Dainty marble countertops in the kitchen do make a wow choice in keeping with the trends as many do choose them. Marble is highly revered, as it deserves to be with an aura that exceeds expectations in a divine luster that lasts and lasts. Durability is an essential hallmark. Besides, marble is not very expensive compared to some other fancy stuff and is easy to maintain. If cleaned with care, the celestial sheen should last a generation and more, and keep spirits going for an eternity.
Many public venues like restaurants and cafes, bars and ice cream joints contain marble countertops and they take fastidious care. Take a good look around before investing in something as dainty and easily spoiled as marble, spoiled by acids.
Calcium carbonate is what marble is basically made of as it gets formed within the earth’s recesses deep down under. Those secrets are not really well known. Geologists would know all that. In any case, marble is not a carbonite and there is a difference! Cultured marble is different, though, since it goes through a complex manufacturing process. Besides, cultured marble is more easily damaged by sharp objects, and even a burning cigarette.
Don’t s about marble countertop cleaning
Calcium carbonate quickly reacts with acids and if such stuff were spilled on the marble Granite Countertops Sarasota surface, what would you expect? Etches and stains would be the result of the chemical reaction. Even lime juice is bad enough. Vinegar certainly won’t do, either. Avoid powdered cleaners, harsh chemicals and abrasives. No bleach. What actually happens is that the acid reaction corrodes the surface, just a tiny bit. Fastidious owners and perfectionists would consider that bad enough.
How you really need to clean
The job is essentially so simple that there could hardly exist alternative methods to carry out the operation. The soap, towel and spray bottle could be from a different company or may be of other colors. A little care would keep that countertop as good as new for many years with the inbuilt durability of natural stone.
Proceed as you would in a chemistry experiment in high school!
Materials to be procured
• Dish soap gel, non-abrasive
• Spray bottle
• Soft cleaning cloth
• Spongy towel
• Warm water
The procedure seems to be obvious, yet walk through the steps just to get it all right in the first instance. Make sure that everything is clean and free from oily or acidic substances. Mix a tablespoon of the dish soap with warm water in the spray bottle. Shake it well to mix and blend. Now spray the countertop with the solution all over, but lightly. Use the cleaning cloth to wipe the soap solution off the countertop. Finally, dry the countertop with the towel.
That’s that. The job got simply done in a few minutes with no expense, using the same materials used every day in the kitchen. How often would the process be repeated? Perhaps a weekly round would keep the countertop spick and span, as good as new, and prevent dust and dirt from accumulating.
A lot of people are concerned about stains on the marble that is really nothing to worry about. The cleaning procedure described would take care of that as long as acids are not involved. The serious problem concerns the little bits of etching that results from the surface being eaten away, a problem that has no solution. Be especially on guard against that and careless kids might just wreck what the family loves.
If alcohol or tomato juice is accidentally dropped, it needs to be wiped away immediately before chemical reactions set in and corrode that pretty marble surface. Spots would appear at those points. The marks may be rather dull but would show up faintly now and then. If enough care is not taken, repetitions of spills may ruin the precious investment.
