How to Remove Clay Stains from Marble

Judy said, “My parents’ headstone has staining about a foot of the way up from the bottom. The staining is from the natural clay soil in that area. I think it will take something really powerful to get it to come out. I have no idea what to use. Can you please help? Thank you so much! Judy”

You Will Need:

• A plastic sheet
• Duct tape
• Paper towel
• White vinegar
• Ammonia
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Plastic wrap

Steps to Remove the Stains:

1. Inspect the marble for any cracks or signs of wear. If the marble has any signs of damage, do not clean it yourself as the cleaning could cause irreparable damage. Instead, call a professional to repair the damage or clean the stains.
2. If the vertical surface is above an area of grass or other surface that could be damaged by the cleaners, lay a plastic sheet over the ground and use duct tape to hold it in place at the base of the marble if needed.
3. Stack several sheets of paper towels together in a pile, then soak them with either white vinegar¹ or diluted ammonia.²
4. Sprinkle an absorbent powder over the paper towels, such as salt or baking soda.¹
5. With a separate cloth or paper towel, wipe the surface of the stain with your selected cleaner.
6. Flatten the paper towels over the area. Don’t worry if some of the absorbent powder falls off the paper towel.
7. Wrap the area with plastic wrap to hold the paper towels in place and keep the moisture in.
8. Leave the poultice on the area until it dries. This may take a couple days.
9. If the stain is not completely gone when you remove the poultice, make a new poultice with fresh materials and repeat the process as many times as needed to fully remove the stains.
10. Once the stains are removed, rinse the area to remove any residue from the cleaning solution.

• Some types of marble can be damaged by a strong alkaline cleaner, such as ammonia, or by a strong acidic cleaner, such as vinegar, so it is best to test a cleaning solution on a small, hidden area first to look for any adverse effects. If the marble is damaged by a cleaner, use Marble Restorer.³
• If you think the stains are on the surface of the stone and would like to try washing them off, use either a window cleaner or dish liquid as those two cleaners usually contain ammonia.
• Always ventilate the area and wear gloves when working with ammonia. For more ammonia safety information, see Wikipedia.

1. Homemade by Reader’s Digest
2. Clean It Fast, Clean It RIGHT by Jeff Bredenberg
3. The Cleaning Encyclopedia by Don Aslett