How to Remove Stains from Marble and Stone Floors
Quick answerFirst, make sure it's a stain and not an etch mark: stains are usually darker than the stone, and etch marks are lighter and duller. Then identify what caused it. Most stains on marble come out with a poultice, a paste that draws the stain out of the stone over 24 to 48 hours. Rust and deep stains may need a professional, and some never fully come out.
Step 1: Is it really a stain?
A stain is something that has soaked into the stone and changed its color. An etch mark is damage to the surface from an acid. The quick test: a spot darker than the stone is probably a stain, and a spot lighter or duller is probably an etch. Etch marks don't respond to stain removers. See Etching vs Staining on Marble.
Step 2: Identify the stain
The Natural Stone Institute says identifying the type of stain is the key to removing it.
| Stain | What it looks like | Treatment (Natural Stone Institute) |
|---|---|---|
| Oil (grease, cooking oil, milk, cosmetics) | Darkens the stone | Must be dissolved chemically. Clean gently with a soft liquid cleanser, household detergent, ammonia, mineral spirits or acetone, or use a poultice. |
| Organic (coffee, tea, wine, fruit, food, leaves) | Pinkish-brown | Indoors: 12% hydrogen peroxide with a few drops of ammonia. Outdoors, once the source is removed, sun and rain usually bleach it out. |
| Metal (rust, copper, bronze) | Rust: orange to brown, in the shape of the object. Copper or bronze: green or muddy brown. | Must be removed with a poultice. Deep rust stains may be permanent. |
| Biological (algae, mildew, moss, fungi) | Visible growth on the surface | Diluted ammonia, bleach or hydrogen peroxide (½ cup per gallon of water). Never mix bleach and ammonia. |
| Ink | Line or spot in the ink's color | Light stone only: bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Dark stone only: lacquer thinner or acetone. |
| Water spots and rings | Hard-water deposits on the surface | Buff with dry 0000 steel wool. |
Test any chemical on a hidden spot or a spare tile first. Never mix bleach and ammonia: the combination produces a toxic gas.
Step 3: Use a poultice
A poultice is a liquid cleaner or chemical mixed with a white absorbent powder into a paste "about the consistency of peanut butter." As it dries, it draws the stain up out of the stone.
- Choose the liquid for the stain type (see the table).
- Mix it with an absorbent powder. Common ones are kaolin, diatomaceous earth, powdered chalk, whiting and talc. Don't use whiting or iron-type clays such as fuller's earth with acid chemicals, because the reaction cancels the poultice. About one pound of prepared poultice covers one square foot.
- Spread the paste ¼ to ½ inch thick over the stain with a wood or plastic spatula.
- Cover it with plastic, holding the edges down with painter's tape.
- Leave it for 24 to 48 hours.
- Remove the paste and gently wipe the area clean.
- If the stain is lighter but still there, repeat.
When to call a professional
- The stain hasn't changed after one poultice. A stone restorer quoted by the Natural Stone Institute's Use Natural Stone site says a stain that's "just as bad as it was" will only come out with professional help.
- It's a deep rust stain.
- You don't know what caused it.
- The spot is lighter or dull, which means an etch, not a stain.
Don't keep experimenting with different chemicals or abrasives. The wrong treatment can enlarge the damaged area or make it permanent.
Some stains never come out completely. Keep spare tiles from your order in case a piece ever needs replacing.
Related care guides
Etching vs Staining on Marble: How to Tell the Difference
A stain is something that has soaked into marble and changed its color, usually leaving a darker spot.
Read guideHow to Clean Marble Floors
Dust-mop marble floors often to remove grit, then wash them with a pH-neutral stone cleaner (or a little mild dish soap) in warm water, using a damp, not soaking, microfiber mop.
Read guideHow to Seal Marble and Natural Stone Tile
Sealing marble means applying an impregnating (penetrating) sealer that soaks into the stone and makes it repel liquids.
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Sources (5)
- Natural Stone Institute, Care & Cleaning of Natural Stone (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- Natural Stone Institute, Remove Stains from Stone (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- Natural Stone Institute, Poultices (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- Use Natural Stone, How I Learned Not to Be Intimidated by My Marble Floors (Teresa Meek, 2016) (retrieved 2026-09-24)
- SoCal Tiles, Natural Stone Care & Maintenance Guide (retrieved 2026-09-24)