How to Remove Stains from Marble Benchtops
Marble is a timeless and beautiful natural stone product. In fact, the very sight of it sparks connotations of luxury and wealth. Of course, this is something that many homeowners absolutely love about marble. Notably, marble has also been used in a number of significant buildings and historical landmarks around the world. For example, the Taj Mahal, the Pantheon, the Supreme Court building, and even the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Marble has been incorporated beautifully into every single one of these structures. So, it only makes sense that it would be a popular and desirable building material amongst many homeowners.
Marble has a very unique and exquisite aesthetic appeal that successfully draws people in from a variety of different cultures and time periods. Like most other natural stone materials, it also remains relevant, despite the ever-changing trends. Today, marble is a popular natural stone material for use as flooring, cladding, benchtops, splashbacks and more. However, marble’s beautiful appearance is also its weakness. Let’s take a look at why:
Why Is Marble Prone to Marks and Etching?
They say that beauty comes at a price. In this instance, it’s most definitely true. Let’s talk geology. Marble is a natural stone material featuring a calcium carbonate makeup. Have you ever come across a piece of limestone? Well, marble is actually formed out of limestone, specifically when the pre-existing limestone is exposed to extremely high temperatures and pressures. This causes the minerals to grow larger and fuse together.
Now, if you’ve seen limestone before, then you’ve probably noticed the sheer number of cracks, crevices and holes in its surface. Whilst marble is significantly less porous than limestone is, it is still a porous material. It is also a softer stone than most. Both of these things make marble more prone to marking and etching than other natural stone materials. Consequently, it’s important to take proper care and attention to maintenance if you want them to retain their looks for a long time.
How to Remove Stains from Marble Benchtops
Kitchens are packed with food, beverages or ingredients that could end up causing hard-to-remove stains. So, when you’ve got marble benchtops installed in your kitchen, it’s important to deal with stains quickly and carefully. Here’s how to remove stains from your kitchen benchtops properly:
1. Remove it Immediately
If you’ve just spilt something like curry, coffee, pasta sauce or wine on your benchtops, then the first thing to do is to wipe it off immediately. Keep in mind that the longer your leave the spill there, the harder it will be to remove. You don’t want to be spending all day and all night trying to get a stubborn stain out of your benchtops!
2. Create a Poultice
A poultice is a thick cleaning paste made up of a white absorbent material. This is mixed with a liquid chemical or detergent, which works to draw the stain out and into the absorbent material. Sometimes, you may have to apply this repeatedly in order to completely remove the stains. At other times, you may have to use other methods to get the stain out. You can create a poultice by mixing diluted hydrogen peroxide and baking soda together to form a thick paste. If the mixture gets too dry, add some water.
3. Apply the Poultice
Next, you’ll need to dampen the stained area with water, then spread half an inch of poultice over the affected area using a knife or spatula. Then, you have to seal the area by placing plastic over it, and taping around the edges. Leave this to sit for 24-48 hours. After that, you can pull the plastic off and wipe the dried poultice away using a damp cloth.
5. Oil or Grease? Use Corn Starch
If you’re dealing with an oil or grease stain, then you’ll need to use cornstarch in order to get the stain out. Simply sprinkle cornstarch over the affected area, let it sit for about 20 minutes, then use a damp cloth to wipe it away. You can then use a soft cloth to dry the area.
At Aurora Stone, we want you to enjoy your marble benchtops for as long as possible. If you ever need any advice on how to clean or maintain your natural stone benchtops, do not hesitate to give us a call. Contact Aurora Stone today, and we’ll be happy to provide you with the information and services you need.
