MARBLE CLEANING

[BKBRIGGS]

What is the best way to clean marbles? And has anyone ever used a rock polisher on them? Thank You, Brian

[Chad G.]

 No !! I'm so glad you asked before you threw your marbles into a tumbler to a certain doom, along with being etched by the abrasive, the marbles will hit and bang together, further destroying them. "Never" use a rock polisher or tumbler on marbles, it will almost instantly ruin the surface. Instead of leaving it shiny like a rock it etches the glass giving it a rough "sea glass" like feel and appearance rendering the marble completely worthless. Good old fashioned elbow grease, a little soaking in water using a "non abrasive" soap & a brush will do miracles, maybe a couple times around but usually one good cleaning will do the trick. There are several different methods people use, a non abrasive soap & water is just one way.

[Chris Parson]

Ok, I’m sticking my chin out; Can’t you put them in the dishwasher?

[jten]

I use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner they do not cost a lot. 

 

 

works great on pontils on handmades and my wife uses it for her jewelry and eyeglasses

[Chris Parson]

23 hours ago, Chris Parson said:

Ok, I’m sticking my chin out; Can’t you put them in the dishwasher?

Seriously, can you? 

[akroorka]

I would never put my marbles in a dishwasher. I have hard water and the drinking glasses get etched all the time. I soak mine overnight or longer in glass cleaner with an ammonia base. I buy it concentrated so it must be diluted. Cheaper and just as good if not better than the premade stuff.

I have found a few "filled marbles" this way. Folks have been known to fill the imperfections with a variety of glass repair products over the years and the ammonia flushes these out rather well.

I have always thought of getting an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner to take rust spots off. Will they work for this??

Marble-on!!

[Marbleized]

I put the marbles in a plastic container or baggie with water and Dawn detergent. I know some will probably cringe at the baggie, but after soaking for a few hours to overnight, I open a sliver of the ziplock and pour out the dirty water. Then I put the marbles in a plastic plant pot with holes and rinse, put them on a terry towel, wipe individually with a soft cloth or towel and they are sparkling again!

[bumblebee]

I have also used diluted hydrogen peroxide in a warm water bath on especially dirty marbles. It seems to pull off some of the gunk that liquid detergent does not.

If you want to be a complete purist then use only distilled water so the marble surface has no hard water streaks on it.

[davesnothere]

I use an ultrasonic cleaner as well.

[marblemanvintagemarbles]

Sometimes I use a bowl and some dawn power wash spray with hot water and a brush. I will spin the brush counterclockwise against the small group while they are in the hot water and soap and the I will rise them clean drain them off and dry them with a clean wash cloth and they turn out looking very good. Other than that I use a disinfectant wipe to wipe the marble down and then dry it with a dry cloth and they look good afterwards.  Do that for on the go preps for photos.