Marble Worktop Care & Maintenance
Keeping your marble worktop as good as new
Marble countertops are naturally weak in resistance to scratches, etchings, and stains because of their softness. Therefore, if not maintained properly with routine sealing and daily cleans, marble countertops have an extremely high chance of receiving damage from knife scratches, hot pot and pan burns, and oil and acid stains.
Daily Care:
For maximum cleaning results when dealing with your marble countertop, use a microfiber cloth and water to wipe clean your surface. Because marble is a porous natural stone, using abrasive products or generic chemicals to clean your marble countertop is not recommended. Instead, it is wise to invest in a cleaner specially designed for countertops.
Common Ways to Scratch and Stain Your Marble Countertops:
Marble is a porous stone, so it is susceptible to staining. Common stain producers, including acidic products like lemon, vinegar, and wine, can cause stains because they strip away the protective sealant that covers a marble countertop. Another stain- producing substance is cooking oil. Oil seeps through the pores of marble and stains countertops from the inside.
Excessive chopping, cutting, or dragging heavy appliances can heavily damage your marble countertop surface with numerous penetrating scratches.
Despite marble's natural cool feel, it is not impervious to extreme temperatures. When using hot pots and pans, place a trivet under each one before setting them down on your countertop.
Care for Your Marble Countertops:
The following are some ways for you to care for your marble countertops and maintain their brilliant polished appearance.
Marble countertops have already been pre-sealed by manufacturers, but it's important to reseal marble countertops periodically. Sealing is a process of closing the pores inside of marble to make it resistant to the absorption of chemicals, acids, and other stain-producing moistures. It also gives marble countertops their noticeable shiny appearance. It is recommended to have your marble countertops sealed once or twice a year, depending on how often you use them.
Clean your marble countertops regularly by wiping them clean after each use. Doing so eliminates any leftover particles that can scratch or stain the marble. The best home cleaner that you can use is a simple mixture of soap and water, but it is wise to invest in a special countertop cleaning solution. Apply the solution on your marble countertop with a soft sponge and gently blot. Remember to rinse the sponge with water to remove excess soap. It is critical to note never use detergents, abrasive products, acidic chemicals, or generic household cleaners to clean your marble countertops because they can cause unexpected heavy damages.
Use a cutting board or other alternative surface during food preparation to protect the sealant on your marble countertop from scratching. Avoid dragging heavy appliances over the marble countertop because they too can damage the countertop. Using pads and coasters under kitchen appliances and drinks not only helps to protect your marble countertop from deep scratches.
Burn marks from pots and pans are only superficial blemishes that can be removed easily. Most countertop manufacturers offer proprietary creams and solutions you can use to polish your marble countertop and remove unwanted marks and stains.
Marble is a fairly soft stone, and it is prone to marking because of its calcium carbonate makeup. Acid reacts with
calcium carbonate and literally eats away a tiny bit of the surface, creating dull spots known as etches. Therefore, always use coasters underneath glassware, because etching can occur even with water. Any splash of lemon juice, any drippy jar of tomato sauce, is going to leave a subtle mark.