WHY DOES WHITE MARBLE TURN YELLOW?

White marble floors are a bold statement to help up your home’s game, or just give it that classy luxurious look. White marble can be prone to yellowing, and unfortunately, this problem is not uncommon.  

Here are the top five reasons why marble could turn yellow and how to avoid it or fix it if possible:

1. Iron Oxidation

White marble often turns yellow due to oxidation. Iron can be found in many natural stones; when exposed to water, acids, or bleach the iron will start to oxidize and turn yellow. Oxidation will accelerate when a marble slab is saturated with water.  You can prevent oxidation by thoroughly cleaning and drying any surface where marble has been used in your home. However, if it does happen you can prepare and apply a poultice solution and in some cases, the yellow will disappear.

2. Wear and Tear

If your marble has a polished surface, as it starts to wear down, trapped dirt in the marble’s pores can give it a yellow appearance. 

3. Improper Cleaning

Dirt might accumulate on your marble counter or floors if you use dirty mops or cloths to clean it. This type of yellowing can be removed with a professional cleaning with a heavy-duty stone cleaner. 

4. Wax Build-up

When waxes are used on marble, the waxes themselves can build up and turn yellow. In this case, the floor will need to be stripped to attempt to remove the color.

5. Crystallization

If your marble slab is polished when it contains moisture in it, the stone will begin to yellow with time. This can be reversed at times with a powder marble polish. If that doesn't work the slab will need to be honed.