I have a fireplace with a marble hearth. Due to a leak in the roof, the hearth was stained by water that came down thru the wall in which the fireplace is located, and ran under the hearth, staining it. I believe that the hearth is polished only on the top surface. The hearth is embedded in and surrounded by a hardwood floor on three sides. The fourth side is against a Heat-and Glow insert, the mantle, and part of the wall. Can the stains be removed, or must the hearth be replaced?

Dear Sylvan:

 

“ Can the stains be removed, or must the hearth be replaced? ”

 

Your guess is just as good as mine.

Nobody can tell for sure. When a stain is generated from underneath it is through and through to begin with and, also very important, nobody knows the very nature of it. You could try removing it with several attempts of poulticing treating it as if it were an organic stain (my best guess) and the, if it won't work, you will replace it.

Now, how to go about poulticing and with what?

When it comes to stain removal, either you buy one of those expensive “Professional kits” (that true professionals seldom use!) at a stone retailer near you, or you can spend less money and get our comprehensive guidelines on how to remove stains by using inexpensive and far more effective means that you may already have in your household! Such impressive piece of literature will also tell you how to tell stains apart from “stains”, and what to do about the latter! It does carry a small price tag, and you can order it by logging on at :   http://www.mbstone.com/literature/literature.htm.   It's available in pay-per-download format and it's much cheaper than any kit on the market! Not to mention the little and much needed support you'd be giving to the cause – your cause - since every single penny of the cost of the article will be used to support it.

Also, will you please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose by logging on at: http:// www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm? By spreading the word about this valuable site among your friend & family and the stone trades' people you've been dealing with, you will be rendering everybody a valuable service!

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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