You might want to find the MSDS for your particular cleaner. Most toilet bowl cleaners have hydrocloric acid in then which would etch marble.

Since you have cleaned it and flushed it thoroughly with water, did you get all the residue off? Was your marble honed or polished finish?

Thank you both. The marble is tumbled, a honed finish. Hubby and I washed and washed and washed it and now have dried it. I just don't want to reseal it if it's still got that cleaner in it eating away at the stone. Good idea about the MSDS sheet. I'll call the cleaner company if I can't find it.

Vinegar is actually an acid.

Neutralize the acid and scrub it down and rinse throughly. You're lucky it's white tumbled marble, that's for sure. Toilet bowl cleaner overnight will suck the color out of granite and leave the gloss in place. There is no repair for that.

Some toilet bowl cleaners are bases/alkali, most are acids. Mixing an acid and alkali will generate a reaction (remember chemistry lab) potentially causing more damage (& toxic gas). Remove with a neutral substance, water.

It's good and dry now and it did suck the color out of the tile, or maybe it's just the world's worst etching, but you can see the streaks where it ran down the wall. Is there a way to fix that short of etching it all so it 's all etched and matches? Or will it just continue to get worse and worse? Thank you all for your help.

When it was installed we sealed it with Miracle Sealants 511 products, if that makes any difference.

It makes no difference what you sealed it with. None of that prevents acid from dissolving marble. That horse has left the barn. It’s dissolved a great deal of the marble already. That is what the “residue” was. Dissolved stone. Just like Alka Seltzer foaming.

You have a gut and redo in your near future. As was completely predictable from the moment you decided marble in a kid’s bathroom was going to be a great idea. You have an ugly etched bathroom in the mean time. No fixing that.

How old is your son?

The "kids" are in college and home this week to help me with my mother-in-law. Unfortunately in an effort to help me my son just made a horrible mistake.

Toss the toilet bowl cleaner. Newer toilets recommend using just dish-washing soap for cleaning.

Well, at least it will make for a fun story when your son brings his future wife to meet you!

Be glad that he didn't try to help by putting Dawn in the dishwasher ... that one tends to make a much bigger mess!

I know not what you want to hear, but with marble the damage is most likely done. Make sure it is fully rinsed away and smile each time you see the etch lines and remember how well meaning your son is! Hope your in laws are feeling well soon.

I hope your in-laws recover completely.

And yes, some day this will make a great story. ;)

Thanks, chispa and roarah. My son feels worse than I do about it. My mother-in-law is battling cancer, so that certainly puts etched marble in perspective. I appreciate your kind words.

My husband was diagnosed with cancer one week after we started a bath addition last year. I can tell you a year after treatment and Reno the mistakes and etches I do not notice like I once did.

I can also say the first few months after diagnosis were the worst. I felt like the fog would never lift. But now a year later my husband is healthy and strong and I feel normal again. Cancer is so very treatable today. Even stage four treatments offer more positive days without side effects and many extra good days than only a few years ago. I hold positive thoughts for your family in this difficult time.

i have lessened the appearance of etches on my polished kitchen counter with tin oxide powder. It repolishes dull spots. It might be worth a shot.

Thank you, roarah and Fori. Roarah, I'm so glad your husband recovered. We have high hopes for my mother-in-law.

We'll live with the shower until I have time to play with it and see what we can do. Maybe a bit of careful sanding will take care of it. And my son the history major will not be involved!

My mother-in-law is battling cancer, so that certainly puts etched marble in perspective.

Indeed.

I would try Fori's suggestions. And I wish you the best, with everything.

Thank you, beth09.

Just want to say I wish you the best and hoping your MIL beats the cancer.

I know you're not laughing now, but it does make a very funny story.