Determined to restore the fireplace to its original glory i started researching marble safe paint strippers.
Cleaning paint from marble fireplace.
While this elegant stone may look solid though looks can be deceiving.
This will make it easier for you to see any stains and to determine which areas you really need to focus on.
The paint can be sand blasted off the same way it would be if it was a cast iron fire place it will however have a matt finish and not shine like glass.
Here are some great tips for cleaning valuable marble.
How do you make a marble poultice.
While a number of commercial marble cleaners are on the market it s relatively easy to create your own cleaning agents usually with materials available at the local hardware store.
Combine the required solvent with water or baking soda.
Hope this helps all the best.
If there is dried paint residue apply lacquer thinner sparingly with a soft rag.
It was really simple to rough up the surface with 100 grit sand paper.
As you can see the marble was polished to a high gloss.
The process of making a marble poultice is very important considering that most of the stains can be removed.
Gorgeously veined and marvelously cool marble is a classic choice for tabletops.
Acidic cleaners like citrus based cleansers or vinegar very alkaline products like bleach or abrasives should be avoided as they can etch pit and damage the stone.
First use a very soft cloth preferably a microfibre cloth to remove any surface dust and dirt from the fireplace.
And while sanding is generally not required with chalky paints it will improve adhesion.
E g resin based paint is normally cleaned with caustic soda but this might attack the marble butyl acetate is a common solvent for many non resinous paints emulsion paint is normally cleaned with copious quantities of water so power washer may be an option.
I decided to go with smart strip by peel away one quart sample size paint remover because it s biodegradable water based and odor free.
Primer is never necessary.
Basic cleaning mix up a sudsy batch of a non ionic detergent such as ivory liquid with warm water and scrub the mantel with a medium stiff natural bristle or plastic brush.
Look for soot stains and mug stains in particular.
You could have it restored after blasting by a mason it all depends on how much you are wanting to spend.
Follow by scraping carefully with a new razor blade holding it at a 45 degree angle to the surface.
Depending on what the specific stain is the solvent can be 6 percent hydrogen.
If you are concerned about hard water marks on marble try substituting distilled water for your tap water.