Care · Guide
Bathroom Stone Care: Limescale, Etching and Staining in a Wet Room
A bathroom is the hardest place to keep marble. Toothpaste, most face washes, perfume, hair spray and shaving foam are all acidic enough to etch, and hard water adds a second problem that looks similar but behaves differently: limescale, which sits on the surface and wipes away. A honed finish in a wet room is not a luxury — it is the practical choice, because a polished bathroom basin shows every etch mark as a dull patch.
What causes etching in a bathroom?
Acidic products. Toothpaste, most liquid face washes and soaps, perfume, hair spray, deodorant, shaving foam and some shower gels all sit low enough on the pH scale to dull a polished marble surface.
| Product | Risk to polished marble |
|---|---|
| Toothpaste | High — etches within minutes |
| Perfume and hair spray | High — alcohols and acids |
| Shaving foam | High |
| Most liquid face wash and body wash | Moderate to high |
| Hand and body soap | Low to moderate |
| Bath salts | Variable — check the label |
Source: Marble Institute of America bathroom care guidance
How do I get limescale off a stone basin without etching it?
Use a descaler formulated for natural stone, or a pH-neutral detergent and a soft cloth worked over the deposit. What you must not do is reach for a standard acidic bathroom descaler, which will strip the polish at the same time as it removes the scale.
Is honed better than polished in a bathroom?
Yes, practically. Honed surfaces scatter light rather than reflecting it, so the dull patch an etch leaves is much harder to see. It will not stop etching, but it hides most of it.
Does a stone bathtub need sealing?
Yes, and the interval is shorter than for a table. A bathtub in daily use generally needs it every 12 to 18 months. Use a pH-neutral cleaner and avoid acidic descalers.
What about travertine basins with visible holes?
Unfilled travertine has open cavities that trap residue, which is why a filled travertine is the usual choice for a basin. If you have an unfilled one, seal it more often and clean the cavities with a soft brush rather than a abrasive one.
Is hard water an issue for stone?
It is a deposit problem rather than a damage problem. Limescale builds up on the surface and in the overflow and around the tap holes. It wipes off, but if it is left to build it becomes hard to remove without an abrasive, and abrasives scratch polished stone.
What this page does not cover
What this page does not cover: the risk table is a summary of published care guidance and the acidity of common bathroom products, not a test result for each product on each stone in this collection. We have not tested specific products. If a product is new to you, test it on a hidden area of the piece first.