Captivated by the elegance and sleek sophistication of marble countertops you saw in the glossy pages of architecture and home design magazines also on social media sites like Pinterest and Google+, you decided there and then that you are going to have some countertops customized from marble stones for your own place. However do not let the lustrous appeal of marble blind you to the fact that marble as countertops are not for everybody. For those who have kids that are old enough to use the kitchen countertops to prepare their own food forget the elegance and sleek beauty of a kitchen with marble countertops. Well, if you have time to spare every day to go over your countertops to try to find scratches and dents before they get too evident for superficial repairs. Go ahead and make your dream kitchen a reality.
Marble is known to be softer and more porous than granite and other natural stones. It is prone to staining and acid etching from acidic drinks and foods. Marble also is easy to scratch, chip, cut and dent when carelessly handled. Consequently you need to be more careful when you have custom countertops installed in your kitchen. Scratching can be minimized though by subjecting your marble countertops to honed finishes. When hiring a custom fabricator to produce your custom countertops for you listen carefully when they are providing you some guides and backgrounds on how to keep the timeless elegance of marble in your countertops.
Here are some of the most common tips on how to take care of custom countertops, especially those made of marble; these tips can also serve as clues to possible inconveniences you have to face in the future with marble kitchen countertops.
Preserve the natural charm of your marble countertops by following these tips;
- Put coasters under all cups, mugs and glasses, be mindful of those used with citrus juices and alcohol.
- Use of hot pads or trivets is recommended for marble kitchen countertops even as expected many stones can naturally withstand heat.
- When liquids or foods are spilled, immediately blot the spill with a paper towel. You can also flush the area with water and mild soap, then rinse several times. With a soft cloth dry the area thoroughly then repeat as needed.
Guide to cleaning marble surfaces of custom countertops:
- Use mild dishwashing liquid and warm water or a stone cleaner when cleaning marble surfaces.
- Remember to rinse the surface area thoroughly after washing with soap solution and then dry with a soft cloth after.
- While rinsing be sure to change the rinse water frequently.
- Be always on the lookout for spills; you have to wipe spills immediately to stop them from etching the surface of your marble kitchen countertops. Don’t forget this step; this is the most important tip to maintain the exceptional state of the marble surface of countertops.
Recommended cleaning products:
- Stone cleaning products are offered by many custom marble Countertop Singapore supplier and your custom fabricator may have some cleaning preparations of their own. Buying from them the cleaning products you are going to use on your custom countertops can be beneficial.
- However you have to avoid products which have lemon, vinegar, ammonia or other acids in their preparations. These are the cleaners that can cause dulling or etching in calcareous stones.
- Do not under any circumstance use scouring creams or powders these cleaning products preparations contain abrasives that can scratch certain stones.
Tips when requesting for sealing; make sure these steps are followed:
Your marble countertops are already sealed during installation. Resealing them once a year with a commercial sealant is recommended. You can easily do this yourself and you don’t need to call in a worker to do the resealing, but if the value of your time is more than the pay rate of a worker then by all means call one in. Just make sure the worker follow manufacturer directions, they can find it on the bottle. These sealers are available from your hired custom fabricator or from any supplier you can find.