We installed honed carrera marble in shower about 7 years ago (unfortunately have never resealed it) Recently rust stains have been appearing throughout the marble surface. Marble guys told me there is no way to get that out - says we need to redo shower. Is there a poultice/ cleaner that can possibly get out the rust stains??? I read it is caused by the iron oxidizing in stone from all the water getting on it. What is your recommendation? Please let me know- I would really appreciate your opinion. Thanks!

 

Dear Stefanie:

 

“ (unfortunately have never resealed it) ”

 

You mean, fortunately you never re-sealed it. Had you done that, the rust stains would have appeared even earlier.

 

“ Marble guys told me there is no way to get that out - says we need to redo shower. ”

 

Marble guys spoke the truth.

 

“ Is there a poultice/ cleaner that can possibly get out the rust stains??? ”

 

Nope. The rust is through and through and started from behind the tiles, not from the top.

 

“ I read it is caused by the iron oxidizing in stone from all the water getting on it. ”

 

That is partly wrong. It is not the water getting on the marble, but water getting behind it. Your grout lines are open, or the grout is damaged, or what-have-you (the tiles were installed butt-joint, perhaps?...) Fact is that the water found its way behind and under them, and from there they started migrating to the surface through the core of the stone. The slow migration made so that the water activated the iron within the stone and oxidized it. Had you applied an impregnator you would have further slowed down such slow migration of moisture (osmosis) which would have cause the water to oxidize the iron even faster. That is the main reason why stone should never be sealed in a wet environment.

 

Most consumers are so very concerned about the suitability of one stone over another, and the (mostly) nonsensical sealing thing. Nobody seems concerned in the least bit about the installation, which if it is not done right will turn even the best stone into a heap of sorry junk.

We have an example right here.

 

“ What is your recommendation? ”

 

Listen to the marble guys. It's jack-hammer time, alas… L

 

And please: don't blame it on the stone, or the “hard water in your area” thing, or the lack of sealing and all that nonsense: try to bark at the right tree and blame it on the installer.

 

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm?

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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