Thanks Bill - The link did not work, but I founds something from Miracle sealants - http://store.miraclesealants.com/product_p/miracln.htm Rookie & gam51 - I will check out those two as well. So what did those use before there were all these specialized cleaners? Is there any "homespun" natural choice? I feel like I have a cleaning wardrobe (something different for every surface and wall) these days and long for some simple cleaner to do everything (or most everything.) Is it bad news to use typical all purpose cleaners (sprays like fantastic) and than wipe with water, or use liquid dish soap, or is there some eco stuff that is good? thanks

Your best bet for the scratches is to have the floor polished before sealing. Depending on where you are located, the price may vary a bit, but will leave the floor looking brand new (like it should have looked when they left!) I found a contractor at www.marblefloorpolishing.com who was very helpful. Here is a link that might be useful: Marble Floor Polishing

Oh dear, I am an idiot. You said MARBLE. Lame brain here. What the heck is going on with me? To many Easter eggs on my brain? Senior moment ???? but I am still a freshman!!!! I am not sure if you can use alcohol on honed marble. I think you can but now I am concerned that I just blew it. Don't do it. Wait... Here is what I did find. GW cleaning Marble http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg042321386750.html From Marble Care ........." Marble is a calcareous stone which is composed mainly of calcium carbonate. It is sensitive to acidic cleaning products and frequently requires different cleaning procedures than siliceous (Granite) stone. What may work on siliceous stone may not be suitable on calcareous surfaces. Marble is a softer stone than granite and will scratch and stain more than granite. Not all marbles are composed equally, meaning some marbles contain more talc than others therefore are softer. A honed finish (where the marble polish has been removed) is more susceptible to scratching and staining due to the open pores of the stone. Honed Marble counters should be sealed with a stone impregnator sealant......." Apartment Therapy http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/good-questions/good-questions-why-not-do-white-marble-kitchen-countertops-008987 I am hoping a far more clever, intelligent soul will chime in to help you. ~boxerpups (if I had a tail it would be hanging low) Here is a link that might be useful: Cleaning honed marble

In our stone refinishing business over the last several years we have been honing and rehoning many marbles(especially calacatta's,carrara's,dandy,statuary and more in and around the ny metro area.We do this work onsite at businesses or residences on polished marble whose owners found that dealing with polished marble in an acidic enviroment was to much to deal with. We also rehone honed countertops that have become abraded and or etched thru use. Or were just delivered with a finish that was a bit too shiny or at times not quite uniform enough. Anyway what we found is that if we get the level of hone just right although the countertops will etch from acidic substances it is much less obvious to the eye and can be easier to maintain. It also means customer will have longer intervals between professional services from companies like us. While polished stones or marble will etch and stand out like a sore thumb a polished surface is less resistant to the intrusion of staining agents. In the stone world always remember that a true stain will be darker than the stone and an etch mark will always be lighter. No exceptions to that rule. So anyway some polished stones will not need much sealer or take much because their surfaces when polished had a chemical reaction(beilby layer)with the polishing compounds used that caused the surface to gloss over and fill in the pores. However honed surfaces may make etching less obvious they can be more easily stained if not sealed properly. There are many sealers out there on the market that are very good. Water based sealers can be better for more porous stones due to there larger molecule composition. They also can be easier to work with and have less of an odor.Solvent based sealers can be more penetrating and work well on denser stones. Some have strong odors some dont. I like to work with sealers that dont smell and there are many goods brands out there. If you intend on doing this yourself send us an email and we will be happy to give you sugestions and walk you thru the process. If your fabricator is reputable and will take the time to properly seal the countertop then I would go with him as he should have a good knowledge of what the stone needs. The porousity should be tested so you know how porous your stone is. Based on that your fabricator should use a high quality sealer. No matter how good a impregnator(sealer) is,it is just as good as the operator who applies it. Your marble will need a minimum of two applications of sealer possibly more. The most effective way of applying a sealer is to load up the surface ,give the sealer time to absorb and then completly remove any resisue left on the surface. Most companies will apply another application immediatly after the first. We have found that if we do a application in the morning and one later on in the day we get a better result. Our chemist tells us that it is even better if you wait for the first application to cure(24 hours) and then apply a second one you will get even better results. While it is hard for a company to make extra service calls like that our chemist has always maintained that a better sealing job could in fact be done by the homeowner as they would in some cases have the time required to do a better job. If you do chose your fabricator make sure they tell you what sealer they are using so in the future you can use the same when needed again. Once the sealing has been done retest the surface using the water test and see how long it takes before the stone absorbs the water or not. If the water doesnt get absorbed after 30 minutes that is a great job. Remember a couple of important facts-sealers only temporarily inhibit or prevent the intrusion of staining agents into the pores of the stone. Sealers for stone are impregnators and live below the surface of the stone. Impregnating sealers can not prevent etching.(chemical reaction occuring from the calcites in acid sensitive stones neutralizing an acidic substance and leaving behind a dull spot) Stu Rosen www.mbstonecare.com www.stoneshine.com