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Removing pesky mildew stains from stone

House Doctor | Gary Dymski

March 2, 2006

I sent you an e-mail about mildew stains on the marble vanity top in our bathroom. You suggested using a poultice of a citrus fruit, like a lemon, dipped in table salt. I tried rubbing the area with the poultice, but it didn't work. Someone else told me to use hydrogen peroxide to kill the stains. Any other suggestions?

-- Denise Traficanti, Garden City

Let's try one more home remedy by making a paste of cornstarch and hydrogen peroxide. Use the hydrogen peroxide antiseptic found in the pharmacy aisles. It's a mild, 3 percent solution (which means it's 97 percent water). Make the paste from a tablespoon of cornstarch and a teaspoon of the peroxide. (To make a larger batch, use 3 to 4 tablespoons of cornstarch to 3 to 4 teaspoons of peroxide.) Cover the stain, and let the paste dry. Remove the dried paste, and rinse the area with water.

If this doesn't work, you might have to turn to commercial cleaners. I can't vouch for any of them, however:

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Marblelife (marblelife.com) makes a mold and mildew remover for natural stone, including marble. It's about $20 for a 32-ounce spray bottle, which covers 18 to 25 square feet.

Stone Care International sells MPP Stain Remover, a powder designed to lift mildew and mold stains out of marble. The powder is made into a poultice; it's available as a pint ($20) and two gallons ($65), at Stone Care.com.

Sure Klean marble poultice is available from ProSoCo. Visit prosoco.com for details.

With all cleaners, use a small amount in an inconspicuous area first to make sure it won't damage the surface.

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Removing pesky mildew stains from stone

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