Etching in marble is a common problem that can be prevented with proper care. One way to maintain the quality of your marble is to avoid abrasive cleaners, harsh chemicals, and hard water spots. These all cause etching, which will slowly erode the stone over time. To prevent this from happening, you should use gentle soaps or detergents on your marble surface to clean it without any harsh substances. If you have already etched your marble flooring, there are steps you can take to restore its luster! This guide will show how to prevent and treat etching on stone furniture like marble and granite.
What is etching on marble?
Etching is physical damage to the stone, generally caused by marble coming into contact with certain substances containing acids, including coffee, citrus, or wine. This causes a corrosive reaction that removes its surface layer and thus reveals the raw marble beneath it. Etching can be thought of as burning away at the top layer of this type of stone, whereas stains occur when liquid penetrates deep inside, making discoloration within rather than on top as etchings do.
Because stone is a natural material, it reacts to elements around it and can change over time. For example, etching happens when the sealant of your counters is removed by acidic household cleaners or naturally occurring elements in food items like lemons, tomatoes, vinegar, and wine. This reaction strips away the protective layer leaving you vulnerable to damage over time.
Can Marble Etching Be Reversed?
Reversing etching in marble is an arduous task. It’s challenging to restore it to because it is primarily irreversible acid and chemical damage from everyday use. Many products claim that they can restore your marble back to its original form. They certainly can help, but they will never be good as new unless you hire a marble restorer who’ll grind and refinish your marble.
Can it Be Prevented?
Marble etching is a type of damage that occurs when acidic liquids make contact with the stone’s surface. This can be not easy to avoid in daily use, though there are some steps you can take to reduce how much it happens:
Clean Any Spills As Soon As You Notice Them: The longer the acidic substance sits there, the greater chance it has of etching your marble tops. Therefore, the minute you see any individual who may have spilled something on their beautiful countertops, take action immediately to prevent further damage.
Sealing Is An Effective Method: This passage is about preventing etching on your marble tops. There are no guarantees that there will be zero damage, but regular sealing can help minimize or prevent it if you wipe away spills fast enough and avoid using the kitchen altogether. If stains become hard to remove, though, this doesn’t completely eliminate them either, so keep in mind possible problems when making a decision.
Calling The Help of Professionals: Marble countertops need heavy maintenance, but they can also be restored. If you’ve had your marble for years and have noticed the difference that over time has made to its appearance, then consider getting it repaired by professionals. To restore marble back into looking like new again, professionals will sand down or repolish the stone surface of your kitchen counters until shiny smoothness is achieved once more. Fort Lauderdale Marble Restoration offers comprehensive services in restoring natural stones, including marble, making them shine brighter than ever before!
As mentioned previously, maintaining marble countertops requires consistent care if their original beauty is desired on return after extensive damage from daily use as well as etching. A restoration specialist at our company knows how to take away.
General Usage In The Kitchen: Kitchen marble tops are the most common stones that are easily affected by etching. Primarily due to the fact that this location is where most spilling will occur.
To prevent damage, do not use cleaners containing acidic substances. Instead, stick to cleansers formulated specifically for stone or use mild dish soap. A good rule of thumb is to use a cleaner that has a neutral pH. When preparing food, make sure to use a cutting board and not the countertops because it allows for better cleaning. Always clean up any spills or splatters on your counters, especially from acidic fruit and juice, as well as tomato-based foods like spaghetti sauce. Also, wipe down your surface after using products such as soda, coffee, and wine.
Helpful Household Items To Prevent Etching
Cutting Boards
Using a cutting board can be helpful on marble surfaces. It will prevent any markings on the countertop and make sure spills and stains don’t seep into the natural stone.
Coasters
Coasters prevent spills from ruining your kitchen surfaces. Spilling a drink is inevitable, but the last thing you want to do after cleaning up such messes and stains on your countertops or tables has them happen all over again because of rings left behind by bottles or glasses. Use coasters so that water won’t get trapped underneath what’s sitting on top of it, creating unsightly marks in place; long-term damage done to furniture finishes if they’re not removed immediately with soap and water before any discoloration sets into wood surfaces.
Hot Pads
Natural stone granite is excellent, non-heat-resistant countertop material. When cooking with hot dishes on your natural stone counters, you’ll want to have some form of protection in place so they don’t get damaged by heat or water spills – this includes the use of hot pads!
The Most Common Causes Of Marble Etching And How To Fix Them
- Acidic Liquids:
Because of its Calcium carbonate component, marble is susceptible to acidic substances like coffee, soda, vinegar, and fruit juice. As such, when any of these products come in direct contact with your kitchen counter, they can leave a permanent etch mark on your marble’s surface, which are dull spots that appear due to chemical reactions caused by acid exposure.
- Oil Based Food
Oils from things such as peanut butter and cooking oil can cause stains on your marble countertops if they touch the stone. If a product gets into the pores of this porous surface, it becomes complicated to remove, so you may have these dark spots even after cleaning with warm water and a cloth. This is especially true for products that stay in contact with them overnight.
- Raw Meat
If you’re not careful, raw meat could contaminate your kitchen counter. Marble is porous, and bacteria from the raw meat can seep into it because of its tiny pores, which means that after a while, this could spread to food or other items in the household. That’s why it’s essential to use a cutting board when preparing raw meat. Not only does it prevent direct contact with your marble, but it also helps prevent cut marks from your knife from coming into contact with your tabletop. It’s straightforward but a highly effective one.
- Personal Care Products
Once you get into the habit of leaving your toothpaste, lotion, and mouthwash on your marble countertop or vanity top overnight, it can damage its surface. In addition, over time, the soap scum from these products may permanently etch away at the stone’s finish if left for too long. Therefore we recommend placing all personal care items in a decorative tray or basket to avoid this issue altogether!
- Heavy Materials And Tools
Marble is a highly durable natural stone, which people assume makes it suitable for heavy objects. However, Marbles are not flexible materials, and if too much weight is put on one spot of the marble surface, then it can crack or even cause your cabinets to crash down instantly. To avoid this, never place any kind of object with a lot of weight over an area where there’s already been damage because you could lose everything in seconds! Also, don’t sit or stand directly on top; instead, use something like chairs to reach high places safely, so nothing wrong happens. Finally, accidentally knocking your marble with tools like a ceramic pot can easily chip the edges and trims. It’s eBay to avoid all of this together through voiding putting heavy objects on top of your marble.
If you are looking for help to prevent etching in marble, don’t hesitate. Call us today, and we’ll provide the best care your stone can get. Our expert technicians have years of experience handling all kinds of marble surfaces. We will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your beautiful material is restored back to its original glory!
