stained.
Biological
(algae, mildew, lichens, moss, fungi)
Clean with diluted cleaning solution. Use a 1/2 cup
of any of the following: ammonia, bleach, or hydrogen
peroxide and a gallon of water. Reminder: do not
mix bleach and ammonia.
Ink
(magic marker, pen, ink)
On light colored stones, clean with bleach or
hydrogen peroxide. On dark colored stones, clean
with lacquer thinner or acetone.
Paint
Small amounts can be removed with lacquer thinner
or scraped off carefully with a razor blade. Heavy
paint coverage should be removed only with a
commercial “heavy liquid” paint stripper available
from hardware stores and paint centers. These
strippers normally contain caustic soda or lye. Do
not use acids or flame tools to strip paint from
stone. Paint strippers can etch the surface of the
stone; repolishing may be necessary. Follow the
manufacturer’s directions for use of these products,
and flush the area thoroughly with clean water.
Protect yourself with rubber gloves and eye pro-
tection, and work in a well-ventilated area. Use
only wood or plastic scrapers for removing the
sludge and curdled paint. Normally, latex and acrylic
paints will not cause staining. Oil-based paints, linseed
oil, putty, caulks and sealants may cause oily stains.
Refer to the section on oil-based stains.
Water Spots and Rings
(surface accumulation of hard water)
Buff with dry 0000 steel wool.
Fire and Smoke Damage
Older stones and smoke or firestained fireplaces
may require a thorough cleaning. When the smoke
is removed, there may also be some etching (due
to carbonic & other acids in smoke). Commercially
available “smoke removers” may save time and effort.
Etch Marks
(caused by acids left on the surface of the stone)
Some materials will etch the finish but not leave a
stain. Others will both etch and stain. Contact your
stone dealer or call a professional stone restorer
for refinishing or repolishing etched areas.