Marble countertops can take a ton of punishment, but nothing is completely immortal. They can be damaged by simply spilling an acidic substance like juice on them. You’ll need to know how to clean and take care of them in the event of these disasters.
Here are 9 ways on how to clean marble and keep its life preserved for as long as possible.
1. Watch What Cleaners You Use
Using vinegar, Windex, or bleach on your marble countertops is a serious no-no. These substances are really acidic and a single use of one of them can dull your countertops.
You shouldn’t abrasive cleaners or pads because it can scratch the surface of the counter. You don’t really need fancy cleaners to clean marble. When all else fails mild soap and hot water will work fine.
You can wipe sudsy water on to your counter using a sponge. This will remove dirt, but won’t really get rid of etching.
2. Prep The Surface Before You Start Cleaning
Before you start cleaning at all, it’s a good idea to prep your counters first. This just means that you need to dust off any particles that might be sitting on the surface of your counter.
Doing this necessary prep step will prevent you from further scratching up your marble countertop and make the cleaners you use work better.
3. Dust Your Counters Often
If you’re just standing around in the kitchen waiting on your pizza rolls to finish cooking in the microwave, you can dust your countertops.
All you have to do is simply wipe your marble down with a microfibre cloth. Dusting your countertops weekly can preserve the natural shine that makes marble famous.
4. What To Use In The Event Of A Spill
Chances are if you have kids spills are bound to happen. Juice will be spilled, food will be thrown, it’s just a fact of life.
When these little spills happen rub hydrogen peroxide onto the counter with a few drops of ammonia. We know we said not to use anything acidic but a few drops won’t kill the counter.
If the stain so happens to be caused by paint, use a razor to gently scrape it off. If none of this works out for you, then you should hire a professional to come in and get rid of that pesky stain.
5. How To Remove Etching
To remove etching you will need to use a marble polishing powder. Wet your counter and then sprinkle on the polishing powder.
You can rub it in with a soft, damp cloth, or use a buffer pad on a low-speed drill. You should buff the counter until the etch is gone and your counter is nice and shiny again.
6. Cleaning Oil-Based Stains
An oil stain like grease, cooking oil, milk, or makeup all darkens the color of your marble.
Again, in this case, you will need to use a few drops of a chemical or acid. Use a bit of bleach, ammonia, mineral spirits, or acetone along with a soft liquid soap.
You will need to clean this very gently and carefully. Heavy use of any of these acids can have the opposite effect on your countertop than what you want.
7. Mildew Stains
Mildew can be gross and annoying to deal with. In the case of how to clean marble countertops, you will need to give in and use a little bleach.
You will need to make a mixture that is three parts bleach, one part water, and a dash of dishwashing detergent.
Mix these ingredients in a plastic bottle and heavily mist the offending area. Keep doing this until the stain is dealt with, rinse it with water, and then let it dry.
8. Rust
One of the toughest stains you will deal with when your learning how to clean your marble counters is rust stains. To get rid of it, you will need a poultice.
You can get a poultice mixture from any stone maintenance company. You will mix the poultice in water until the mixture becomes thick.
Put the mixture onto the stain and use a spoon to even it out, just like frosting a cake. Cover it with plastic wrap and secure it with blue painters tape for about 24-48 hours. After the time has passed you will pull the plastic from the counter and wait for the poultice to dry and do its job.
Once you can touch it and see that it’s dry remove it with a scraper. When you get it all off, rinse it with distilled water, and buff it with a cloth.
9. Use Sealant
When you’ve finally removed any offending stain from your counter, it’s time to seal it so it stays cleaner longer.
You should technically use sealant around once a month to secure your marble from stains. Don’t misunderstand us, if there is a spill you will need to clean it up the sealant just gives you more time before the stain sets. They are available at most suppliers and are easy to apply.
How To Clean Marble Counters
Marble countertops can add a certain elegance to any kitchen or bathroom, but they stain really easily. You will need to learn how to clean marble counters to preserve this finicky, yet durable stone. Keep up with it, and they will be around to wow your guests for a long time.
As durable as any countertop is, there comes a time when you can no longer save it. Continue reading here to see when it’s time to replace your faithful counters.