Juice Stains on Marble Kitchen Countertops
by Colleen
QUESTION:How do you clean & protect marble kitchen counter tops? I have several stains from pineapple juice & much etching & water stains. How do I remove them (if I can) & then protect it?ANSWER:Marble is a great stone to use for many applications like floors, showers and bathroom vanities. Kitchen countertops.... not so much.As you are finding out, marble is reactive to acidic foods and drinks like pineapple juice. Acids will corrode and "etch" marble leaving dull and discolored spots. For this reason most designers and fabricators will warn clients away from installing marble as a kitchen countertop. Although you can remove etch marks on polished marble using SCP: Marble Polishing Paste it will be a on ongoing marble maintenance chore since the only way to prevent etching is to avoid contact with acids... impossible in a kitchen. Marble does not stain easy especially when polished. It can be nearly stain-proof, but it does etch easy... in seconds in fact. Etch marks look like ghost stains or water marks, so people think marble "stains" easy, but staining and etching are two completely different issues. However, once etched the marble does become much more susceptible to staining. So, when you spill pineapple juice it will etch the marble quickly and if you don't clean it soon it will start to absorb and may also stain. So, use the paste for any lighter colored and dull etch marks you have. If you also have stains (which are always darker) then you'll need to follow the instructions in the Removing Marble Stains Manual. As noted you may have staining and etching in the same spot. So, remove the stain first, then repair the etching. The paste is also good for buffing out light scratches, which is another issue you have to contend with marble kitchen countertops vs. granite, which is much harder and nearly impossible to scratch. Going forward, you should use cutting boards, trivets and coasters to help minimize contact with acidic substances during food prep, etc. This is the only prevention. Well, there are a couple permanent topical coatings that can block etching, but I (and most stone pros) will recommend that you NOT apply such coatings... they can cause more problems than they solve despite the salesman's claims. Sealing won't do anything for etching. Sealing only protects against staining (substances absorbing), which shouldn't be much a problem for you anyway. In fact, it's quite likely that your marble (if polished as I assume) is so non-absorbent that it won't even absorb a sealer. Also, be sure to use only products safe for cleaning marble. Most brand-name and common cleaners are too alkaline and harsh for marble and will also etch. Sorry you have to find out all this after the fact, but that's the deal. Marble is still very durable, it just requires much more effort and marble maintenance to keep looking newish than granite does. Good Luck, Ryan P.S. Get all the facts, answers, explanations and simple solutions with step-by-step instructions for any issue, problem or question with our Granite & Marble Maintenance Manuals. |
