Marble countertops are one of the most popular countertop materials you can use in your home. The pieces come with plenty of advantages that include:
- They are beautiful and warm
- They are neutral
- Since they are neutral, you can use them in every style and design of your home
- Marble veining gives them a fresh, clean look
- They can be cost effective depending on the marble that you go with
- They are heat resistant but it’s always recommended that you use a pot holder
While the countertops have these benefits, they also have their fair share of negatives. They include:
- They are porous which makes them vulnerable to staining and etching. Coffee, oil, juice, wine, tomatoes, and other acidic materials tend to damage the countertops.
- They can easily chip with a hard knock
- They tend to scratch easily
For you to keep the countertops in good shape you need to take good care of them. The cool thing is that there are plenty of maintenance tips that you can put into consideration. They include:
Seal the countertops
Sealing is a preventative procedure aimed at keeping the countertops in the best condition possible. Since the stone is porous, you need to seal it in order to prevent etching and blemishes from coming about.
The sealant prevents the stains and spills from digging deep into the stone which gives you time to clean the spills without causing much damage.
When sealing, you should note that different countertops have different qualities and you need to pay attention to. You should consider these qualities to decide the best sealant that you should go for. While most of the countertops need a sealant, there are others that don’t need it. In fact, applying one on the countertops would be catastrophic.
Before you go ahead to seal your countertops, always ask a professional to inspect your units and recommend whether you need a sealant or not.
If you want to save some money, you can go ahead and apply the sealant by yourself. When applying it, ensure that you use a high quality material. You also should follow the right procedure. Before you apply the sealant, ensure that the surface are clean and polished.
Clean the countertops
For you to keep the countertops looking great and prevent the acidic compounds from damaging the pieces, you need to keep marble countertops clean. For ideal results, use mild or neutral pH detergents or stone soap.
You should note that most of the common household name brand cleaners are too harsh on the marble and will damage it in the long run.
You also should avoid using abrasive cleaners such as acidic cleaners, alkaline cleaners, ammonia, or bleach as you might have guessed, they damage the countertops.
While the cleaning solutions will clean your countertops optimally, you should avoid using them too often as they tend to dull the countertops luster. The best way out is to use hot water instead. After the cleaning, you should use a dry soft cloth or chamois to dry it up.
Avoid spills from coming about
Even if you have sealed the countertops, you should prevent spills from coming about. This calls for you to put glasses on coasters all the time. When you are working on the kitchen, always work on cutting boards.
They will protect the countertops from scratching and marring. It also prevents the acidic juices from the food from getting onto the countertop surfaces.
For you to avoid scraping the surfaces, always place silverware and other kitchen items on placemats.
When you are having hot dishes, place them on heat absorbing pads or trivets. Avoid placing them directly on the countertops as you will damage the marble.
Clean the spills as soon as they happen
After sealing the countertops, many people have the notion that they can leave the spills on the countertops for as long as they want. This is wrong. Even with the best sealant, marble is sensitive to acidic products and it will absorb them quickly if you allow it.
Even if you have sealed your countertops, you should clean the spills immediately you notice them to avoid etching.
You should note that the longer to you wait, the deeper the solution sinks into the countertops which gives them an ugly look. Sometimes you are unable to remove the stains and you have to undertake countertop replacement NC which is expensive.
