Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
Etch marks on terrazzo are surface damage from acid, so cleaning will never remove them. Light etches on polished terrazzo can be buffed out with a marble polishing powder and a little water; deeper or widespread etching needs a stone restorer to hone and re-polish the surface. Once repaired, a protection film stops acids reaching the stone again.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Dull, pale or cloudy mark, often in the shape of a glass, drip or lemon wedge: an etch.
- Darker patch with no change in shine: a stain instead. See the stain guides.
- Slight roughness you can feel: a deeper etch that needs honing.
What you need
- Marble polishing powder
- Soft cloth or felt pad
- Spray bottle of water
- Microfibre cloth
Step by step
Clean and dry
Wash the area with warm water and pH-neutral cleaner and dry it.
Apply polishing powder
Sprinkle a little marble polishing powder over the etch and add a few drops of water to make a slurry.
Buff
Rub with a soft cloth, or a felt pad on a low-speed drill, keeping the slurry wet, for one to two minutes.
Rinse and check
Wipe clean, dry and look at the area at an angle. Repeat once or twice; stop if the area starts to look different from the surrounding stone.
Call a restorer for the rest
Etches that do not respond, feel rough or cover a large area need professional honing and polishing. A terrazzo specialist can re-grind, hone and polish the surface and replace missing chips.
What not to use on terrazzo
- Sandpaper or abrasive pads from the hardware store.
- Polishing powder on honed terrazzo, which leaves a shiny patch.
- More acidic cleaners in the hope of "evening it out".
When to call a professional
Call a restorer for etches you can feel, etching across large areas, bookmatched or feature slabs, and anything on onyx. A terrazzo specialist can re-grind, hone and polish the surface and replace missing chips.
Understanding etch marks on terrazzo
In cement terrazzo, both the cement binder and any marble chips react with acid, so spills can etch the whole surface. Epoxy terrazzo is much more resistant.
Terrazzo damage shows as dull patches across chips and binder, stained binder, and occasionally loose chips.
A terrazzo specialist can re-grind, hone and polish the surface and replace missing chips.
Good to know
In cement terrazzo, acid etches the binder and any marble chips, so one spill can dull a whole patch. Epoxy terrazzo resists acid much better.
Stop it happening again
Whether yours is cement terrazzo and epoxy (resin) terrazzo, repairing it fixes today's mark; protecting it stops the next one. Our clear Stone Protection Film sits over the surface, so acids cannot etch it and liquids cannot soak in. Choose Gloss for polished terrazzo or Matte/Satin for honed and matte finishes. The protection is identical. It is installed across Sydney with a 10-year written warranty.
How we protect terrazzo · Fixing etch marks · Etch marks on every surface