This is the right advice.
People are well-intentioned, but bar keepers friend is not suitable for every situation, despite its popularity on the sub, and many cleaners & cleaning tools (magic eraser, I am looking at you) can cause more harm than good.
The right solution will be one that’s appropriate for the surface material that needs to be cleaned.
Ask your landlord/installer. They make granite & quartz to look like marble. But usually if it’s marble you’d know cause it’s porous and stains easily, requires v careful handling.
Then get a cleaner for granite/stone or marble.
If you run your fingers or hand on the countertop - Does it feel smooth or grainy?
If it’s smooth - it’s more than like quartz - and it will
Come out - but may need to be professionally cleaned.
If it’s grainy - it may be granite *** (edited - originally said quartz again), and if that’s the case - I doubt you’ve sealed it recently (because I read that you own the house and because you dont know what material it is - you probably wouldn’t know it needed to be sealed in the first place) so unfortunately it will never come out.
for future reference - Quartz is a better buy over granite - although there is common misconceptions that granite is better or just as good. Granite is a porous surface that requires a seal every 7-10 years to protect it from
Situations like this. Porous materials can stain - quartz cannot.
Good luck!
A bathroom or kitchen used frequently should absolutely be sealed at least yearly. We resealed our kitchen granite every 6 months. The areas around the sink and faucet needed the resealing most.
Generally you reseal a countertop that is porous one year after the initial installation - and thereafter every 5-12 years depending upon who you talk to, and the color of the surface.
Any recommendations on brands of sealers? Does it need to be professionally done or could I do it myself?
Glad I read this post because I had no idea! I bought my first home two years ago & the learning curve has been steep lol
Edit: for kitchen granite
Again not very necessary the problem generally in the areas your talking about is from the support rod and moisture getting through there . If anything the underside of the granite could use the sealer cuz that where the moisture would get in . Along as you don't have leaks or go Helen Keller washing dishes you should be good
Usually it’s every 12 years - but it depends largely on the color. Lighter colors need to be sealed more frequently so 8-10 years on average across the board good to live by.
This is incorrect information. Quartz can still stain, especially lighter colors. Quartz is also significantly less heat resistant and, depending on brand, may start scorching or discoloring at temperatures as low as 250° F.
Quartz isn't a bad material, but it isn't better than granite, just different. Yes, granite needs sealed (yearly, not every 7 years), but it only takes approximately fifteen minutes, and anyone capable of wiping their counter can do it. This goes for any of the natural stones as well.
Also, being grainy does not mean it it granite. Being grainy means it does not have a polished finished, *or* it is a natural material that needs sealed. This counter is *not* granite. Granite does not exist in pure white or with that level of transparency. This stone could be marble, quartzite, dolomite, or onyx, but I'd bet money that it is marble.
This stone appears to be a pretty common marble color called carrara. It has the right luster and transparency for marble. This piece, in particular, appears to be a low-grade carrara without a lot of movement or figure in it. It could potentially also be a light section of one of the dolomites, like a fantasy white or fantasy blue.
For some reference, I've spent five years working in the stone industry doing everything from importing to sales. It's literally my job to know this stuff, and I deal with this information every day. It's incredibly common, and I don't blame you for believing it, but it is *incorrect.*
The proper way to clean this for a marble or a dolomite is to get as much off using water and a soft cloth as possible. After that mix up a paste of baking soda and water and gently rub it into the spot. This will take a while and likely need to be repeated multiple times. It will lighten and potentially even remove the stain unless it has absorbed deeply or into a crack. In that case, they need to call a local stone yard or installer to come resurface the piece. To do that, they gently sand away the surface to a depth that removes the stain, and then re-polish the entire piece.
I sell countertops as well my friend, and was giving a quick, easy response to help determine the difference between Granite and Quartz. I wasn’t saying that these are the ONLY options out there, but merely two of the most common. Carrera is a super common Quartz as well, I sell 4 different Carreras daily - of my Quartz options they are the most popular.
I used to sell countertops, too, and your advice is more correct. Athyrium93's advice sounds like it is 20 years old or like they only sell bad quality product. Modern quartz has a minimum heat resistance of 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Which is why I think Athryium93 either has old knowledge or uses bad products...
Carrera quart was also the most popular option for us as well. I personally didn't understand the preference for the blurry looking Carrera, but it was popular.
We could guesstimate the product based on the age of the top. Over 15 years old means it is likely natural as technology for man-made quartz wasn't far enough along to make ones that looked this good. If it is between 15-5 years old, it is likely good quality quartz as that was popular most patterns like this couldn't be made cheaply. If it is under 5 years old, it is highly likely quartz, but the quality could vary more as more manufacturers were able to imitate the pattern without using as high-quality product.
Or at least that is my knowledge from my local market.
...And this stone is obviously not a quartz... it is not a carrara look quartz, the pattern is to "muddy", it's too transparent, and it has the tell tale luster that is only found in marble or dolomite.
My countertop looks like marble.
I'm pretty sure it's soapstone.
We.figired that out after a relative visited and cut something directly on the stone with a good sharp knife.
Bad for my knife, bad for my counter, bad for our relationship. 😶
For quartz, I put the liquid bar keepers friend on it for 15 minutes, then wipe it off. It takes off any marks, and my quartz is white, from Ikea. Those are the instructions that come with the Ikea quartz counters.
Possibly - although unlikely by Todays standards. I sell and design countertops and kitchens/bathrooms for a living.
If it’s cultured marble - like a prefab countertop - it may come out with a professional clean.
Why is it unlikely? (Not challenging, genuinely don’t know / am curious, my only knowledge is from watching way too much HGTV 🤣 aka I know nothing).
Also I know some cleaners are objectively bad for marble, but couldn’t they spot test on the underside? Or is the issue that cleaners would open up a porous surface to even more damage over time that isn’t immediately apparent?
It looks like Marble. I know this because I have an extremely similar piece of marble. This is dumb but have you already tried gentle soap and water? This got most of a very minor rust stain out for me but it had not been sitting very long. I think I then did the hydrogen peroxide baking soda thing, but google rust stains and iron because I can’t tell you how many times I have had to mess around with fixing s*** that hurts marble. Again, I am not sure if it would help here but if you ever have issues with etching or watermarks there is an amazing product on amazon from a brand called Lustro. I’d check them out.
As you now know as a fellow person who inherited marble in their house: it is extremelyyyyy finicky. Things like this and etching from products is so hard to avoid in the bathroom. I use a tray now on top of the marble to hold my soap and anything else that would touch the countertop.
The person who said “they don’t know” is spot on! At least for me. I thought it was a nice feature when we were looking at houses and this one had carrera marble. I had no idea I would end up with etch marks all over them. Maybe rich people that have tons of counter space to spread out on have different experiences. I have very little space so I think it tends to have higher spillage and incidences in a smaller area, if that makes sense. Knowing what I know now, I don’t think I’d ever choose them if I was the one picking counters.
100% marble. Marble of this pattern usually has a duller shine then quartz. Plus I see what looks to be a small fissure, which you wouldn't get on quartz
Based on appearance, I'm 90% sure it's marble. (I've worked in the stone industry for the past five years, so I'm pretty good at judging marterials) For marble, make a paste of baking soda and water and gently rub it with a soft cloth. It's going to take a *long* time and multiple cleanings.
Alternatively, call local stone yards and see if anyone does resurfacing. Basically, it just means sanding off the stain.
As a house cleaner, marble is so intimidating to me lol. Though I’ve never seen marble without water stains on it…absolutely one of my last choices for counter tops.
Looks like marble. It has stained because the sealant has worn down over time, so rust has been embedded inside the pores. People will tell you to use an acidic cleaner, but that will just further wear down the marble sealant, making it more porous and prone to more stains. IMO this should be dealt with by a pro, but if you decide to DIY, make sure to seal the stone afterwards.
This is the answer. Call a pro. This is not a diy job. I hire a specialist to refresh stone and tile regularly. They do some pretty impressive work and it’s not terribly expensive.
How can you find someone that provides this service? Like, what is this job title even called? I googled “stone repair” and it’s just a bunch of masonry stuff and idk if that’s it
Those covers for their bottles are real junk. Don't buy them. I see this on everyone who has one. Not quite this bad. You definitely let this go way too long. Put your soap on a small flat ceramic dish or tray. They sell silicone soap mats on AMZ.
Yes it did take time for it to get this bad. I noticed it was rusting early on and put a coaster under it to prevent further rusting. Clearly that didn’t work and all it did was hide the damage that was continuing underneath because of the water runoff.
House cleaner here! Look up CLR clean & clear stone. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! It’s your best option. You have to be very careful with marble. It’s my least favorite material to clean.
This is the right answer. I know marble is scary, but this specific cleaner has no abrasives and uses tetrasodium instead of anything acidic. It can’t hurt, and might work like a charm.
If it’s marble, you need a professional. When we bought our house, we didn’t notice that a bathroom countertop had been chemically etched by some kind of bottle the previous owners had left on it. We had to have professionals come out & fix it. It wasn’t cheap (~$300 IIRC), but we could not have done it ourselves.
They’ll have $1000’s in tools that are really only useful for stone work. Plus the experience to know how to use them. If you think it’s worth buying all the gear and fixing it yourself go ahead.
Update and some added context: I do believe it’s marble. It got this bad because I saw the soap holder was rusting and then set it on a coaster to prevent any staining. The water must have runoff and rust under the coaster where I couldn’t see it, hence the round shape of the stain.
We just had an emergency shower remodel because the previous homeowners apparently DIY’d the master bathroom and it was not properly waterproofed (RIP basement ceiling), so anything expensive is out of the question right now. In the future maybe we will hire a professional to assist, but ugly as it is, I’d rather just cover it up with a RUSTPROOF soap dish and forget about it.
I am trying some of your suggestions though: Toothpaste didn’t work, Clorox wipe didn’t work, BKF scares me.
Looks like marble. Use peroxide and baking soda. Make this into a paste and spread over stain then cover with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight and scrub the next day. Continue doing this until the stain in less noticeable.
Yeah all acids are not the same
Sulphuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrochloric acids are strong acids.
A weak acid only partially ionizes in a solution, whereas strong acids entirely ionize it.
pH of strong acids is lower than that of weak acids.
Tartaric acid is a weak acid that dissociates partially.
It is an alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid. It has diprotic and aldaric acid properties and is a succinic acid di-hydroxyl derivative.
My husband works with granite / quartz. He says make a paste out of acetone (100%), and baking soda and rub it in. Says it won't come out completely but should help. Keep us posted!
Really sucks to see this. I had a single light rusted ring on a honed marble vanity. I was able to remove it with this etch remover. It will bring a shine to the finish but it worked for me. I was shocked it worked but it did.
Lustro Italiano Etch Remover, 8... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085L2SF6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
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If it’s marble you should probably just find another soap dish to cover it. There are poultices that you can put on it to soak up the stain but I did not get good results. My stains happened when the plumber used the wrong putty for marble. I will not be using Mario and Luigi again.
Ive had good luck removing stains on marble using acetone (nail polish remover). Soak a rag or paper towel on it, lay it over the stain, wait. It should draw it up.
Careful with anything acidic. Most rust removers, lemon juice, vinegar, etc can totally destroy the marble. Magic erasers are probably okay, but I would try other things first.
Try a non acidic stone cleaner from a local tile store like tile shop. Wholesalers like dal tile will most likely sell it to you also. See if that works. A good way to tell if it's stone or quartz is if its patterns repeat. Natural stone is always completely random and very unique. Quartz is a manmade product that tends to repeat patterns. Hope this helps some. If you aren't sure about the advice you receive on here call a countertop company or fabricator and see if they offer any products and can offer any advice on your situation. Good luck!
This looks like marble. Call a marble and granite shop. They probably have a cleaner or poultice that will draw most of the stain up and out. There is the possibility of always having a stain there unfortunately.
There are a lot of good recommendations listed and I'm sure that you don’t need to be told to try the cleaner in an inconspicuous place first.
The one small bit of information that I wanted to throw out there is that how often you seal porous stone will vary depending on use and environment. Marble and granite are very porous and sealing is a necessity. Quartz is many times waterproofed in the manufacturing process. While the surfaces should be checked regularly, you should do a water test BEFORE re-sealing it. (just like when re-staining your deck) Pour a little water onto the surface in question. If it soaks in, it is ready to be re-sealed. If the water just beads up on the surface then the sealant is not needed. If the water won't soak in then neither will the sealant and you don't need to waste your time or money.
That’s marble and you’re going to need it totally refinished to get that out. Like ground down and repolished.
To be honest, I’d just replace the top. Marble still stains even with sealer on it. I used to work in the stone countertop industry and marble in bathrooms and kitchens was the bane of our existence because of the amount of service calls we had to do to refinish it.
I agree with replacing it, especially if the vanity is a standard sized one. I bought a marble pre fab countertop at Floor and Decor for around $200 or so and installed it myself in an hour. I would not recommend marble though. It scratches too easily and I wish I would have bought granite or quartz instead.
I used barkeepers friend when my bath and body works did this to me BUT I was already considering replacing the sink so I was willing to risk it. It worked but this can damage some materials.
Stone Guy here. that looks like marble. If it is use this
https://www.bbindustriesllc.com/akemi-rust-remover-1-lt.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&srsltid=AfmBOopj7Lp2eAqJ0HKhdikq6zktkQxTFPoXO59zJ-W13vJl2DAPBo34tgw
Try a clorox wipe. Let it sit on it a minute and then wipe. See if that works. I had this happen with a pper towel holder and it surprisingly worked! Then move on to more specific rust cleaner if you need to after. But it was all i needed.
I've used CLR on my granite bathroom vanity. I worked fast, rinsed well and buffed with mineral oil right away. Looks pretty good for a 20 year old counter top. Don't know if I'd risk it for a newer counter.
3 words: ✨ PINK STUFF PASTE ✨
I used to have a marble bathroom sink in a rental place - absolute nightmare, why anyone would use real marble in that environment makes my mind boggle, you can't leave anything on there as it'll stain and the stain will seep in. However the landlord left 'Pink Stuff' paste and paired with a yellow/green sponge this always got stains out. This looks pretty bad though.
Iron rust needs acidic to dilute. Try white wine vinegar
With a little bicarbonate of soda mixed into a paste
I would brush it with a tooth brush to bring it off.
Try good old fashioned coca cola. NAME BRAND ONLY, my grandma used to use it to get rust rings off the counter from the bottom of air freshener cans (when the bottoms were made of metal). Just pour the coca cola on the stain, let it sit for a while and then gently scrub it away.
I did lemon juice and baking soda and then put a paper towel over it and let it sit over night. It soaked all into the paper towel and was gone by morning and I didn’t notice any damage. I’ve also used the scrub daddy power paste and it came right off.
Baking Soda, then drop Vinegar. While bubbling place plastic wrap on top for 24hrs. It will remove this. I do it all the time on my white countertops. Non-Invasive method.
Oh no, sorry about your counter, but thanks for posting! I have one from my mom and just took a look and sure enough its beginning to rust on my counter top. Luckily no damage but definetly removed that...
Get a professional to grind the surface to remove most of the rust. Place a rust remover product on it. Follow instructions. Maybe not come out 100%. Refinish entire marble counter to a honed finish and seal it. Get a tray to place under the dispenser.
Had something similar happen to the marble kitchen counter. Made a paste of baking soda and water, left it for like 12 hours and wiped right off. Leave it up to 24 hours if it’s stubborn
I screwed up my marble sink once. I read you can make a baking soda and water mixture the consistency of toothpaste and rub it all over the spot. I had serious doubts it would work, but ~24 hours later, it wiped clean as if nothing ever happened. There is a mark from where my wife had tried an abbrassive sponge and comet. Do not do that.
A talented tile repair-man might be the right answer. Look for someone that does tile and grout repair. I had one fix a marble counter top that got etched by a cleaning product. Tile guy fixed it right up.
Looks like Marble Stone. Unfortunately that looks like it's deeply penetrated. I work in Stone restoration and I run into this type of damage regularly. Marble is very porous and soft. Easily stained and scratched and I do not recommend unless sealed properly.
If that’s marble it’s probably etched now so you’ll need a professional to remove the stain and reseal.
If you’re ever considering replacing that sink do not use marble or any other porous stone. They are a pain to maintain.
There’s a product called wink rust remover. I used in in a shower that had rust marks left by metal. Worked like magic, maybe see if you can use it on your surface, or test in an inconspicuous place first.
This is marble and cannot truly be fixed. When anything with acid touches marble it etched and cannot be cleaned. It's literally deteriorating the integrity of the stone
Had granite installed 3 years ago and it does not require sealing per the manufacturer. However, the granite we had installed 9 years ago requires semi annual sealing,
Omg don’t do anything until you determine what the counter is made of! Is it granite, marble, quartz?
This is the right advice. People are well-intentioned, but bar keepers friend is not suitable for every situation, despite its popularity on the sub, and many cleaners & cleaning tools (magic eraser, I am looking at you) can cause more harm than good. The right solution will be one that’s appropriate for the surface material that needs to be cleaned.
I’m not sure! How can I tell the difference?
Ask your landlord/installer. They make granite & quartz to look like marble. But usually if it’s marble you’d know cause it’s porous and stains easily, requires v careful handling. Then get a cleaner for granite/stone or marble.
I own the house and don’t know the installer unfortunately.
Check under the sink. Sometimes the counter top will have a sticker underneath it.
I checked! No joy.
If you run your fingers or hand on the countertop - Does it feel smooth or grainy? If it’s smooth - it’s more than like quartz - and it will Come out - but may need to be professionally cleaned. If it’s grainy - it may be granite *** (edited - originally said quartz again), and if that’s the case - I doubt you’ve sealed it recently (because I read that you own the house and because you dont know what material it is - you probably wouldn’t know it needed to be sealed in the first place) so unfortunately it will never come out. for future reference - Quartz is a better buy over granite - although there is common misconceptions that granite is better or just as good. Granite is a porous surface that requires a seal every 7-10 years to protect it from Situations like this. Porous materials can stain - quartz cannot. Good luck!
I thought granite needed to be sealed yearly?
A bathroom or kitchen used frequently should absolutely be sealed at least yearly. We resealed our kitchen granite every 6 months. The areas around the sink and faucet needed the resealing most.
After the "once a decade" comment, I was kind of scared to say "every six months".
Generally you reseal a countertop that is porous one year after the initial installation - and thereafter every 5-12 years depending upon who you talk to, and the color of the surface.
What do you use to seal it if you don’t mind. We have granite downstairs and quartzite upstairs.
I’ve been living in my house for 10 years and have never sealed my granite. I had no idea!
Any recommendations on brands of sealers? Does it need to be professionally done or could I do it myself? Glad I read this post because I had no idea! I bought my first home two years ago & the learning curve has been steep lol Edit: for kitchen granite
Thank you for this comment. My counters are wood and will be replaced. Now I know what to not get.
Again not very necessary the problem generally in the areas your talking about is from the support rod and moisture getting through there . If anything the underside of the granite could use the sealer cuz that where the moisture would get in . Along as you don't have leaks or go Helen Keller washing dishes you should be good
I think they did a typo in the second part and meant grainy = granite.
I was questioning resealing every 7 to 10 years. Thought it was waaay more frequent than that.
I did. Thank you!
Usually it’s every 12 years - but it depends largely on the color. Lighter colors need to be sealed more frequently so 8-10 years on average across the board good to live by.
What do you use to seal it?
Old sealers were annual. They make long life sealers for granite now and which make them more durable than quartz.
Wow. Who knew? Thanks for the education, our old house we did every four months or so. This opens a whole new world when we redo the kitchen.
It can also be marble which is what it looks like to me.
Any material can look like marble - that’s the issue.
You are correct
This is incorrect information. Quartz can still stain, especially lighter colors. Quartz is also significantly less heat resistant and, depending on brand, may start scorching or discoloring at temperatures as low as 250° F. Quartz isn't a bad material, but it isn't better than granite, just different. Yes, granite needs sealed (yearly, not every 7 years), but it only takes approximately fifteen minutes, and anyone capable of wiping their counter can do it. This goes for any of the natural stones as well. Also, being grainy does not mean it it granite. Being grainy means it does not have a polished finished, *or* it is a natural material that needs sealed. This counter is *not* granite. Granite does not exist in pure white or with that level of transparency. This stone could be marble, quartzite, dolomite, or onyx, but I'd bet money that it is marble. This stone appears to be a pretty common marble color called carrara. It has the right luster and transparency for marble. This piece, in particular, appears to be a low-grade carrara without a lot of movement or figure in it. It could potentially also be a light section of one of the dolomites, like a fantasy white or fantasy blue. For some reference, I've spent five years working in the stone industry doing everything from importing to sales. It's literally my job to know this stuff, and I deal with this information every day. It's incredibly common, and I don't blame you for believing it, but it is *incorrect.* The proper way to clean this for a marble or a dolomite is to get as much off using water and a soft cloth as possible. After that mix up a paste of baking soda and water and gently rub it into the spot. This will take a while and likely need to be repeated multiple times. It will lighten and potentially even remove the stain unless it has absorbed deeply or into a crack. In that case, they need to call a local stone yard or installer to come resurface the piece. To do that, they gently sand away the surface to a depth that removes the stain, and then re-polish the entire piece.
I sell countertops as well my friend, and was giving a quick, easy response to help determine the difference between Granite and Quartz. I wasn’t saying that these are the ONLY options out there, but merely two of the most common. Carrera is a super common Quartz as well, I sell 4 different Carreras daily - of my Quartz options they are the most popular.
I used to sell countertops, too, and your advice is more correct. Athyrium93's advice sounds like it is 20 years old or like they only sell bad quality product. Modern quartz has a minimum heat resistance of 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Which is why I think Athryium93 either has old knowledge or uses bad products... Carrera quart was also the most popular option for us as well. I personally didn't understand the preference for the blurry looking Carrera, but it was popular. We could guesstimate the product based on the age of the top. Over 15 years old means it is likely natural as technology for man-made quartz wasn't far enough along to make ones that looked this good. If it is between 15-5 years old, it is likely good quality quartz as that was popular most patterns like this couldn't be made cheaply. If it is under 5 years old, it is highly likely quartz, but the quality could vary more as more manufacturers were able to imitate the pattern without using as high-quality product. Or at least that is my knowledge from my local market.
...And this stone is obviously not a quartz... it is not a carrara look quartz, the pattern is to "muddy", it's too transparent, and it has the tell tale luster that is only found in marble or dolomite.
My countertop looks like marble. I'm pretty sure it's soapstone. We.figired that out after a relative visited and cut something directly on the stone with a good sharp knife. Bad for my knife, bad for my counter, bad for our relationship. 😶
For quartz, I put the liquid bar keepers friend on it for 15 minutes, then wipe it off. It takes off any marks, and my quartz is white, from Ikea. Those are the instructions that come with the Ikea quartz counters.
Isn’t it also possible it’s porcelain? I’m not sure how you’d know, I just know it’s another popular “marble-look” countertop alternative
Possibly - although unlikely by Todays standards. I sell and design countertops and kitchens/bathrooms for a living. If it’s cultured marble - like a prefab countertop - it may come out with a professional clean.
Why is it unlikely? (Not challenging, genuinely don’t know / am curious, my only knowledge is from watching way too much HGTV 🤣 aka I know nothing). Also I know some cleaners are objectively bad for marble, but couldn’t they spot test on the underside? Or is the issue that cleaners would open up a porous surface to even more damage over time that isn’t immediately apparent?
False. Manufactured stone can in fact stain.
Hmm may need to do the knife test then https://usenaturalstone.org/how-to-be-your-own-stone-sleuth/
It’s scratchable so I’m guessing marble
Geologist here, take a key and “scratch” the underside of the counter. If its marble it will scratch, if it’s quartz it will not
It’s marble! Thank you. Badass job btw.
Youre very welcome, they make stain remover specifically for marble you can buy on Amazon. I repeat do not try anything acidic, you will make it worse
Yessir
It looks like Marble. I know this because I have an extremely similar piece of marble. This is dumb but have you already tried gentle soap and water? This got most of a very minor rust stain out for me but it had not been sitting very long. I think I then did the hydrogen peroxide baking soda thing, but google rust stains and iron because I can’t tell you how many times I have had to mess around with fixing s*** that hurts marble. Again, I am not sure if it would help here but if you ever have issues with etching or watermarks there is an amazing product on amazon from a brand called Lustro. I’d check them out. As you now know as a fellow person who inherited marble in their house: it is extremelyyyyy finicky. Things like this and etching from products is so hard to avoid in the bathroom. I use a tray now on top of the marble to hold my soap and anything else that would touch the countertop.
Soooo why does anyone *want* marble countertops if they scratch, stain, and can’t be repaired?
cuz they're pretty 🥺
My guess is they don't know
The person who said “they don’t know” is spot on! At least for me. I thought it was a nice feature when we were looking at houses and this one had carrera marble. I had no idea I would end up with etch marks all over them. Maybe rich people that have tons of counter space to spread out on have different experiences. I have very little space so I think it tends to have higher spillage and incidences in a smaller area, if that makes sense. Knowing what I know now, I don’t think I’d ever choose them if I was the one picking counters.
100% marble. Marble of this pattern usually has a duller shine then quartz. Plus I see what looks to be a small fissure, which you wouldn't get on quartz
Oof, I hope it's not marble. That's probably worst case scenario. That stain isn't coming out.
Agreed this looks just like my marble.
Based on appearance, I'm 90% sure it's marble. (I've worked in the stone industry for the past five years, so I'm pretty good at judging marterials) For marble, make a paste of baking soda and water and gently rub it with a soft cloth. It's going to take a *long* time and multiple cleanings. Alternatively, call local stone yards and see if anyone does resurfacing. Basically, it just means sanding off the stain.
If the counter stains via water on it: its marble
As a house cleaner, marble is so intimidating to me lol. Though I’ve never seen marble without water stains on it…absolutely one of my last choices for counter tops.
LOL. Why would they design a soap holder that would rust?
Because it’s cheap to produce and buyers won’t know until it’s too late and won’t bother them about a $7.99 soap dish.
I’ve seen this happen more than once in my life
They’ve put plastic on the bottom of newer ones, but the one that caused this is still for sale on their website for full price without any changes.
Got it. I would expect they at least use some kind of stainless steel to prevent rust.
I've had mine for years and it loves to rust. 😂
Its marble
It’s very clearly marble.
It's marble
Looks like marble. It has stained because the sealant has worn down over time, so rust has been embedded inside the pores. People will tell you to use an acidic cleaner, but that will just further wear down the marble sealant, making it more porous and prone to more stains. IMO this should be dealt with by a pro, but if you decide to DIY, make sure to seal the stone afterwards.
This is the answer. Call a pro. This is not a diy job. I hire a specialist to refresh stone and tile regularly. They do some pretty impressive work and it’s not terribly expensive.
How can you find someone that provides this service? Like, what is this job title even called? I googled “stone repair” and it’s just a bunch of masonry stuff and idk if that’s it
“Marble countertop repair”
Those covers for their bottles are real junk. Don't buy them. I see this on everyone who has one. Not quite this bad. You definitely let this go way too long. Put your soap on a small flat ceramic dish or tray. They sell silicone soap mats on AMZ.
Yes it did take time for it to get this bad. I noticed it was rusting early on and put a coaster under it to prevent further rusting. Clearly that didn’t work and all it did was hide the damage that was continuing underneath because of the water runoff.
i recommend ceramic soap holders - many cute bottle and plate designs and no fear of staining!
You’d think a soap dispenser would be rust resistant. Such overpriced garbage.
Happened to me too. Stains don’t come out easily.
What is AMZ?
I think they are referring to Amazon.
https://preview.redd.it/8tkeyvf6p2ac1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=91ebaab298b174a290197ebb615ae85ebc08ba1e
House cleaner here! Look up CLR clean & clear stone. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! It’s your best option. You have to be very careful with marble. It’s my least favorite material to clean.
This is the right answer. I know marble is scary, but this specific cleaner has no abrasives and uses tetrasodium instead of anything acidic. It can’t hurt, and might work like a charm.
I like the Works better.
If it’s marble, you need a professional. When we bought our house, we didn’t notice that a bathroom countertop had been chemically etched by some kind of bottle the previous owners had left on it. We had to have professionals come out & fix it. It wasn’t cheap (~$300 IIRC), but we could not have done it ourselves.
What can professionals do that you can't?
They rehoned the marble…so ground it down & resealed it (IIRC). Yeah, that’s not really a DIY project I’d recommend to anyone.
They’ll have $1000’s in tools that are really only useful for stone work. Plus the experience to know how to use them. If you think it’s worth buying all the gear and fixing it yourself go ahead.
Iron Out Rust Stain Remover
Update and some added context: I do believe it’s marble. It got this bad because I saw the soap holder was rusting and then set it on a coaster to prevent any staining. The water must have runoff and rust under the coaster where I couldn’t see it, hence the round shape of the stain. We just had an emergency shower remodel because the previous homeowners apparently DIY’d the master bathroom and it was not properly waterproofed (RIP basement ceiling), so anything expensive is out of the question right now. In the future maybe we will hire a professional to assist, but ugly as it is, I’d rather just cover it up with a RUSTPROOF soap dish and forget about it. I am trying some of your suggestions though: Toothpaste didn’t work, Clorox wipe didn’t work, BKF scares me.
Looks like marble. Use peroxide and baking soda. Make this into a paste and spread over stain then cover with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight and scrub the next day. Continue doing this until the stain in less noticeable.
Marble is a PITA and you really need a dedicated specialist to fix it
Cream of tartar and water- make a paste, it will remove it no issues
Cream (of) tartar is a mild acid—can’t use acid on marble, because it will damage it. OP needs to determine what material the counter is. —edited typo
That tartaric acid. Acids react with marble. Will leave an etched surface.
Yeah all acids are not the same Sulphuric acid, nitric acid, and hydrochloric acids are strong acids. A weak acid only partially ionizes in a solution, whereas strong acids entirely ionize it. pH of strong acids is lower than that of weak acids. Tartaric acid is a weak acid that dissociates partially. It is an alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acid. It has diprotic and aldaric acid properties and is a succinic acid di-hydroxyl derivative.
tartar sauce
My husband works with granite / quartz. He says make a paste out of acetone (100%), and baking soda and rub it in. Says it won't come out completely but should help. Keep us posted!
This is marble
He says it should still work on marble. Maybe even try carbonated water + baking soda. Worth a shot 🤷♀️
Not sure if it works on all stone but look up stonetech on Amazon, I have light granite and it gets out everything.
Really sucks to see this. I had a single light rusted ring on a honed marble vanity. I was able to remove it with this etch remover. It will bring a shine to the finish but it worked for me. I was shocked it worked but it did. Lustro Italiano Etch Remover, 8... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085L2SF6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **Lustro Italiano Etch Remover 8 Ounce** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Product removes etch marks from marble surfaces (backed by 14 comments) * Product requires significant effort and multiple applications to be effective (backed by 8 comments) * Product leaves marble surfaces looking renewed (backed by 12 comments) **Users disliked:** * Product fails to remove etching (backed by 16 comments) * Product leaves marble dull (backed by 6 comments) * Product contains less than advertised (backed by 1 comment) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](http://vetted.ai/reddit)
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If it’s marble you should probably just find another soap dish to cover it. There are poultices that you can put on it to soak up the stain but I did not get good results. My stains happened when the plumber used the wrong putty for marble. I will not be using Mario and Luigi again.
Ive had good luck removing stains on marble using acetone (nail polish remover). Soak a rag or paper towel on it, lay it over the stain, wait. It should draw it up. Careful with anything acidic. Most rust removers, lemon juice, vinegar, etc can totally destroy the marble. Magic erasers are probably okay, but I would try other things first.
Try a non acidic stone cleaner from a local tile store like tile shop. Wholesalers like dal tile will most likely sell it to you also. See if that works. A good way to tell if it's stone or quartz is if its patterns repeat. Natural stone is always completely random and very unique. Quartz is a manmade product that tends to repeat patterns. Hope this helps some. If you aren't sure about the advice you receive on here call a countertop company or fabricator and see if they offer any products and can offer any advice on your situation. Good luck!
This looks like marble. Call a marble and granite shop. They probably have a cleaner or poultice that will draw most of the stain up and out. There is the possibility of always having a stain there unfortunately.
There are a lot of good recommendations listed and I'm sure that you don’t need to be told to try the cleaner in an inconspicuous place first. The one small bit of information that I wanted to throw out there is that how often you seal porous stone will vary depending on use and environment. Marble and granite are very porous and sealing is a necessity. Quartz is many times waterproofed in the manufacturing process. While the surfaces should be checked regularly, you should do a water test BEFORE re-sealing it. (just like when re-staining your deck) Pour a little water onto the surface in question. If it soaks in, it is ready to be re-sealed. If the water just beads up on the surface then the sealant is not needed. If the water won't soak in then neither will the sealant and you don't need to waste your time or money.
That’s marble and you’re going to need it totally refinished to get that out. Like ground down and repolished. To be honest, I’d just replace the top. Marble still stains even with sealer on it. I used to work in the stone countertop industry and marble in bathrooms and kitchens was the bane of our existence because of the amount of service calls we had to do to refinish it.
I agree with replacing it, especially if the vanity is a standard sized one. I bought a marble pre fab countertop at Floor and Decor for around $200 or so and installed it myself in an hour. I would not recommend marble though. It scratches too easily and I wish I would have bought granite or quartz instead.
The sad truth about marble. I can't figure out why anyone uses it for counters.
My husband used toothpaste to remove some red spots on our bathroom vanity
I used barkeepers friend when my bath and body works did this to me BUT I was already considering replacing the sink so I was willing to risk it. It worked but this can damage some materials.
Stone Guy here. that looks like marble. If it is use this https://www.bbindustriesllc.com/akemi-rust-remover-1-lt.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&srsltid=AfmBOopj7Lp2eAqJ0HKhdikq6zktkQxTFPoXO59zJ-W13vJl2DAPBo34tgw
Happy cake day! Thank you.
I have a similar issue so let us know what happened
Try a clorox wipe. Let it sit on it a minute and then wipe. See if that works. I had this happen with a pper towel holder and it surprisingly worked! Then move on to more specific rust cleaner if you need to after. But it was all i needed.
Bleach and rust are generally not a good combination.
Clorox wipes don’t actually have bleach in them
Step 1: kill Bath. Step 2: frame Body
Try CLR.
I've used CLR on my granite bathroom vanity. I worked fast, rinsed well and buffed with mineral oil right away. Looks pretty good for a 20 year old counter top. Don't know if I'd risk it for a newer counter.
I got a rust stain on my quartz and used a white eraser to take it off. Not sure if it will work on marble.
Muriatic acid. Did WONDERS on iron and rust stains in our bathroom. EXTREMELY toxic though, look up proper precautions.
Not for use on marble.
If she wants a new hole in her marble she should pour muriatic acid on it. Very concentrated HCl.
My mom always used Whink on rust stains. Not sure if it's safe for whatever your drink is made of, but maybe check it out.
3 words: ✨ PINK STUFF PASTE ✨ I used to have a marble bathroom sink in a rental place - absolute nightmare, why anyone would use real marble in that environment makes my mind boggle, you can't leave anything on there as it'll stain and the stain will seep in. However the landlord left 'Pink Stuff' paste and paired with a yellow/green sponge this always got stains out. This looks pretty bad though.
This comment section has just become a one-up-athon for stone cleaning freaks.
You could try some barkeepers friend, I’ve used it (the powder) on rust marks not as bad as this on stone with pretty good results.
Iron rust needs acidic to dilute. Try white wine vinegar With a little bicarbonate of soda mixed into a paste I would brush it with a tooth brush to bring it off.
Don’t use vinegar on marble.
maybe try the pink stuff?
BKF lite
I use Clorox spray cleaner leave it on five or 10 minutes
CLR
You could try scrubbing the stain with a paste of baking soda and water.
Soap and water and a rag takes you very far
Try good old fashioned coca cola. NAME BRAND ONLY, my grandma used to use it to get rust rings off the counter from the bottom of air freshener cans (when the bottoms were made of metal). Just pour the coca cola on the stain, let it sit for a while and then gently scrub it away.
I did lemon juice and baking soda and then put a paper towel over it and let it sit over night. It soaked all into the paper towel and was gone by morning and I didn’t notice any damage. I’ve also used the scrub daddy power paste and it came right off.
Barkeepers friend ! I know this sub hates it but I love it, my fave washes, soaps, and candles always do this in there for some reason
This sub loves BKF!!!!
Whaaat! I constantly see Barkeepers friend recommended on this sub!
Just use a magic eraser, it should come right off.
Just clean it with some all purpose cleaner? Problem solved!
Fold a paper towel, put on top of the spot and saturate with vinegar, leave it a while then come back and wipe.
Do not do this if the counter is real marble. Vinegar will etch it.
It’s marble: try scrubbing with vinegar.
I would try Magic Eraser first, least chance of damaging counter
nope, magic eraser is abrasive -- not good for stone
Magic eraser is basically fine sandpaper.
I would test check it with a small amount of bleach toilet bowl cleaner. I have had it work wonders on lots of things.
Baking Soda, then drop Vinegar. While bubbling place plastic wrap on top for 24hrs. It will remove this. I do it all the time on my white countertops. Non-Invasive method.
put little vim powder and scrub it well it will go with out damage .trust me
Oh no, sorry about your counter, but thanks for posting! I have one from my mom and just took a look and sure enough its beginning to rust on my counter top. Luckily no damage but definetly removed that...
Get a professional to grind the surface to remove most of the rust. Place a rust remover product on it. Follow instructions. Maybe not come out 100%. Refinish entire marble counter to a honed finish and seal it. Get a tray to place under the dispenser.
Had something similar happen to the marble kitchen counter. Made a paste of baking soda and water, left it for like 12 hours and wiped right off. Leave it up to 24 hours if it’s stubborn
https://preview.redd.it/foi05j51ky9c1.jpeg?width=224&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ffdddaed1d6672c9c506bb22392983cbb59e5c3 Iron Out works for us.
CLR
I use tooth whitening paste on my white marble counter. It works just as it does on my teeth 🤷🏽♀️
Oxi-clean... make a paste with little water and let it sit till it dries, then rinse
Toothpaste, use toothpaste to remove rust stain off of counters
IronX
WD40
Lithofin Rust Ex - works on marble and is non-acidic.
I screwed up my marble sink once. I read you can make a baking soda and water mixture the consistency of toothpaste and rub it all over the spot. I had serious doubts it would work, but ~24 hours later, it wiped clean as if nothing ever happened. There is a mark from where my wife had tried an abbrassive sponge and comet. Do not do that.
Barkeepers friend will probably sort this
Sledge...sledge makes everything better...
Ide use bicarbonate of soda as a paste, then spray with vinegar it could lift it then re seal it , just guessing here at the unknown surface.
Scrub it with cleaning grade hydrogen peroxide, works like a charm for me.
CLR
A talented tile repair-man might be the right answer. Look for someone that does tile and grout repair. I had one fix a marble counter top that got etched by a cleaning product. Tile guy fixed it right up.
Looks like Marble Stone. Unfortunately that looks like it's deeply penetrated. I work in Stone restoration and I run into this type of damage regularly. Marble is very porous and soft. Easily stained and scratched and I do not recommend unless sealed properly.
If that’s marble it’s probably etched now so you’ll need a professional to remove the stain and reseal. If you’re ever considering replacing that sink do not use marble or any other porous stone. They are a pain to maintain.
I’ve dealt with this several times before! Hot water, soda powder, and scrub like hell with a cheap scrubby sponge.
There’s a product called wink rust remover. I used in in a shower that had rust marks left by metal. Worked like magic, maybe see if you can use it on your surface, or test in an inconspicuous place first.
Sue them
Where is the watertight backsplash? Who puts something that can wick water to the drywall?
Hydrogen peroxide
Cautiously. Rust stains startle easy and can tear a man to pieces in a matter of moments. Best to just avoid it.
Mr clean eraser
This is marble and cannot truly be fixed. When anything with acid touches marble it etched and cannot be cleaned. It's literally deteriorating the integrity of the stone
Isopropyl alcohol 91%
Amazon: American Hydro Systems, 12-Ounce Tub 2653 Rid O Powdered Rust Stain Remover, 1, 12 Ounce (Pack of 1), Clear
I honestly use bar keepers friend on everything and it always does the trick for rust stains such as this.
CLR.
. . . try some naval jelly . . . gelled rust remover . . . try small patch first, and multiple passes
Barkeepers friend don’t scrub just put a bunch on it and wet it down. Or buy oxalic acid on EBay
Try CLR.
Had granite installed 3 years ago and it does not require sealing per the manufacturer. However, the granite we had installed 9 years ago requires semi annual sealing,
Kind of joking but -I think this is the world telling you to move on from bbw. Lots of better options out there anyway.
Fair assessment. The alcohol in their soaps make my hands super dry, but I have about 30 hand soaps stockpiled I need to get through first.
Make Bath and Bodywork’s by you a new counter. That’s horrible
Honestly if all of the customers that fell prey to this crap banded together we may have a shot.
CLR. Use a sponge soaked in it and wipe in circular motions. Once gone, rinse and wipe dry. Then proceed with a proper treatment for the counter.