To this day, white marble remains one of the most sought-after materials in interior design. It is loved by many due to its subtle yet astonishing flair. In general, marble is durable, making it less likely to dent or chip. People even opt for white marble because its light hues and grey veining allow it to disguise etching effectively.
Despite this, many people still fear using it in their homes. After all, stain-related horror stories circulated over the years, giving white marble the reputation of being ‘high-maintenance’. That is true to a certain extent. Since marble is a natural stone, it requires extra care and precaution. In this article, we are going to give you some tips on choosing and maintaining your white marble benchtop. Keep reading to know how to shop for the right materials and avoid etching or staining the surface.
Choose High-Quality White Marble
One of the first things you must do is ensure the quality of the white marble you are about to purchase. You should never settle for mediocre material. After all, no matter where you shop, you will find that white marble can be expensive. So, it is crucial that you choose carefully, ensuring the best value for your money. Here are some ways you can achieve that:
Inspect the Materials in Person
It is convenient to shop online and browse through suppliers’ catalogue. However, there are still more options to choose from. Whether you want Calacatta or Thassos white marble, it is ideal if you inspect the material before you make a purchase. Once you are at the store or workshop, check the back side of the marble. The clean surface should not have a cover. Otherwise, you’re looking at a material made of weaker stones. Keep in mind that such marbles tend to have a shorter lifespan.
Look for Holes in the White Marble
You should also look for small patches in the white marble. Make sure you inspect the material under a light. Seeing spots is typically a bad sign. You should know that you should never fill holes in white marble. However, some suppliers still do this to give the material a polished effect. You should avoid purchasing these materials because they generally are of low quality. Premium quality marble should have pores and holes, allowing wind to pass through them for adequate ventilation.
The Proper Way to Clean your White Marble Benchtop
Before cleaning your marble benchtop, you should prepare the following:
- Warm, clean water
- Non-abrasive and gentle liquid dish cleaner
- Spray bottle
- Soft, cleaning cloth
- Highly absorbent towel
The first thing you have to do is prepare the cleaning solution for your white marble benchtop. To do this, you need to take your spray bottle, then pour a reasonable amount of warm, clean water in it. Now, add a tablespoon of liquid dish cleaner to the water. Create the cleaning solution by vigorously shaking the spray bottle. Of course, do not forget to secure the container before doing this. Also, you should remember avoiding cleaning products with acid or citric juice. Since white marble has calcium carbonate, it reacts to any acid.
The next thing you have to do is spray a thin layer of the cleaning solution onto the surface of your white marble benchtop. Once you’ve done that, dampen the cleaning cloth with warm water. Now, wipe off the cleaning solution using the fabric. Finally, take the highly absorbent towel and dry the surface of your marble benchtop.
The Proper Way of Polishing your White Marble Benchtop
Regular polishing is a crucial part of white marble maintenance. White marble is relatively durable, but you need to polish it from time to time to maintain its stunning looks. However, since this material is one of the softer types of natural stone, you need to take some precautions to ensure that you would not damage the surface. Here are some pointers to remember:
Carefully Choose your Polisher
As we’ve repeatedly mentioned in this post, marble is susceptible to staining and etching. So, it is crucial that you find the polishing product specifically made for marble benchtops. Do not forget to read the label because some of these polishing products are made for specific hues.
It’s Easier When You Start from the Centre
When you are polishing white marble, it is ideal to start from the centre. This technique makes the actual process a lot easier and the results seamless. Remember to dampen your microfibre cloth before immersing it into the chalk powder. However, if you are using a chemical polish, you can only apply a reasonable amount of the product in the centre of the marble surface and start from there.
How to Buff the Surface the Right Way
Take a diamond polishing pad or a soft cloth, then make circular motions on the surface of the white marble benchtop. Remember that when it comes to buffing, you need to end at the centre. You can move upward and downward, or from right to left. Just ensure that you will eventually end up at the centre of the marble surface.
Dry the White Marble Benchtop
If you used a chemical polishing product, all you need to do is air dry the surface. However, if you opted for chalk powder, you need to wait for a couple of hours until the marble benchtop is completely dry. After confirming that the surface has completely dried, take a wet cloth and wipe it again. After that, use a dry cloth to clean the surface. Make sure that there are no marks or residue left on the countertop. Otherwise, you would need to clean the surface again, using a wet and dry fabric.
It is true that white marble is a luxurious material that may require expensive upkeep. However, with the right maintenance techniques, you should be able to enjoy the benefits of the material for a long time. Consequently, you will have a valuable investment for your home.
