Marble is the first choice for counters of the kitchen and bathroom. But, herein lays the challenge, the difficulty to clean and care for this graceful veined stone. Marble is a porous stone and it can get damaged easily if you accidentally spill an acidic substance on it. Common household substances like lemon, tomato, wine, milk can all be dangerous for your marble benchtop. Even a little splash of these household substances is enough to permanently leave etch or a scar on it.
But, even then marble looks regal in your house. It enhances the look of your kitchen. Prevention is the answer to all your worries! If you mop away the accidental spills at once then they will not leave a scar. If you take care of your marble countertops properly then they will shine for a very long time. Given below are some tips and tricks to keep your marble shiny and clean.
Tips to Clean Marble Benchtops
You must never use any kind of acidic substance to clean the marble benchtop ever. Never use bleach, vinegar or windex to clean your kitchen top as these acidic agents will eat your marble and dull the stone. Stainless steel scrubbers, abrasive pads and other cleaners can scratch the marble top easily. You do not need them for your kitchen marble tops at all. No special cleaning agents are required for a marble top. Mild soap and lukewarm water solution is enough for daily cleaning. With the help of a soft cloth or sponge, you can clean off the sudsy water. This will remove all the temporary stains from your kitchen countertop.
If you want to provide extra protection to your marble benchtop from tough stains and etching then you can use the spray sealant, once a month. Using this sealant is safe for the marble but you will still have to wipe off the spillage at once if you want to avoid stains.
What you can really do, if you spill something accidentally on the kitchen marble benchtop? How do you avoid these stains? If you want to avoid tough stains to after a spill then all you have to do is to rub a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. Ammonia is a weak acid and putting more than a few drops will cause extra trouble to your counter. The mixture should be enough to dissolve the stain completely. If there is a paint stain on your marble top then you can use a blunt razor to gently scrape it off. If even after trying all the home remedies, you are unable to remove the stain then it is the time to call for a professional’s help. The professional will remove the sealant and the stain.
If you wish to remove the etching on your own, then you can use the marble polish powder. Wet the etched area and sprinkle this powder on the top. You can use a buffer pad or soft damp cloth to rub the etched surface. Buff the area well till etch goes away completely. The surface will shine really well after you have buffed and cleaned marble benchtop.
You work daily in your kitchen thus; it is your task to maintain the marble benchtop as well. You would not want the benchtop to be messy and dirty. You would not be able to work and prepare meals if you do need to clean the kitchen every day. You do not want to let the dirt, food items, gravy, and dressing all get accumulated which is why to scrub daily.
If you accidentally spill anything on your countertop, make it a habit to clean it immediately and not let the stain settle on the marble. Always use chopping board for cutting vegetables and meat.
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