Marble is among the most-used materials in decoration and construction thanks to its durability and elegance. A single marble element, such as the top of a table, a chest of drawers, or a fireplace shelf, can add class and refinement to a room. A marble floor immediately becomes the focal point of the design of an environment.
Produced by the metamorphosis of limestone sediments, which can give life to an infinite variety of veins and colors, each marble is unique and inimitable. Although the marble surface appears hard in appearance, in reality, like any rock, it is porous.
This means that it easily absorbs liquids and is subject to staining, tarnishing, and losing its splendor. In this guide, we learn how to remove the oil from the marble floor or from any marble surface to preserve its natural beauty for a long time.
If some oil or grease should spill on our marble, the first thing to do is to consider whether it has not been previously treated, as is often done, with the application of an invisible protective film that seals the pores, making it waterproof.
In this case, we will easily remove the stain with a paper towel, water, and the usual detergent. Still, we must take care to periodically renew the protective treatment, which, over time, may lose its effectiveness. If, on the other hand, the marble has been left in its natural state, we must run for cover as quickly as possible.
To absolutely avoid, the thing is to give in to the temptation to intervene on marble with acidic substances such as vinegar, lemon, or too aggressive detergents, which would corrode it, damaging it irreparably.
Firstly, we will try to remove the liquid as much as possible with paper towels. We dab with paper or absorbent cloth, avoiding to rub because this would facilitate the oil’s penetration into the marble’s pores.
Instead, we must make a compress that, like a mask that acts on the skin by eliminating all impurities, absorbs as much as possible of the substance that has been poured on the marble.
We mix the baking soda in equal parts with corn starch (potato starch), we emulsify with water to create a dough with a cream consistency.
We sprinkle some water on the stain and apply the bicarbonate and corn starch compress on it, exerting a slight pressure to make it penetrate as much as possible, then we cover everything with a transparent film and leave for at least 24 hours.
We let the compress dry completely, and once dry, we remove the film and the compress gently, without rubbing. If there are still oily traces, it may be necessary to repeat the procedure.
When we are satisfied with the result, we apply a small amount of neutral soap with a soft sponge, moistened with water. Then we dry with a soft cloth to make the marble clean and shiny again.
