Protect a Marble Countertop
To protect your marble countertop from becoming stained, scratched, and permanently damaged by harmful chemicals, you must clean and seal the marble on a routine basis. When you apply a sealer to your countertop, the sealer will soak into the marble and protect the countertop from liquids and other substances that may absorb into the marble. Taking steps to protect your marble countertop will prevent its natural elements from cracking and breaking down internally, in addition to maintaining its luster and appearance.
Contents
Steps
Marble Cleaning Techniques
- Use a baking soda and water mixture to clean your countertop as needed. Using any cleaning substance that contains acid, such as vinegar, will break down the internal compounds of the marble.
- Mix together 1 qt. (946.35 milliliters) of warm water and 3 tbsp. (44.36 milliliters) of baking soda in a large bowl.
- Place a clean, soft cloth into the mixture and saturate it completely.
- Wring the cloth over a sink and use it to wipe down the surfaces of your marble countertop.
- Apply slight pressure to the cloth when you are cleaning spots that are difficult to remove. Using a scrubbing pad or an abrasive cleanser may scratch your marble surface permanently.
- Let your countertop dry completely for at least 2 hours after cleaning.
- Rinse the countertop by spraying it with clean water.
- Use a dry, soft cloth to remove the water and any excess residue.
- Clean stains and spills from your marble countertop immediately. If you do not clean up stains and spills right away, the substances may soak completely into your marble.
- Use a soft, household sponge and warm water to remove spills and stains.
- If the stain is sugar-based, add a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent to your sponge and scrub it lightly to loosen the sugar elements.
- For all other food stains that remain after using the sponge, cover the stain with hydrogen peroxide to loosen the grime. This process will eliminate any remaining elements that can soak into the marble and cause damage.
Application of Sealers
- Purchase an impregnating, or penetrating sealer for your marble countertop.
- Buy an impregnating sealer product from a retail store that specializes in countertops or home repair, or contact your counter tops manufacturer directly for specific sealant recommendations.
- Pour the sealer directly onto the surface of the marble countertop.
- If your countertop has a large surface area, you may want to treat small sections once at a time to make the sealing process easier or more efficient.
- Use a clean, white cloth to spread the sealer evenly across the surface of your countertop.
- Let the sealer soak into the marble countertop for between 3 and 4 minutes.
- Refer to the instructions on your sealer's packaging to verify that 3 to 4 minutes is long enough for the sealer to fully penetrate the marble.
- Sprinkle additional amounts of sealer over the treated area when it is nearly dry. This procedure will allow you to easily collect and gather excess sealer residue during cleanup.
- Rub and wipe away any remaining sealer.
- Use a dry, clean cloth to remove any sealer that has not soaked into the marble surface.
- Repeat the sealing process until your entire marble countertop has been treated.
Tips
- Place hot pads, trivets, or other types of protective coverings underneath items you may set or store on the counter; such as dishes, jars and other items that may cause the marble surface to scratch. If you do not want to use pads, glue small pieces of cut-out felt on the bottoms of items you store on the countertop.
Things You'll Need
- 1 qt. (946.35 milliliters) warm water
- 3 tbsp. (44.36 milliliters) baking soda
- Mixing bowl
- 4 soft cloths
- Soft household sponge
- Liquid dishwashing detergent
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Impregnating or penetrating sealer
