Vomit on marble: how to ruin a floor without realizing it
A child's vomit chemically destroys marble in seconds: the acid reaction leaves it dull with no simple way to clean it. Polishing or acid-etching the entire floor is the only fix.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Vomit doesn't stain marble, it etches it
Just a few seconds were enough for a child's vomit to turn a 2x2-meter marble surface into an irreversible dull patch. The owner, a tenant in a rented apartment, cleaned quickly but the damage was already done: the acid in the vomit reacted chemically with the marble's calcite, dissolving the surface layer and leaving calcium chloride in its place. It's not a stain, it's erosion.
The chemistry nobody tells you about in the cleaning aisle
The reaction is simple and devastating: CaCO₃ (marble) + 2HCl (stomach acid) → CaCl₂ + H₂O + CO₂. Calcium chloride is water-soluble, so when you mop, you drag away the original material. What remains is a microscopic pit that scatters light and gives that dull appearance. No miracle product can restore it without removing more of the surface.
The only options: polish or accept the dull finish
The professional solution involves a grinder honing the entire area, but the cost can exceed €200 for the 4 m² affected. The DIY alternative, suggested by some amateur chemists, is to apply diluted vinegar to the whole floor to create a uniform matte texture; a botched job that avoids the patch but sacrifices the original shine. In a rental, the deposit hangs by a thread.
The responsible-consumer lesson: know the material before cleaning. Marble doesn't forgive acids, not even the ones your own child produces.
Related discussions in the forum
Just a few seconds were enough for a child's vomit to turn a 2x2-meter marble surface into an irreversible dull patch. The owner, a tenant in a rented apartment, cleaned quickly but the damage was already done: the acid in the vomit reacted chemically with the marble's calcite, dissolving the surface layer and leaving calcium chloride in its place. It's not a stain, it's erosion.
The chemistry nobody tells you about in the cleaning aisle
The reaction is simple and devastating: CaCO₃ (marble) + 2HCl (stomach acid) → CaCl₂ + H₂O + CO₂. Calcium chloride is water-soluble, so when you mop, you drag away the original material. What remains is a microscopic pit that scatters light and gives that dull appearance. No miracle product can restore it without removing more of the surface.
The only options: polish or accept the dull finish
The professional solution involves a grinder honing the entire area, but the cost can exceed €200 for the 4 m² affected. The DIY alternative, suggested by some amateur chemists, is to apply diluted vinegar to the whole floor to create a uniform matte texture; a botched job that avoids the patch but sacrifices the original shine. In a rental, the deposit hangs by a thread.
The responsible-consumer lesson: know the material before cleaning. Marble doesn't forgive acids, not even the ones your own child produces.
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