First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Dust talcum powder over the grease, then brush it off thoroughly.
- Lift off any solid or semi-solid grease with a rounded spoon or dull knife.
- Blot with a clean white cloth or paper towels, and don't rub.
- Keep heat away, such as a hair dryer or a hot pan set on the stone, until the stain is gone.
Grease on marble is thickened oil, and water alone won't lift it. Marble can't take acid, which rules out most kitchen fixes, and a poultice can dull a polished surface. A fresh spill can come out completely, but a set stain may only fade, and some never fully clear.
Grease near the stove on marble is often cooking oil, so dab it up quickly before it can spread. Motor oil and car grease on marble need their own approach, so don't use the same steps you'd use for kitchen grease. Reach for a cleaner made for natural stone, and if the surface starts to look dull, stop and call a pro.
Before you start
What marble & natural stone can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care5
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
Avoid1
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
9 items
What you'll need
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- Talcum powderSoaks up the grease before anything wet touches the stone. (opens Amazon)
- Rounded spoon or dull knifeLifts off solid grease before any liquid goes on.
- Clean white cloths or paper towelsBlot up the grease without passing color onto the stone. (opens Amazon)
- Mild dish soapUsed for the first flush after the grease is lifted. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaThe base of the poultice that draws the grease out. (opens Amazon)
- Distilled waterWets the stain before the poultice and rinses the stone afterward.
- Plastic wrapSeals the poultice so it stays in place while it works. (opens Amazon)
- Painter's tape (opens Amazon)
- Soft clothBuffs the stone dry after each rinse. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Absorb and lift the grease
Dust talcum powder over the grease and let it take up what it can, then brush the powder off thoroughly. Lift off any solid or semi-solid grease with a rounded spoon or dull knife before anything liquid touches the stone. Blot what's left with a clean white cloth or white paper towels, pressing rather than rubbing.
Tip. Work from the outside edge of the spot toward the middle so the grease doesn't spread.
Careful. Don't warm the grease to loosen it, because heat sets the stain.
Step 2 of 7
Flush with mild soap and water
Wet the area with plain water and a mild dish soap, then rinse several times to clear the film of grease. Dry it thoroughly with a soft cloth. If any grease still shows, repeat the flush before you move on.
Careful. If you use a second product, rinse the first one out with plain water before starting it.
Step 3 of 7
Mix and spread the poultice
Mix baking soda with water to a thick paste about the consistency of peanut butter. Wet the stain with distilled water, then spread the paste 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Extend it about one inch past the edge of the stain.
Tip. Spread it with a spoon so the layer stays even.
Step 4 of 7
Seal the poultice under plastic
Cover the paste with plastic wrap and tape the edges down so it's sealed. Press the plastic flat so there are no gaps for air to get in.
Careful. A poultice may dull polished marble, so test a hidden corner before doing the whole spot.
Step 5 of 724 to 48 hours
Let the poultice dry out
After about 24 hours, remove the plastic and let the paste keep drying. Full drying usually takes 24 to 48 hours in total.
Step 6 of 7
Remove and rinse the poultice
Scrape the dried paste off the stone, then rinse the area with distilled water. Buff it dry with a soft cloth and check the spot in good light.
Step 7 of 7
Repeat if the stain stays
If the stain is still there, start a fresh poultice from scratch and apply it the same way. Difficult stains can take up to five applications, so give each round its full drying time before you judge it.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for grease on marble & natural stone
Pick plain talcum powder and a mild dish soap with no bleach or acid added, since marble can't take acids.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on marble & natural stone, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The spot should look less greasy and less shiny after each rinse, and the marble should feel clean rather than tacky. If it still looks oily once the poultice is fully dry, that means another round, not a stronger cleaner.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your marble & natural stone
Cooking oil and animal fat
Cooking oil and animal fat are the usual kitchen culprits. Lift any solid fat with a rounded spoon or dull knife before the powder goes on, so the poultice has less to pull out.
Because oil stains can darken over time, don't judge the spot until the poultice is fully dry. If a faint shadow remains, repeat the poultice rather than adding anything stronger.
Motor oil and car grease
Motor oil is one of the oily stains this poultice method is built for. Swap the baking soda and water mix for a powdered poultice mixed with mineral spirits to a thick paste, and work in a well-ventilated room with no flames, pilot lights or sparks nearby.
Seal and dry it the same way, with 24 to 48 hours of drying, then rinse with distilled water. Expect to repeat the poultice, since motor oil may need more than one round.
Thickened lubricant or machine grease
Thickened petroleum lubricant has a solid bulk, so lifting it first matters most. Use a rounded spoon or dull knife to remove as much as you can, then work what's left with the poultice.
Don't add more lubricant or any unsaturated oil to loosen it, since those can age and form yellow stains. Repeat the poultice until the spot is gone or stops changing.
Grease near the stove
A grease spot near the stove can pick up heat from pans, and heat can set the stain deeper. Put a trivet under hot pots and pans, since marble holds up well against heat, but a trivet is still the safer habit.
Let the stone cool before you start cleaning, and clean the spot soon after the splatter happens. Then follow the same poultice steps as any other grease stain.
Grease on an etched or dull patch
If the marble already has an etch or dull patch, the poultice can't restore the polish, so don't add any acid to try to brighten it. Treat the stain only where the surface is sound.
If the stain stays or the dull area still looks wrong after drying, a professional stone restorer can refinish it. Leave the etched areas to that restorer.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old grease that has sat for weeks is harder to pull out than a fresh spill, because it has had time to soak into the stone. Start with the same poultice, and plan on repeating it rather than hoping one round finishes the job.
Once the paste has dried, it draws the grease out slowly, so give each round the full 24 to 48 hours. For oil-based grease, a powdered poultice mixed with mineral spirits to a thick paste is the stronger option, used the same way.
Heat from a hot pan can bake grease deeper into the stone, so keep the spot cool throughout. If the mark still shows after five applications, some grease may never come out completely, and a stone restorer is your next step.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on grease on marble & natural stone?
Most home remedies don't belong on marble, because the acids in them etch the stone and the rest don't suit grease. For grease on marble, a baking soda poultice and a mild dish soap first flush are the only home remedies worth trying. Each of the others gets a reason, so you know why it's skipped.
Works2Skip3Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't wipe a fresh spill
Wiping pushes the grease outward and makes the stain bigger. Blot with a clean white cloth instead, and keep going until nothing more comes off.
Don't use vinegar or lemon on marble
Vinegar, lemon and other acidic cleaners etch or dull marble, limestone and travertine. Keep them off the stone even for a quick rinse, and check the label of any cleaner you pick up.
Don't scrub with scouring powder or pads
Scouring powders, creams and scrub pads can scratch the stone and make any existing etches look worse. Use the soft cloth and the poultice instead.
Don't use gasoline or lighter fluid
Both are flammable and unsafe for removing grease. Stick with the poultice and the mild soap flush instead.
Don't mix bleach with ammonia
Chlorine bleach and ammonia must never be mixed, because the combination gives off a toxic, lethal gas. Keep bleach away from grease cleaning, and never mix it with ammonia, since the combination gives off a toxic, lethal gas.
Don't stop the poultice early
Oil stains can reappear just when you think you've seen the last of them. Wait out the full drying time before you decide the stain is gone.
When to call a professional
Call a professional stone restorer if you find etched areas, deeper scratches or nicks, or a stain that stays after repeated poultices. Deep rust or copper marks are especially hard to remove and can leave the stone permanently marked. Most stains can still be pulled out during professional restoration, so it's worth the call before you give up.
Questions
How long does it take to remove grease from marble?
A single poultice takes about 24 to 48 hours to dry, so plan on a day or two for the first round. Repeat rounds add more time, and difficult stains can take up to five applications.
Will grease stain marble permanently?
Fresh grease usually comes out with the first poultice. Old grease that has soaked deep can leave a faint mark, and some stains may never come out completely.
Can I use mineral spirits on marble?
Yes, but only for oil-based grease, and only mixed into a powdered poultice to a thick paste. Keep the room ventilated and away from flames, since mineral spirits are flammable.
Does water alone lift grease from marble?
No. Water can't lift thickened oil, and wiping with a wet cloth often spreads it across the stone. Blot first, then flush with mild soap.
What if the poultice leaves a dull patch?
A poultice can dull polished marble, so the test in the steps matters. If a dull patch appears, a professional stone restorer can refinish the area.
Can I use a stronger cleaner to speed things up?
Stronger cleaners add risk to marble without speeding the poultice up. Stick with the poultice, and repeat it if needed.
Grease on other materials
Other stains on marble & natural stone
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.