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Marble Countertop Care – International Stoneworks, Inc.

Sample of Marble stone
Marble can be a beautiful building material, but it requires careful maintenance

For anyone who has spent time reading labels on the back of cleaners trying to decide which one is best for your marble countertops, this blog post will hopefully provide you with a little comfort and “know-how”. From homeowners caring for a brand new slab of marble, to a home that has been lived in for years – knowing how to care for your marble is very important. It is also important to know that while you can clean some surfaces and “spots”, some marble care is a bit more intensive and requires expert care.

We will focus on the maintenance portion of caring for your marble in a residential setting. All natural stones require specific and distinct products and cleaning supplies for care and maintenance. No one product can restore and maintain all natural stones. International Stoneworks has designed a line of products to suit the characteristics of each type of natural stone. While the restoration of natural stones and tiles should be handled by professionals (at International Stoneworks) – the maintenance can be handled by you!

Let’s begin with taking a look at caring for your marble countertops…
The first biggie in marble care is sealing it. Often time, a slab is sealed by the contractor prior to or after installing. Even if this is the case, you should still rub a sealer on every year to year and a half. While there are a number of quality sealers by various manufacturers, one of our favorites is Seal & Go-S. This not only protects your marble, but your grout too. It is a water and stain (grease) repellent penetrating sealer.

International Stoneworks Seal & Go-S

Once you have sealed your marble countertops, help maintain its shine with Stone Essentials Countertop Polish, also by International Stoneworks. And for more of a cleaning solution, try using Lavenet on your countertops.

Lavenet Marble Cleaner Concentrate
Stone Essentials Countertop PolishIf you are one of the many homeowners with marble countertops, then you most likely have watermarks. According to International Stoneworks, these “watermarks” are actually light etch marks in the marble that usually cannot be cleaned. For older countertops (even as young as three years) they might require being sanded, polished and sealed. However, first try cleaning your marble countertops with Stone Essentials Countertop Polish to see if it cosmetically hides the watermarks.

As careful as you might be in caring for your marble countertops, accidents are bound to happen. Unfortunately, sealers do not usually protect against acids such as lemon juice, orange juice, vinegar, etc. Here are four steps the pros at International Stoneworks suggest to help:

1. Clean the top every day with a solution of Lavenet or Lavenet Green (an environmentally friendly option).

2. Maintain the polish and protection with Stone Essentials Countertop Polish spray: this spray contains a liquid wax, a cleaner and silicone. Use this spray lightly once a week.
Bellinzoni Professional Wax

3. Once a month, maintain the polish and protection with the Bellinzoni Professional Wax: this is a paste wax which will further protect the marble.

4. If the “spots/stains” remain, then call professionals to hone (sand to remove scratches and etch marks), polish and seal the marble.

 

Lastly, if you are trying to remove a “ring” from your marble table or countertop we suggest International Stoneworks’ Etch Removing Kit.

International Stoneworks Etch Removing Kit

With all of the ins and outs of caring for your marble countertops, try to remember to enjoy them! If you were the one who selected the marble, then try and enjoy the slight “patina” time is sure to display. And if the patina becomes more than you are comfortable with, then take comfort in knowing International Stoneworks can help!

[*Source: The bulk of the content of this article has been provided by International Stoneworks, Inc. For more information you can visit their website http://www.intlstoneworks.com/, or check out more of their products on our website www.berings.com or visit us at either Bering’s location. Our knowledgeable staff can also provide you with the 411 on caring for your natural stone.]

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