What causes spots and ring shaped marks on marble?

Q. I have a marble table top with a problem, and I need to get some advice on what may have caused it. There are lots of spots plus a few ring shaped marks. The marks cannot be cleaned off. The table was delivered in pristine condition. Is it possible for something to be amiss with the stone, or is it caused by our lifestyle? No coating, just light polish. 

A. When acidic substances come into contact with the calcium carbonate in stone, a chemical reaction happens. The spots and rings that won't clean off are etch damage, which is quite common with marble surfaces that get a lot of use. For polished marble with damage that covers a small area and is not too severe (no roughness on the surface), this type of problem can be resolved with a good quality marble polish. Unfortunately, the finish of this marble is honed with a light polish. If you use marble polish, it will likely create a spot that has more of a polish than the surrounding stone. So you will need to contact a PRO to hone the damage off the surface. You may choose to have the finish changed to a fully polished finish so that you can polish out etch marks in the future, or you may opt to have the PRO install anti-etch protection, which will enable you to freely use the marble without worries about stains and etching. Ask your professional stone and tile restoration contractor for recommendations. If you don‘t have a PRO, contact us. You may also download our free Stone and Tile Care Guide for help with any other marble issues you may face.