This is my 34-year-old kitchen:

When I was testing marble for the kitchen I found that oil left grayish looking spots on some marble. Could someone have dripped an oil like substance on your floor?

I've got etching on the marble in my baking center but I'm not sure how well it shows in a pic. I've got lots of scratching too. The marble is a figured beige and the etching fits in with the grain.

Because it's a working pastry prep surface I'm spilling lemon juice on it all the time. It doesn't matter to me because it was always designed for utility not appearance -- altho it's certainly very attractive in my opinion -- and I'm very clear about the fact that it is only going to get more patina over time.

Here it is across the surface and from a bit of distance:

WOW imrainey... I just popped in to read the thread and have to say I LOVE your marble!

I have no idea what it is. We only needed a narrow 5' piece so we picked from remnants and got it for next to nothing.

I was going to get white carrera for the ice cream parlor look but got seduced by the bargain basement price and the match with the cabs.

Glad you like it. It's a joy to work on.

Hi,

Thanks for your pictures! Your kitchens look great! The "etching" doesn't look bad at all. I'm wondering now if it is worth the trouble to try to minimize my spots.

Flseadog, I don't think my gray spots are from an oil type spill. I'm the only one that uses my marble bathroom and the spots are near the entrance to the shower and on the floor near a drawer that I keep facial soap in. Unless the Neutrogena would have oil in it that would cause spots (but if I spilt soap on the floor, I hope I would notice it and clean it up).

Thank you again for your all your pictures. Now I know what I have in the bathroom and what to watch out for in the kitchen. Does sealing more often prevent "etching" or is it just a fact of life?

Karen

The gray spots most likely will not be etches. Etches appear as dull, white marks. If the spots are gray they are either moisture or oil spots.

As far as etching is concerned: It will happen even if the marble is sealed. Etching happens through chemical reaction and not absorption. Sealing will only alleviate the absorption issue. One way to lessen the effect of etching on marble used in a kitchen would be to have the stone honed in stead of polished. The etches will not show up as clearly as they would on a polished surface.

Marble in a kitchen requires a special attitude. You must be willing to accept the "life marks" and not expect to have a perpetually sparkly, shiny, brand new looking kitchen.

There is a beautiful inlaid marble floor at Union Station in Los Angeles. It must be 60 years old or more and has seen hundreds of millions of people pass and had tons of luggage hauled over it. Various colors describe a lovely pattern that spreads over a vast expanse. Each segment has become concave over the years. More in areas with traffic. Some stone/colors more than others.

This happens with marble and yet that floor is still as beautiful and maybe even more beautiful than it was a decade ago. Even walking on it is now an experience where each step feels different than the last one.

Perfect is nice. Patina is rich and timeless.

Dear stonegirl,

If these spots are moisture, can I get them out with some product or should I just live with them?

Karen

Neutrogena is glycerin based. It's oily, and will show up as oil spots on porous surfaces like marble. All true soaps are glycerin or oil based and will damage marble. Only detergent based "soaps" are not oil based, and even they can behave similar to the oil based ones, but the effects are less permanant.

Dear live wire oak,

Thank you very much! I never realized that soap could be the source of my problems! Is Dove soap an oil based soap too?

Thank you again! I really appreciate your help.

Karen