Your home is one of the most elegant houses in your neighborhood because it boasts marble countertops. Friends, family members, and neighbors all compliment your marble countertops when they visit. At this point, it’s impossible for you to imagine your home without marble. That high-end, luxury feeling that marble provides your kitchen with is just too glamorous to pass up.
However, given marble’s porous properties, your gorgeous marble runs the risk of staining. This is especially true if you have a child who’s a doodler that draws all over your house without any remorse. It’s all fun and games until your kid decides to scribble up your marble countertops with a permanent marker—it happens, and now you know better than to leave your markers laying around. Fortunately, your marble is resistant enough and can be cleaned. No marker will be a match for your marble!
To clean your marble, you won’t need the assistance of a professional. Just make sure to have the following list of materials at hand. The best part? You probably already own most of these common household items.
- Rubbing alcohol
- Nylon scrub pad
- Paper towels
- Distilled water
- Hydrogen peroxide (use for light marble)
- Acetone (use for dark marble)
- Baking soda or talc
- Shallow bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Masking tape
- White soft cloth
Step 1: First, pour rubbing alcohol all over the stubborn stain. Make sure that it’s enough to completely cover and soak the marker ink. Let the alcohol sit and soak the marble for several minutes.
Step 2: Gently rub the stained area with your nylon scrub pad. Blot up excess liquid after you’re finished scrubbing with a paper towel. Alcohol will be the most effective for permanent marker scribbles if the stains are still fresh. However, if the stain has yet to disappear, continue to step 3.
Step 3: Pour a small amount of distilled water over the stain to saturate the area, which will help lift the ink stain away.
Step 4: Pour several tablespoons of baking soda or talc into a shallow bowl. An exact measurement doesn’t matter, use as much as you need to cover the marker stains. Add in hydrogen peroxide (for light marble) or acetone (for dark marble) to your mix, stirring and adding more until your mixture becomes paste-like. Ensure that your paste no longer has a liquid consistency so that your mixture doesn’t spill everywhere.
Step 5: Scoop the poultice paste over the stain, spreading it out.
Step 6: Smooth out a piece of plastic wrap over the paste and secure the wrap with bits of masking tape. Allow the paste to harden in place for a full one or two days.
Step 7: Finally, remove the plastic wrap and tape. Wipe the paste away with a damp sponge. Rinse with distilled water. Buff the area dry with a white soft cloth—yes, the cloth must be white. White cloths ensure that no dye will transfer from the fabric to the marble.
Step 8: If any ink remains, repeat steps 4-7.
There you have it! Your marble should be good as new now. Basic household items and a bit of patience will make your marble look perfect again.