Marble is a gorgeous, luxurious material that can add value to almost any kitchen. This stone is known for the way it takes advantage of natural light; it can make even the gloomiest room magnificent.
But marble is known for being a sensitive stone and therefore more difficult to maintain. While it’s true that marble is softer and more porous than most stones, you don’t have to bend over backward to take care of it.
As long as you maintain marble properly, you won’t have to worry about etching, scratching, or chipping. It’s important to keep it sealed, of course, as it needs that assistance to remain nonporous, and in this article you’ll find three more helpful tips that will keep your marble slab looking radiant.
3 Pro Tips
The biggest mistake you can make is treating marble as if it’s just any old material. It’s special, and it should be treated as such. Follow these three pro tips to keep your stone pristine:
Tip 1: Clean Up Spills ASAP
Marble is classified as a carbonate material, and carbonate reacts with acidic substances very easily (and quickly!). If you spill a glass of orange juice, or anything else that is the least bit acidic, there’s a chance that you could stain your marble permanently.
The best way to prevent this is to keep a cloth handy in the kitchen to mop up any such liquid as soon as the spill happens. Don’t wait until you’re done cooking—that only gives the liquid time to soak in. Instead, clean it up right away.
Tip 2: Avoid Citrus-Based Cleaners
Now that you know marble reacts poorly to citrus, it’s a no-brainer that you shouldn’t use citrus-based cleaners. These types of cleaners do more harm than good, and using them is one of the easiest ways to damage your marble countertop. Some people clean their marble slab every day with such cleaners and don’t realize that they’re degrading the quality every time.
Whenever you see etching on your marble countertop, it’s likely that citrus-based cleaners are to blame. Over time, the marble will erode and create a surface that is no longer smooth. Lemon juice and vinegar are common household cleaners, but they should be avoided around marble.
Tip 3: Use Warm Water and Soap
Undoubtedly, you want your marble countertops to be clean and shiny. But if you can’t use citrus-based cleaners, what can you use? The answer is simple: mild soap and water. Combine these two ingredients on a soft cloth and clean in gentle, straight motions.
Maintaining Your Marble
If you keep these three tips in mind, marble isn’t half as intimidating as it might have been before. To learn more about this material or to get started on your project, contact Marble Granite World today.