Marble is one of the most elegant and long-lasting options among natural stone countertops. As durable as marble is, however, homeowners should know about a few things to take care of marble countertops. Discover four essential maintenance tips that will help you protect the beauty of your marble countertops.
1. Be Careful With Acidic Food and Drinks
Acids can be particularly harmful for natural stone countertops because they contain high amounts of a mineral called calcite. Even weak acids can react with calcite and cause your countertop to erode over time. This type of damage is called etching, and it appears as dull white spots on marble countertops. Marble is highly porous, so it is more susceptible to acid than other stone countertops.
To protect your countertop from etching, be careful when placing acidic foods and drinks on it. Never cut oranges, lemons, or other citrus fruits directly on your countertop, and be wary of other notoriously acidic food and drinks like tomato sauce, vinegar, or soda. Even weakly acidic products such as alcoholic beverages, butter, or sugar can cause etching with enough exposure.
2. Learn to Clean Marble Safely
Household cleaners are the other most common cause of acid exposure in marble countertops. Instead of chemical cleaners, most natural stone contractors recommend cleaning your countertops with soap and warm water. Avoid using bleach in particular, as it can cause damage within minutes, and never scrub your counters with abrasive pads or sponges.
When you have stubborn countertop stains that you can't remove with soap and water, try swabbing the stain with small amounts of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. Ammonia is a weak acid, and with controlled application, you can dissolve just enough stone to remove the stain without creating unsightly etching.
3. Use a Spray Sealant Regularly
Apply a spray sealant to your marble countertops once a month to prevent acids or staining liquids from penetrating the surface in the event of a spill. When your countertop is well-sealed, liquids will bead up on the surface. Keep an eye out for this effect, as this is a good sign you need to reseal when beading no longer occurs.
Not all marble countertop sealants are the same. Sealants can vary in surface coverage, and products with higher surface coverage will last longer and can be used more sparingly. Some sealants include additives that help to protect your family's health by inhibiting bacterial growth, and some will shine and seal the marble at the same time.
4. Know When to Call a Professional
Keeping marble countertops clean is a task that virtually any homeowner can handle, but leave repairs to a professional. If your countertop is chipped, cracked, or suffering from severe etching, a natural stone contractor can return it to its like-new appearance. Contractors use specialized dies, additives, and sanders to match the original appearance of natural marble.
If pieces of your marble countertop have broken off, save the pieces and call a professional. In most cases, professionals can piece marble countertops back together and repair them with epoxy resin. Recover as many of the original pieces as possible, as this will reduce the amount of epoxy necessary and help the final repair look much better.
Marble countertop maintenance is not difficult, and the rewards are well worth it. Take advantage of these marble countertop maintenance tips so you can get several years of use out of your marble countertops. Remember to call the pros at
Best Marble & Granite Company for fast, friendly stone countertop repair and installation. We look forward to helping you have the best possible marble countertops in your home.
