I've only had my soapstone for a couple of months, so I'm still learning! I would just scrub it with a bit of Dawn an leave if for a few days (or a week). Pretty sure it will just revert back to the gray. I've had various "stains" that just disappear in time.

I agree with the comment about waiting for a bit. Since the area you used the Magic Eraser on is darker than the rest, it probably just needs time to allow the stain to evaporate. If you had sanded down to a rougher finish, it wouldn't be darker. I just totally sanded my countertops down (over-polished somewhere along the production process), and they were much lighter gray when I finished.

I would say though that if you are already worried about trying to remove oil marks, you are going to be pulling your hair out trying to keep up with it, particularly with a lighter color of soapstone. The whole point of soapstone is not worrying about those spots, which is why I think most folks end up oiling or waxing.

Sounds like a disaster trying to prevent soapstone from obtaining a patina. Perhaps you should have went with a grey Quartz.

Get some #40 peroxide at the beauty supply store and give it a shot.

Thank you everyone! Yes, we are learning the ins and outs... a weekly soap down with Dawn does wonders and is really not that big of an effort. I imagine we will oil it at some point but just relishing the beautiful grey of the unoiled finish for now. The polishing effect of the Magic Eraser must have been what happened! Thank you again for all of the advice- I've learned so much from this website.

I agree, I think you effectively sanded it down to too high a grit.

I'm LMAO at the thought of unoiled soapstone. I hope you don't have little kids! In the early days you could tell when ours needed to be waxed because there'd be a sea of "oiled spots" at the section of island where the littlest kids sat. It was clean, cleaned with Dawn, even, it just ended up oiled in those spots. Same with next to the range from cooking splatters.