Cleaning Marble Kitchen Counters
If you are snowed in this morning like many others in the eastern portion of the United States, what are you doing? For those indoors, it could be a nice time to complete another spring cleaning task.
Like many of you, my kitchen is the main "hub" of my home. It's where I eat meals, meet with staff, and do a lot of my paperwork - all on my marble kitchen counters. And while they get cleaned frequently every day, after time they do get marks and rings typically caused by acidic substances that react with the calcium carbonate in the marble. Cleaning them with the right products was the next big chore on my list.
Enjoy these photos.
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- While marble counters are stunning, they do come with some disadvantages. To start, marble is very porous making it prone to staining and etching. Marble is also softer than other countertop materials which causes them to be more susceptible to scratches.
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- If you have marble kitchen counters, look closely – do you see marks like these?
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- Or look from a distance, can you see rings like these? Even after cleaning?
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- I asked my friends at Precision Stone, Marble & Granite what they recommended I use to clean my countertops. Owner Mark Galazzo suggested a quick process for cleaning the marble, removing any marks, and lightly sealing the surface using acetone, waterproof 400 grit sandpaper, Stonetech Revitalizer, Cleaner and Protector, and Stonetech BulletProof Sealer.
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- Enma clears the counters and starts by pouring a small amount of acetone onto a rag. Acetone is a colorless, flammable liquid used to dissolve various substances. It is commonly used in nail polish removers.
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- Enma wipes the counter thoroughly with the acetone.
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- Here is the rag after using the acetone. My counters are wiped down many times a day, but there is still dirt left on the marble.
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- Next, Enma pours water onto the counter. This is important for the next step of the process.
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- She uses a 400-grit sandpaper to remove the acid etching marks. Doing it on a wet surface prevents any scratching. The sandpaper is waterproof, so it is very effective on this counter. It is available online.
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- Enma spends at least 10 minutes going over the table with the sandpaper. It doesn’t need too much pressure, but it does necessitate repetition to be sure the marks are removed.
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- The sandpaper is an ultra-fine abrasive that removes the scratches easily and effectively. The paper can be used several times before disposing.
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- Next, Enma wipes the counter again to remove the water.
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- Here she sprays the Stonetech Revitalizer, Cleaner & Protector, also available online. This product cleans the surface and protects against future stains and bacterial growth.
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- Using another clean rag, Enma spreads the cleaner on the surface and wipes the entire area.
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- She does this several times over to make sure the counter is completely covered and then she wipes it until clean and dry.
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- Look at the dirt removed. this step may need repeating until the rag ends up clean.
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- After a thorough wiping, Enma pours a bit of the Stonetech BulletProof Sealer onto the marble.
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- And she wipes it again – carefully and thoroughly. This adds a very light layer to seal and protect the surface.
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- And look at the end result. No marks or rings at all.
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- Here is the area near my sink – so clean.
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- And here is the end of my marble counter – it looks just as it did when it was first installed more than 20 years ago. It’s great to get these jobs done.
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