Marble care guide
A dark, greasy patch around the stove or under the olive oil bottle is one of the most common marks on a marble benchtop, and one of the hardest to fully lift once it has set in.
Why it happens
Unlike lemon juice or wine, oil is not acidic, so it will not etch marble the way citrus does. What it is very good at is finding its way into the stone’s pores, especially around a cooktop where splatter builds up slowly, or under a bottle that has sat in the same spot for months.
Because the oil sits inside the stone rather than on it, the mark usually looks darker than the marble around it, and it can spread slightly at the edges the longer it is left.
What to do
A poultice, an absorbent powder mixed with a solvent and left covered for a day or two, can draw out a fresh, light oil stain in some cases. Older or heavier marks often need several attempts, and results are not guaranteed on every stone.
The more reliable fix is to stop oil reaching the marble in the first place. Stone Shield film keeps the surface closed, so oil from cooking, bottles or hands sits on top and wipes away rather than sinking in.
Oil is not acidic, so it does not react with the marble’s surface the way lemon or wine does. It simply soaks in, because marble is porous.
A poultice can help lift a fresh, light mark. Older stains are harder and sometimes permanent. A stone restorer can assess whether it is worth attempting.
It helps with drips under one bottle, but not general cooking splatter across the bench. Film protects the whole surface, not just one spot.
Yes. Granite can also take oil stains, particularly paler slabs. See granite protection.
Free estimate
Tell us about your benchtop and your suburb. We will come back with an estimate, usually within 24 hours.
