Marble Restoration & Stone Care Service

When to Restore a Marble Countertop?

This time is now if you answer “Yes” on any one of following questions:

1. Are there a lot of etches, watermarks, clouds, rings?
2. Is a surface looks dull overall?
3. Is it worn out?
4. Are there a lot of deep or micro scratches?
5. Are there chips or roughness on edges of sink hole and counter?
6. Is a caulk on backsplash or sink is missed or molded?
7. Is a seam uneven and looks very noticeable?
8. Does your counter have been used regularly and older than 5 years now?

If a condition of your countertop doesn’t bother you a much and you are satisfied with it, here are a several tips how to extend a life of marble without restoration:

1. Seal a marble at least once in a year. You can do it easy by yourself, just follow instruction on a bottle of sealer.
2. Use only neutral cleaner. It must be acid/alkaline/ammonia/abrasive free cleaner. The best for this purpose is marble cleaner or dilute a few drops of hand soap with water. Actually a marble cleaner is a sort of liquid soap, and there are not “magical” components.
3. Wipe out immediately or as soon as possible any liquids you spilled onto surface, especially if it’s acidic, like juice, wine, soda as it’s will etch a surface. A neutral liquid like tea or coffee can leave a color stains rather than etches.
4. Don’t cut food directly on surface.
5. Don’t place hot kitchenware from oven.
6. Don’t drag or drop heavy objects on surface.
7. Don’t stand or sit on counter.
8. Use pads or coasters if needed.

Here is some “Restore it yourself” tips without hiring stone care expert:

Etch removal

If etching on surface is not deep you can reduce or remove it completely by rubbing/polishing it with sandpaper. First you’ll need to put masking tape all around a working spot, then start rubbing with sandpaper 800-1000grit, then go with 1500 and 2000 grit. With last sandpaper, do not turn sandpaper to a clean side; continue polishing with “loaded” sandpaper. In order to little improve a shining you can use “Goddard granite and marble polish” or similar products.
It may take a long time, so repeat it if necessary. It will be more difficult for white marble like White Carrara or Calacatta Gold, and easier for dark and black marble.
Also it will be easier if a marble has matt/hone finish, as you don’t need to achieve a proper shine.

To remove scratches, chips or cracks more likely you’ll need to call to professional as it will require some skills and supply.

Home-made poultice

Poulticing is most known the way to remove colored stains from marble and it can be easy prepared in home. You’ll need a powder, for this purpose good to use a talc, baby powder, flour or plaster of Paris. Mix a powder with water to “sour cream like” condition and apply on the stain, cover by plastic and seal edges with masking tape. Wait a 2-3 days or until the poultice become dry and hard. If you noticed any progress, then just reapply a poultice with same way until the stain disappears. If it’s doesn’t work with water you can try to mix powder with chlorine, bleach, tilex, marble cleaner, acetone, kerosene, paint thinner. Please note: some chemicals may leave etched spot.

All above recommendation and tips may lead to increasing damage of marble and must be done at your own risk and responsibility only.

Tags: Etches Removal, White Carrara

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