No worries, it’s not a daunting task to keep that shine and luster on your marble countertops. If you want to learn how to use an electric polisher on your marble, keep reading! And if you prefer a video aid, here's a short video on how to clean your marble countertops: by Walter Bilyakovskyy After you’ve cleaned off your baking soda/water solution, crush up chalk (yes, chalk) into a fine powder. Old stains may require more time. If you do not have access to a polisher, you can apply your marble polish with a soft rag; however, this method is very tiring. A good rule to follow is to go quarter-by-quarter or third-by-third when you decide to polish your marble countertops. [1] In terms of the DIY route, it’s as simple as going to your local home improvement store and buying a spray bottle of sealant. You can put Lysol toilet bowl cleaner and one of those pumice sticks they sell at Wal-Mart for around $2, then wipe it all down with a magic eraser and it should be clean. Expert Interview. Marble is a beautiful stone classically used in the construction of countertops, floors, and accents on furniture. Modern techniques have been developed so there are a lot of ways to polish your marble countertops. Gently wipe down the surface with the cloth. Do I need any sand or detergent, or is water enough to achieve a good result when polishing marble? Ink stains result from pens, highlighters, markers or even wine. Don’t place anything on top of it or use it heavily after you applied the sealant. Now there are marble polishing kits and a wide variety of marble polishing agents, but it’s important to know if they’re for a specific color of marble or if they’re general use. Fill your cup with cold water again. This will allow you to work at your own pace, rather than working against the polishing solution, which can dry and leave residue. Not a DIY job even for a top handyman. While polishing is more involved than cleaning, it’s not complicated, difficult, or particularly time consuming – short of letting the polishing solution sit. Wipe and scrub gently with a damp cloth. Before polishing a marble surface, clean it to remove any buildup, with a product specifically formulated for marble care. If you have a drill, you can replace the drill bit with a felt-top sanding disk so that you can use it as a polisher. Make sure there isn’t too much vinegar in the rag by wringing out the excess liquid. Then use a damp cloth and dip it into your powdered chalk mix. Use a circular motion with steel wool to remove hard water buildup, then wipe with a clean water damp cloth. Thoroughly dry the area. Clean spills quickly if you have marble countertops. Once the polishing is complete, use a vacuum or dry cloth to gently remove the polishing compound. Use a low to medium speed if you’re using a polisher. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Although this material isn’t necessarily difficult to clean, it does require a bit of maintenance and damage prevention to keep it looking its best. To make a gentle and effective everyday cleanser for your marble countertop, fill a spray bottle halfway to three-quarters full with warm water. Video: Marble Polishing at the Factory. Instead, use compound and a cloth. A spray sealant can be used once a month to protect your marble from etching and staining. Use a very fine steel wool #0000. Sealant basically delays the process of staining thus gives you time to act and clean the stain before it penetrates. Surprise, you’re going to want to clean your countertops before polishing. Use an etch remover polishing compound if you have water rings. Wet a non-abrasive sponge with warm water, wring it out and wipe the marble top again. Bridgett PriceHouse Cleaning Professional Leave your poultice on for at least 24 hours. Bridgett Price is a Cleaning Guru and Co-Owner of Maideasy, a maid service company that services the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area. Apply a polishing compound using a soft cloth, working in small sections and using circular movements. Expert Source Using a soft cloth or rag, apply the baking soda and water solution in a circular motion, buffing from the middle out, and let it sit for a few hours before rinsing it off (3-6 hours). If you have wood floors, consider taping around the edges of the bottom of the cabinet if you will be using a spray product because the product could land on the floor. This article has been viewed 535,808 times. Apply in a similar fashion to the baking soda/water solution and then using a microfiber or other fine cloth, thoroughly rinse off the powdered chalk residue. Yes, use a silicone spray cover with a good coat and let dry for two hours, then polish with a camel cloth. More commonly seen in bathrooms, marble countertops can also create a bold, heat-resistant and durable statement in your kitchen. ", "Clear and easy to understand in minutes!". This is a good method for countertop edges too. Marble is a beautiful and long-lasting natural stone surface for covering countertops, tables, floors, showers, and more. This is an inexpensive fix for etched and marred marble slabs. Squirt approximately 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of a gentle, non-abrasive dishwashing soap and shake well to … Do not place hot items such as pots and pans, curling irons, or cigarettes marble. I’m teaching you how to polish marble countertops today. Mold can stain marble bathroom countertops, floors, etc. After this, your counter should be clean. X The shiny polish seen on marble slabs, countertops, tile, and other stones is achieved by high friction on huge stone polishing machines at the factory long before it gets to a stone warehouse, showroom, or to your kitchen or bathroom countertop. Should I seal or polish a headstone which is 6 months old? Mix flour into soapy water to make a paste, then slather the paste onto your countertop. Restoring stone is an exacting art. If your budget can tolerate it, buying a commercial, neutral pH marble cleaner probably is an excellent investment to clean these beautiful stone countertops most safely, one that doesn't risk scratching or etching from a homemade cleaner. Expert Interview. Must-Knows about Marble Counter Cleaning. How to Polish Marble Edges. Acidic substances are one of marble… It’s also wise to do reseal your marble counters soon after you polish them. Last Updated: October 8, 2020 Obviously, abrasive items like steel wool are a big no-no. Polishing marble is an easy task that you can do as often as once a month to keep your marble looking lustrous. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Then, the single most valuable thing you can do is to never let anything settle on your marble countertops. It is common to use mild dish soap and water. But cleaning them requires more care than other surfaces. A properly installed marble countertop will be sealed, but the seal only gives you a small window of time to wipe up spills that could stain if left. In addition to cleaning regularly (or whenever your marble gets spilled on), polishing every couple weeks or at least monthly will do wonders for the long term durability and quality of your marble countertops. Stain Removal: For stains on granite or marble countertops, clean with a paste of baking soda and water (for oil-based stains) or hydrogen peroxide (for … No. The easiest way to maintain marble is to be on top of cleaning it. Don’t let the sealant fully dry or it will streak. Ink stains . Mix up a Baking Soda and Water solution (3 tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart water). / January 01, 2016. There are two types, topical and impregnator, which are named accurately given their purposes. Topical, obviously, sits on top of the marble surface while the impregnator sealant works its way deeper into the marble, filling the pores from the inside out. How do I get scratches out of natural marble? Before polishing marble, clean the surface with a clean, damp rag, then use a poultice to remove any stains, if necessary. If you want to learn how to use an electric polisher on your marble, keep reading! Wipe it up immediately. Cultured marble is made of a mixture of polyester resin, limestone dust, fillers, and pigments with a clear gel coat finish on top. Corners are hard to reach with a sanding wheel. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. a sealant of your choice (food-safe, if for use on a marble counter) soap and water (for counters) a dust mop (for floors) This will ensure no food or liquid residue will be mixed into the polish. Make a paste, cover the entire surface and let it dry overnight. A secret in knowing how to clean marble countertops: You don’t need specialty cleaners for marble. While you can’t remove deep scratches that go all the way through the gel coat, it is possible to restore the surface and shine using extremely fine sandpaper and polishing compounds. If you have cultured marble, make sure that your product says it’s for cultured marble. Other than routine cleaning and polishing, it is wise to reseal your marble countertops every 3-6 months. Fortunately, keeping your marble clean is easier than polishing it. How do I tell the difference between natural and cultured marble? All drying means is that the sealant is working, but if it dries, adding a little more will help with the final outcome. House Cleaning Professional. In general marble polishing to restore the finish on a worn surface is done solely by a marble repair professional. Other than routine cleaning and polishing, it is wise to reseal your marble countertops every 3-6 months. All rights reserved. Do not use products such as lemon juice or vinegar for cleaning. If some tomato juice escapes from your cutting board, wipe it up immediately. Shaving cream can cause etching, but that’s not prevented by a sealant. Sealer lives on the top of the surface, so if you seal first, then polish, you'll strip the sealer off. You can use a mild dish-washing detergent (but not an acidic one). It’s a soft, porous stone so any kind of alkaline or acidic material can work to eat away at it. Marble countertops and other surfaces are no stranger to ink stains. Most sealants recommend a wait time of 10-20 minutes. You could also use a silicone spray when you're done to help it shine and protect it from staining. It’s easier to add more than it is to remove excess. In one bathroom, there were drip marks and the imprint of a spritzer-bottle from something acidic (acid dissolves marble), and i… If the stain persists, repeat this process again. They’re not merely durable material choices, but marble or other natural stone countertops also convey a sense of opulence and elegance, which makes a statement about personal taste and social status. While you can find a variety of commercial products to polish your marble, you can also make your own chemical-free version with items you may already have in your home. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. How do I repair a chip on the threshold of marble? You can add water to the sealant by spraying on water or dabbing with a damp cloth. With a little time and elbow-grease, you can polish your natural or cultured marble and make it look new again. Do not apply polishing compound to the entire piece of marble at once. Marble Countertop Sealing. Let your countertop have the day off, or more accurately 6-8 hours (possibly 24 hours, depending on the sealant). What can I use to bring out the color on marble and make it shine? Polish the marble with a suitable polishing agent, such as countertop wax, and a soft rag or polishing cloth to restore its luster. Wipe sudsy water on the counter with a soft cloth or sponge. Marble polishing powders make glassy tiles seem possible, but these products might only produce a soft sheen. 23 May 2019. Whether you want to clean marble floors, tiles, trivets, or kitchen countertops, having the appropriate knowledge about how to clean marble countertops is vital in properly maintaining them.If you have marble in your home, know that you should never use common household cleaners. Tips to maintain the shine and polish of marble countertops. By using our site, you agree to our, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e3\/Polish-Marble-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Polish-Marble-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e3\/Polish-Marble-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid1128268-v4-728px-Polish-Marble-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"