"Ray" wrote in news:ZWu3s.1496$EW3.1471
@newsfe19.iad:

We recently installed marble countertops in our kitchen, and it's been a
disaster.

Almost immediately water-spots began to form, taking off the sealer.

Even worse, a little tomato juice fell onto the counter, and it was as if
we'd put paint remover on it. Big ugly dull spots wherever the tomato juice
fell -- and it was there for just a few minutes.

No big surprise. Marble is very readily etched by acids. Tomato juice is an acid.

We called the installer, who came out and used a different sealer. This seem
to withstand water fairly well, but the tomato problem is as bad as ever.

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

Yeah, pretty much everyone who ever put a marble countertop in their kitchen. Sounds
harsh, but that's what happens when you don't do your research: you wind up with
something unsuitable. And I bet you spent a s**tload of money on it, too...

Any suggestions?

Polishing it is the only way to remove the marks from the tomato juice -- those aren't just
cosmetic marks, the acid in the tomato juice has actually dissolved some of the marble.

Once you have it polished nice and pretty, remove it and sell it for whatever you can get out
of it, and replace it with something more suitable for a kitchen -- which is nearly anything
except marble.