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.
Cleaning paint from marble fireplace.
In general for regular marble maintenance you want to be as low tech as possible a soft sponge or cloth and warm water perhaps with a bit of mild dish soap if you must.
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.
Follow by scraping carefully with a new razor blade holding it at a 45 degree angle to the surface.
If you are concerned about hard water marks on marble try substituting distilled water for your tap water.
Depending on what the specific stain is the solvent can be 6 percent hydrogen.
And while sanding is generally not required with chalky paints it will improve adhesion.
Here are some great tips for cleaning valuable marble.
How to clean a discolored marble tabletop.
Primer is never necessary.
First use a very soft cloth preferably a microfibre cloth to remove any surface dust and dirt from the fireplace.
How do you make a marble poultice.
You can find it online but i picked mine up at sherwin williams.
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.
If there is dried paint residue apply lacquer thinner sparingly with a soft rag.
Combine the required solvent with water or baking soda.
Determined to restore the fireplace to its original glory i started researching marble safe paint strippers.
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.
This will make it easier for you to see any stains and to determine which areas you really need to focus on.
It was really simple to rough up the surface with 100 grit sand paper.
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.
You could have it restored after blasting by a mason it all depends on how much you are wanting to spend.
Hope this helps all the best.
Look for soot stains and mug stains in particular.
The process of making a marble poultice is very important considering that most of the stains can be removed.
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.