If you are investing in a marble countertop you should know that it’s a maintenance investment. As such, you should care for it regularly in order to maintain its aesthetic appeal and functionality.
Here are some maintenance tips to follow:
1. Go for a good sealant
Seals are a great way to prevent staining of marble countertops. Since marble is a porous stone, sealing its surface can protect it to a great extent. Get in touch with a fabricator to know which marble sealant is best for your countertop. The best part: you can apply it yourself!
2. Clean it daily
For your sealant to remain effective for long, you should clean your marble countertop daily. Use a sponge or a non-abrasive piece of cloth for cleaning it. Clear it up after cooking your meal or eating with a mild detergent or soap and warm water to prevent it from getting stained.
3. Get a poultice paste
Lastly, one extremely useful marble cleaning agent is poultice paste. It’s a great way to remove spots from your marble countertop. Spread the paste on the stain and seal it with a plastic wrap having painter’s tape. Leave it for half a day (or full day) and clean it with a damp cloth.
4. Etching
Marble is a fairly soft stone and it is prone to marking because of its calcium carbonate makeup. Acid (like lemon) reacts with calcium carbonate and literally eats away a tiny bit of the surface, creating dull spots known as etches. Any splash of lime juice or tomato sauce is going to leave a subtle mark.
An etch is not a stain. It is an actual changing of the stone itself, like a scratch. It’s not really a discoloration; it’s a dulling.
Honed vs. Polished Countertops
Etching is part of the reason to chose honed instead of polished countertops. Honed countertops have already been dulled by a machine. They are matte and soft, compared to shiny polished stone. This is a duller, more matte stone finish, since it naturally shows etches (dull spots) less than dressier polished marble.
