Table of Contents
Marble is one of the premium materials you can have for your kitchen and bathroom countertops, yet it requires careful cleaning and maintenance for you to preserve its optimal condition. Nevertheless, you will do the same level of cleaning practices for all types of marble countertops.
Meanwhile, if you don’t know how to care for your marble stone countertops, then good thing you are here since we are sharing some tips from our pros. Stay tuned and learn more about it.
Why is Marble sensitive?
The best marble countertops are prone to etching and stains due to their composition (it’s made from calcium carbonate) and a porous surface. Consequently, when any acidic solutions (like vinegar and lemon juice) spill over your marble counter, it will react with calcium carbonate and produce dents.
Conversely, if you want to enjoy the beauty of this stone without its setbacks, then you can opt for engineered marble countertops. It’s mixed with polymer resin binders that seal off its pores thereby making it resistant to stains and moisture.
General Cleaning for Marble Countertops
Most homeowners have the misconception that cleaning manufactured marble countertops is very difficult, however, it works almost the same with granite and quartz. What you need to avoid in wiping and disinfecting your marble are acidic cleaners and abrasive scrubbers.
Here are the materials and steps you need to do for cleaning your marble countertops.
Materials you need
- Warm water
- Neutral pH dish soap solution
- Spray bottle
- Sponge
- Clean dry towel
The Process
- Clear off your marble stone countertops with large appliances and objects, so you can freely wipe all surfaces.
- Spray a dish soap solution on your sponge and wipe your marble counter in circles or an “S” shape motion.
- Once all stains and grime are wiped out, immerse your sponge in lukewarm water to remove excess suds on your counter.
- Dry up your marble countertops using a clean dry towel.
How to remove stains on your marble countertops?
With a little help from your kitchen ingredients, you can create a paste-like texture in removing stains from your marble counters. Moreover, the key to successfully removing stains is to address them as quickly as possible.
Materials you need
- Baking soda
- Acetone
- Ammonia
- Alcohol
- Plastic spatula
- Microfiber
- Dry clean cloth
- Diluted bleach solution
Stains from organic products
Spills from your coffee, wine, or tea can stain your marble kitchen island, yet you can easily remove it using a 10% to 12% hydrogen peroxide and some drops of ammonia. Use your sponge or microfiber for scrubbing, then rinse with a damp cloth. After that, dry it up with a clean dry fabric.
Stains from Cooking Oils and Grease
Letting grease and cooking oils stay on top of your marble countertop can darken and reduce its beauty. To solve that, you can use various kitchen items like acetone, vodka, diluted bleach solution, and marble stone cleaner.
Blood, urine, and other biological stains
You can create your cleaning solution made from bleach, water, and dishwashing soap solution. Place your solution in a spray bottle and apply a substantial mist on the stained area. Use your sponge or microfiber for scrubbing the stains off, and then rinse with lukewarm water. Finally, wipe it dry using a clean dry towel.
Removing Ink Stains
If it’s dark-colored ink, then use a cotton ball and dab it in acetone, then rub it on the stained area. Meanwhile, for a lighter-tone ink stain, you can use hydrogen peroxide. After removing the ink stain, grab your damp cloth and wipe the same area. Finally, wipe it dry using your clean dry cloth or paper towel.
Conversely, you can also use baking soda by creating a paste-like mixture with water then apply the stained area with enough amount. After that, let it sit overnight and scrape off the hardened poultice using a plastic spatula.
How about paint stains?
You don’t have to panic when you see paint stains on your Carrara or Calacatta marble bathroom countertops since you can remove them using a lacquer thinner or a commercial paint stripper.
Meanwhile, you can also use a razor blade in scraping off those hard-sticking paint stains not removed by the cleaning solution, yet you need to be extra careful not to ruin your marble countertops.
How to remove water ring stains?
Prevention is better than cure, so your best protection is to use coasters or trivets for your drinks. However, removing water marks on your marble counter is easy, and you’ll just use 0000-grade steel wool. Lightly scrub your fine-grade steel on the water ring stains and then it will be gone in minutes.
How to remove metallic stains on your marble countertops?
The usual color of these metallic stains can be red, orange, or green, which can come from your metal kitchen utensils, gas range, and pans. The longer it stays on your marble countertops, the harder it is to remove.
Here are the steps you can follow in removing those rusts and green metallic stains.
- Use baking soda or buy a commercial poultice mixture in any hardware or home improvement stores.
- Prepare the paste-like mixture in a small bowl and then cover the entire stained area.
- Let it sit for the entire night and then cover it with plastic.
- Use a spatula or bread knife to slowly peel it off in the morning.
- Wipe it clean with a damp cloth, then followed by a paper towel.
Looking for A Licensed and Insured Marble Countertop Installer?
We at Granite Expo is one of the best locally operated and owned marble fabricators and installers in DC, Virginia, and Maryland. We have hundreds of beautiful marble stone collections in our showroom, and we can help find the best one for your kitchen and bath.
Call now for your free estimates and appointments or check us at Houzz!
Otherwise, you can also visit our showroom from Mondays to Fridays between 8.30 am to 6 pm daily. On Saturdays, we are open from 9 am to 5 pm, then we are closed on a Sunday.