Dissolve a spoonful of hydrogen peroxide with little water. Dip a clean cloth into the solution and use it to wipe the affected areas. Do not rinse or scrub but allow it to dry. Repeat until the yellow disappears.
Marble is a classy but sensitive stone that is highly porous. In this article, we address the yellow stains on your bathroom countertop and how to remove them.
Why Is My Bathroom Counter Turning Yellow? (Marble Challenges)
The yellowing on bathroom countertops is a problem that is common with white tiles made from marble stone.
Marble tiles are widely used because they look good with unique grains and patterns that break off the apparent white color and offer a shiny glazed appearance that reflects light and makes it easy to clean.
Unlike other materials, marble is strong and cannot easily break or shatter, allowing it to last for long.
But marble is also very porous and hence seeps and retains water and moisture, which damages it.
That is why the yellowing of bathroom countertops is not a foreign subject but is something many homeowners witness from time to time.
But the staining or yellowing of the surface is not instigated by a particular challenge. No.
Marble top discoloration could be as a result of one or more of the following reasons;
- Wearing off of the polished or fabricated surfaces.
- Too much use of bleach when cleaning the countertop.
- Oxidation of iron is naturally found in the stone.
- The build-up of wax or coating
Wear And Tear
Every building material wears off after a while either naturally or because of reasons based on poor handling and maintenance of the material.
Marble tiles are carved from natural stone and add an impeccable sense of style and elegance to floors and surfaces, which last more than two decades.
For easy maintenance and practicability, the stone’s surface is polished, tumbled, or honed.
Because these are properties introduced and only present on their surface, regular cleaning and the passage of time make the polishing on the surface of marble wear off gradually, which exposes the raw core of the tile to elements.
However, this problem can easily be reversed by honing or re-polishing the surfaces when they appear dull and rugged.
Does Bleach Make Marble Turn Yellow?
Because pure marble usually is white with distinct variations here and there, many people automatically use acidic detergents to eliminate dirt and possible staining on the tile surface and kill germs.
Unfortunately, acid is a very rough chemical component that erodes the polish on marble tile surfaces exposing it to water and moisture, leading to oxidation.
When polish fades, the natural surface becomes rough, trapping dirt and material residue on its surface.
Regular use of bleach leads to overuse which is the number one cause of yellowing in marble which can be cured by a home remedy which is mixing hydrogen peroxide with water and using it the wipe countertops.
This solution is not instant but needs time to work on the marble to clear the stain slowly.
Cleaning the surface with water and hydrogen peroxide may require five cleaning rounds to eliminate the yellowing.
Oxidation Of Iron Substrates In Marble Stone
Iron is naturally present on stone, and because marble tiles are carved out of natural stone, they may or may not contain iron embedded in the core of the fabric of the tile.
This is not a problem if marble does contain iron as long as the tiles remain dry and polished.
Because bathroom countertops witness regular use of water on the sinks that splashes on its surfaces, moisture can easily penetrate the porous material that will slowly turn yellow if it has iron.
Water, moisture, and cleaning agents containing either harsh soaps or acids react with iron found in the stone, transforming into a yellowish discoloration.
If you test the tiles for iron and none is present, then the probability of the water in the tap containing the same is highly probable.
To solve the problem, you must treat the tap water first using softeners, and if iron is present on the marble stone, the countertop must be thoroughly cleaned first and allowed to dry before it is cured.
Build-up Of Surface Coat
The overall structure of the stone is that it contains pores that allow liquid and moisture to seep into the tile.
That is why marble or any other natural stone is cured through polishing, honing, or tumbled.
Treat marble by applying wax-based coats or acrylics on its surface to seal off the pores in the stone’s natural fabric.
After a while, you must strip the wax and acrylics and apply new coatings. If you fail to, it reacts with detergents by itself and turns yellow.
Get a professional to strip the old wax polish on the floor using wax strippers and reapply new coatings to solve this problem.
Note:
- Marble floors or countertops should always be clean and dry, even when applying the polish of coating.
- If moisture or water is trapped when coating, then the outcome will automatically turn yellowish.
How Do You Remove Yellow Stains From Countertops?
As mentioned above, the yellowing of white marble countertops pronounces the presence of impurities either in the stone or water.
Part of curing the yellowing in marble is troubleshooting to identify where the problem lies.
This involves testing either stone or water for the presence of impurities to enable you to craft the next move.
But if the yellowing is due to dirt or mop residue stuck on the now rough surface of the surface, proper screening and re-polishing is the only option.
Here is what you need to remove the yellow discoloration;
- A small amount of water in a bucket
- Hydrogen peroxide or sodium metabisulfite and sodium hydrosulfite
- A clean cloth for wiping the surface
Step One
Using a bowl, mix 1 or 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with a small amount of water. Wear latex gloves to protect your hands.
Step Two
Using a clean cloth, dip it into the bowl of hydrogen peroxide.
Step 3
Squeeze any excess liquid from the clean cloth. Make sure it’s not dripping with hydrogen peroxide.
Step 4
Wipe the yellow stains on the countertop using the damp cloth.
Step 5
Let the surface dry before repeating the same process over and over again.
How Do You Keep Your Countertop From Getting Yellow Stains Again?
The yellowing of bathroom countertops is preventable and reversible in most cases. Still, if the stone tiles refuse to turn back to their original color, then the only viable solution will be to replace the tiles.
Before the damage gets out of hand, it is upon you to always be aware of your home and intervene when problems arise to avoid further damage.
To manage and maintain your bathroom countertop, here is a list of tips you should regularly do;
- Use a soft fluffy mop to wipe dust and dirt from the surface instead of a broom to avoid dirt settling in the fabric of the marble tiles.
- Instead of using bleaching detergents to maintain the white color, buy a marble-friendly detergent of soap that has a mild reaction rather than a concentrated reaction.
- You must not scrub the marble tiles to remove stains; instead, use a soft cloth to clean and wipe the surface.
- Always ensure that the place is clean and dry to avoid water or moisture penetration of the tiles.
Final Thoughts
Marble stone tiles have shiny surfaces when new but lose the glassy look after a while. This phenomenon could be the start of staining and yellowing, and that is why it is essential to arrest the matter before it gets out of hand by re-polishing the surface to maintain its vigor.
The fact that tiles are arranged and glued into place using a sealant means that these edges, if not sealed properly, will allow water and moisture to seep in, followed by staining.
