How To Repair Flat Iron Burn Marks On Cultured Marble Top

Stain Removal

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Spills and Stains
Blot the spill with a paper towel immediately. Don't wipe the area, it will spread the spill. Flush the area with plain h2o and mild lather and rinse several times. Dry the surface area thoroughly with a soft material. Repeat as necessary. If the stain remains, refer to the section in this brochure on stain removal.

Stain Removal
Identifying the type of stain on the stone surface is the key to removing it. If you lot don't know what caused the stain, play detective. Where is the stain located? Is it about a institute, a food service expanse, an area where cosmetics are used? What colour is information technology? What is the shape or pattern? What goes on in the area around the stain? Surface stains can frequently be removed by cleaning with an appropriate cleaning product or household chemical. Deep-seated or stubborn stains may crave using a poultice or calling in a professional. The following sections draw the types of stains that you may have to deal with and appropriate household chemicals to apply and how to prepare and apply a poultice to remove the stain.

Types of Stains and First Step Cleaning Actions

OIL-BASED
(grease, tar, cooking oil, milk, cosmetics)
An oil-based stain will darken the stone and normally must be chemically dissolved and so the source of the stain can be flushed or rinsed away. Clean gently with a soft, liquid cleanser with bleach OR household detergent OR ammonia OR mineral spirits OR acetone.

ORGANIC
(java, tea, 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, normal sun and pelting activity will generally bleach out the stains. Indoors, clean with12% hydrogen peroxide (pilus bleaching forcefulness) 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, blossom pots, metal piece of furniture. Copper and bronze stains appear as greenish or muddy-brown and result from the activity of moisture on nearby or embedded bronze, copper or brass items. Metal stains must be removed with a poultice.(See section on Making & Using a Poultice) Deep-seated, rusty stains are extremely difficult to remove and the rock may be permanently stained.

BIOLOGICAL
(algae, mildew, lichens, moss, fungi)
Clean with diluted (1/2 cup in a gallon of water) ammonia OR bleach OR hydrogen peroxide. Practice NOT MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA! THIS COMBINATION CREATES A TOXIC AND LETHAL GAS!

INK
(magic mark, pen, ink)
Clean with bleach or hydrogen peroxide (lite colored stone only!) or lacquer thinner or acetone (dark stones only!)

PAINT
Small amounts can be removed with lacquer thinner or scraped off carefully with a razorblade. Heavy paint coverage should be removed only with a commercial "heavy liquid" pigment stripper bachelor from hardware stores and paint centers. These strippers usually 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; re-polishing may be necessary. Follow the manufacturer's directions for apply of these products, taking care to flush the area thoroughly with clean water. Protect yourself with rubber gloves and eye protection, and work in a well-ventilated area. Employ only wood or plastic scrapers for removing the sludge and curdled pigment. Commonly, latex and acrylic paints will not crusade staining. Oil-based paints, linseed oil, putty, caulks and sealants may cause oily stains. Refer to the section on oil-based stains.

H2o SPOTS AND RINGS
(surface aggregating of difficult water)
Buff with dry out 0000 steel wool.

FIRE AND SMOKE Impairment
Older stones and smoke or fire stained fireplaces may crave a thorough cleaning to restore their original appearance. Commercially available "smoke removers" may save time and effort.

Compose MARKS
Compose marks are caused past 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. Once the stain has been removed, wet the surface with clear water and sprinkle on marble polishing powder, available from a hardware or lapidary store, or your local stone dealer. Rub the powder onto the stone with a damp cloth or by using a buffing pad with a low-speed power drill. Continue buffing until the compose mark disappears and the marble surface shines. Contact your stone dealer or call a professional stone restorer for refinishing or re-polishing etched areas that you lot cannot remove.

EFFLORESCENCE
Efflorescence is a white powder that may announced on the surface of the stone. It is caused by water carrying mineral salts from below the surface of the stone rise through the stone and evaporating. When the water evaporates, information technology leaves the powdery substance. If the installation is new, dust mop or vacuum the powder. You may have to do this several times as the rock dries out. Do non use water to remove the powder; it will only temporarily disappear. If the problem persists, contact your installer to assist identify and remove the cause of the wet.

SCRATCHES AND NICKS
Slight surface scratches may be buffed with dry 0000 steel wool. Deeper scratches and nicks in the surface of the rock should be repaired and re-polished past a professional.

Poultices

Making and Using a Poultice
A poultice is a liquid cleaner or chemical mixed with a white absorbent material to course a paste about the consistency of peanut butter. The poultice is spread over the stained area to a thickness of near i/4 to ane/2 inch with a forest or plastic spatula, covered with plastic and left to work for 24 to 48 hours. The liquid cleaner or chemical will draw out the stain into the absorbent textile. Poultice procedures may have to be repeated to thoroughly remove a stain, simply some stains may never be completely removed.

Poultice Materials
Poultice materials include kaolin, fuller'south earth, whiting, diatomaceous world, powdered chalk, white molding plaster or talc. Approximately one pound of prepared poultice material will encompass one foursquare human foot. Do not use whiting or iron-type clays such equally fuller'due south earth with acrid chemicals. The reaction will cancel the event of the poultice. A poultice can also be prepared using white cotton wool assurance, whitepaper towels or gauze pads.

Cleaning Agents or Chemicals

OIL-BASED STAINS
Poultice with baking soda and water OR ane of the powdered poultice materials and mineral spirits.

ORGANIC STAINS
Poultice with one of the powdered poultice materials and 12% hydrogen peroxide solution (hair bleaching force) OR use acetone instead of the hydrogen peroxide.

IRON STAINS
Poultice with diatomaceous earth and a commercially bachelor rust remover. Rust stains are particularly difficult to remove. You lot may need to call a professional person.

COPPER STAINS
Poultice with one of the powdered poultice materials and ammonia. These stains are difficult to remove. Yous may need to call a professional person.

BIOLOGICAL STAINS
Poultice with dilute ammonia OR bleach OR hydrogen peroxide. DO NOT MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH! THIS COMBINATION CREATES A TOXIC AND LETHAL GAS!

Applying the Poultice

Gear up the poultice. If using pulverisation, mix the cleaning agent or chemic to a thick paste the consistency of peanut butter. If using paper, soak in the chemic and let bleed. Don't let the liquid drip.

Wet the stained area with distilled water.

Apply the poultice to the stained area about1/4 to 1/two inch thick and extend the poultice beyond the stained area by nigh one inch. Use a wood or plastic scraper to spread the poultice evenly.

Cover the poultice with plastic and tape the edges to seal information technology.

Allow the poultice to dry thoroughly, unremarkably about 24 to 48 hours. The drying procedure is what pulls the stain out of the stone and into the poultice cloth. Later on about 24 hours, remove the plastic and allow the poultice to dry out.

Remove the poultice from the stain. Rinse with distilled water and buff dry with a soft material. Use the forest or plastic scraper if necessary.

Repeat the poultice application if the stain is not removed. It may take upward to five applications for difficult stains.

If the surface is etched by the chemical, utilise polishing powder and buff with burlap or felt buffing pad to restore the surface.