Applying A Poultice

Once the stain is identified, the following steps can be followed:

1. Identify the stain.

2. Clean the stained area to remove excess from the surface.

3. Wet the stained area with distilled water. Pre-wetting fills the pores of the stone with water -isolating the stain and accelerating the removal by the chemical.

4. Prepare the poultice. If a powder is to be used, pre-mix the powder and the chemical of choice into a thick paste, the consistency of peanut butter. In other words, wet it enough so that it does not run. If a paper poultice is to be used -soak the paper in the chemical. Lift the paper out of the chemical until it stops dripping.

5. Apply the poultice to the stain being careful not to spill any on the non-stained areas. Apply approximately one-quarter-inch thick overlapping the stain area by about one inch.

6. Cover the poultice with plastic (food wrap works great). Tape the plastic down to seal the edges. Allow the poultice to dry thoroughly. This is a very important step. The drying of the poultice is what pulls the stain from the stone into the poultice material. If the poultice is not allowed to dry, the stain may not be removed. Drying usually takes from 24 to 48 hours.

7. After 24 to 48 hours, remove the plastic.

8. Remove the poultice from the stain. Rinse with distilled water and buff dry with a soft cloth. If the stain is not removed, apply the poultice again. It may take up to five applications for difficult stains.

9. Some chemicals may etch the marble surface. If this occurs, then apply polishing powder and buff with a piece of burlap to restore the shine.

A lot of you guys like to mix your own poultice. Well here is a warning about one of the chemicals that you may thing of using, simply because a lot of people would tell you to use it. Before using any chemical are taking someone advice, please do your own research on the dangers of the mixtures. If you all see anyone on this site give advice that is potential dangers, please speak up and let forum know what the dangers are.

DANGERS OF HYDROFLUORIC ACID
In the body, hydrofluoric acid (HF) reacts with calcium and magnesium ions and can disable organs whose proper function depends on these metal ions. Exposure to hydrofluoric acid may not be initially painful, and symptoms may not occur until several hours later, when the acid begins to react with calcium in the bones.
Under most circumstances, hydrofluoric acid exposure results in severe or even lethal damage to the heart, liver, kidneys, and nerves. Initial treatment to hydrofluoric acid exposure usually involves applying calcium gluconate gel to the exposed areas. If exposure is high, or too much time has passed, a calcium solution may be injected directly into a local artery or surrounding tissues.
In all cases, hydrofluoric acid exposure requires immediate professional medical attention. If coming in contact with human skin or bone, the acid can severely burn and then decompose the bone. Exposure to small quantities of this acid on less than 10% of the body can be fatal, even with immediate medical treatment. Highly concentrated solutions may lead to acute hypocalcemia, followed by heart attack and death, and will usually be fatal in as little as 2% body exposure.
This substance is extremely toxic and has the capacity to kill upon exposure rather than simply damage skin and eyes. It should be handled with extreme care, beyond what is given to hydrochloric, sulfuric, or other mineral acids.