My husband and I seem to have stained the white marble counter top in our bathroom. The marble is white with dark grey streaks.
The stains are light grey blobs. They appear to be from a shampoo bottle I had turned upside down to get the last bits out. The stains feel no different than the counter top itself.
Is there any way to remove them, or will this end up being a replacement?
Marble and granite are quite porous. Since the stain is from a soap, try putting a wet cloth over the stain for a while to see if it will dilute.
I’d get a hand towel dripping wet and leave it for an hour or so. Check it after an hour, if the stain is still there, but changed, do it again. I doubt you’ll get it all out. I had a grease stain on a piece of granite that I was able to lighten, but I didn’t get it all the way out.
Good luck.
Thanks. I’ll try that.
I’ve never had to deal with stone counters before, and I’m a bit worried, as this is a rental.
I’ve found this site, but I don’t know how good it is.
From your link
I’d try this, first. A good absorbing powder is, of all things, Plaster of Paris (the dry powder, of course.) I use it to clean flux from my stained glass after soldering. It’s fairly inexpensive. Be sure you brush it off before getting it wet, it sets up pretty fast. It may work well.
Cool. I’ll look into that as well.
Right now I have corn starch on the stains. I’m hoping against hope I can get these stains out or mostly out.
Or get another bottle or two of shampoo, and create similar stains all over the counter, in a nice marble pattern. Then it’ll look like they are supposed to be there; that they’re part of the design in the marble. 
You have no idea how tempting that is.
Whatever you do, DON’T use acid to clean marble.
I read that acid can etch marble, so it wasn’t on the list of “to try”. A friend pointed out that if worst comes to worst, I can possibly have it polished out. I have no idea what that entails, though.
Thanks.
Try a paste of cream of tarter and hydrogen peroxide. Smear it on, leave a while, and wipe off. Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach.
The book ‘Clean it Fast, Clean it Right’ from the catville library offers this:
Good luck, 'roo. 
Thanks! I’ll be trying both of those things, assuming one doesn’t work.
I’d also suggest trying a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I’ve never used it to deal with marble, but I’ve never tried to use it to get any stain out and failed.
[Amazed infomercial voice]It really is Magic![/AIV]
AND!
I have a coupon!
(Thanks, I’ll look into that as well. With my coupon.)
If it doesn’t work on the marble, try it on any number of other stains you haven’t been able to remove (or have been able to remove, but not without a lot of work). It gets soap scum off of my shower stall with a mere swipe. (No, I’m not an employee of the company, and am not paid to say such things. I just loves me my Magic Eraser).
Oh, I’m getting it just for the soap scum then. I hate dealing with soap scum.
Just a quick thanks to danceswithcats!
Two of the three stains are gone, and the third is substantially lighter after two applications.
Kewl. Glad it worked out for you BlueKangaroo!