A marble kitchen counter is a big purchase and it’s common to wonder how to properly care for them. Here’s everything you need to know about how to care for marble countertops!
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Marble is a classic and timeless investment in your homes kitchen or bathroom and has long been used in European kitchens for a very long time. It’s classic and looks wonderful, but it does takes extra care and cleaning. It will eventually show some wear and tear, but that is all part of it’s added character to your home. To best protect and care for your marble countertops and keep them looking great for years, there are a few things you need to do. I’m going to share some of the care and maintenance needed for this beautiful natural stone.
How to Care for Marble Countertops
1. Seal Your Marble
You will want to apply a penetrating sealant. Remember, even though sealing helps to repeal stains, it doesn’t make it stain proof. To apply the sealant, make sure the area is clean and dry, then wipe on the sealant with a lint free cloth. The rule of thumb is to reseal every year, but in some cases it may be sooner if you use harsh chemicals. You will know it’s time to re-seal when you no longer see water drops beading off the surface.
2. Daily Cleaning
It is good to get into the habit of wiping down your marble daily. Use a mild soap and water and sponge to do this. When you are cooking keep in mind that marble stains easy so when you are using things that include tomatoes, citrus, vinegar, coffee, and wine be sure to clean up spills immediately. One tip to remove grease stains is to use cornstarch. It’s non-abrasive and will clean it right up.
3. Prevent Etching
The porous nature of marble makes it prone to what is called etching. These are dull marks on the surface due to acidic cooking ingredients. Etching is really hard to get out of marble countertops. It can be done, but it takes more of an aggressive cleaning. I recommend just trying to prevent etching with an absorbent drying mat.
Those are the basics of care and maintenance for marble, see it’s really not that hard. Below, let me answer a few of the most commonly asked questions and give you a few more tips and tricks to help protect your marble.
Do Marble Countertops Need to be Sealed
Yes, as discussed earlier all marble countertops need to be sealed to help protect the marble. There are several different marble finishes. The most popular are polished, which is more of a shinny high gloss surface, or honed, which is more of a matte finish. Both types need to be sealed. It is especially important to seal honed marble. Even though honed marble doesn’t show scratches as much as polished marble finishes, its matte finish makes it more prone to staining.
How Often Do I Need to Seal Marble
It is recommended that you seal your marble every year. This can vary and sometimes you will need to seal sooner than that. You will know it is time to re-seal when water drops no longer bead off the marble.
What Cleaning Products are Safe on Marble
You will want to make sure that you use a non-harsh cleaner for your marble. Harsh cleaners can take off the sealant as well as cause the marble to etch. For daily care, just use mild dish soap and water to wipe down your marble.
Best Products for Cleaning and Sealing Marble
Here is a list of some of my favorite cleaning and sealing products you can safely use on your marble:
How to Disinfect Marble Countertops
Most antibacterial cleaners like Lysol, Clorox wipes, bleach, and even vinegar are damaging to your marble. So what do you use to disinfect after say preparing raw meat, or just to help prevent the spread of germs? Firstly, I recommend using a cutting board or a silicone cutting mat when cutting meats and vegetables on your marble counters. But for disinfectant purposes, you have a couple of choices:
- Soap and Hot Water are a good tried a true way to remove the microbes off the countertop. This is really effective for your daily cleaning.
- A spray designed to disinfect natural stone is another option. A lot of these cleaners also include bleach, but in smaller amounts that don’t mess up the marble.
This post contained some affiliate links for your convenience. For more info, please see my full disclosures here.
If you’re looking for more FREE home decor tips and tricks, the Creating a Timeless Home Guide will help you create a home you love that will never go out of style! Also check out a couple of helpful cheat-sheets to help you out along the way. The Decorator’s Cheat Sheet has all the home decorator’s measurements you need to design a room you love and the Guide to Picking Perfect Paint Colors will ensure you always choose the best paint color for your space!
