Any defect of polish may be brought up with tripoli, followed by putty powder, both being used along with water.

James W. Tufts gives the following directions in regard to care of marble: " If the marble shows a sign of dimness, the gloss may be restored by using a compound of spirits of turpentine and bees-wax, mixed to the consistency of ordinary salve. Put this over the dim part, and then rub smartly with a soft, dry cloth for about a minute or more. If only slightly dim, the gloss of black or fancy marbles can be restored by rubbing on sweet or olive oil, but oil should never be used upon white marble. I have found in some instances that customers used the same cloth to wipe off the drippings on the counter slab and the front of the apparatus. As the cloth is saturated with the acid it will, when so used, surely destroy the polish on the apparatus"

Colored marbles are improved by rubbing well with a small quantity of olive oil.

Soft soap, mixed with powdered chalk and a little soda and jewellers' rouge, the whole mixture warmed and applied with a piece of flannel or felt, will be an effective mixture for cleansing marble; polish afterwards with clean felt.

Slaked lime, moistened with a strong solution of washing soda in hot water, and rubbed over the marble and let become dry, is recommended to remove discoloration from smoke. Afterwards brush off, wash with plenty of water and polish with tripoli.

Wine and fruit stains on marble, if not too old and dry, are removed by applying a paste made of powdered chalk and water; cover the stains with this paste, leave it over night and rub it off the next day with a damp rag. The paste will absorb the acid.

Oil stains are best removed by benzine-magnesia - that is, a paste made of dry magnesia and benzine - as also used for cleansing bright metallic parts; the stain is covered with it and the paste allowed to dry; it should contain sufficient benzine to be soft enough and give off benzine when squeezed, but should not contain it in abundance, as the liquid would run off. The paste is left over night, protected with some covering to avoid evaporation, and the operation is repeated until the stain is removed.

Oil and grease may be generally removed by spreading a paste made of soft soap, caustic potash lye, and Fuller's earth over the part, and allowing it to remain there for a few days; after which it must be washed off with clean water. Or equal parts of crude potash and whiting are made into a moderately stiff paste with a sufficiency of boiling water, and applied to the marble with a brush. At the end of two or three days the paste is removed and the marble washed with soap and water.

Another means is a paste made of white lead and common table salt, put on the impure spots. After the paste has become dry, the stains have disappeared.