The Best Way To Clean Marble Countertops

Marble countertops are known for their beauty and heat resistance, but they've earned a reputation over the years for being tricky to clean. Seeing as how marble is fairly easy to damage when employing the wrong cleaners or cleaning methods, it's easy to see why. Luckily, the key to cleaning marble countertops is probably available in your kitchen right now, so you won't have to run to the store for any expensive specialty cleaners.

First off, it's important to note that you should never use acidic cleaners on marble surfaces (per Countertop Specialty) as this will etch your beloved countertops. This means leaving your citrus cleaners, bleach, and ammonia in your cupboard and opting to clean your counters the old-fashioned way. In fact, a combination of dish soap and water is the most effective way to clean most basic messes that find their way to your marble countertop. However, be sure to use a soft, gentle cloth on your marble countertop, as abrasive scrapers can easily mar a countertop with a compromised seal.

Although gentle dish soap is safe for marble countertops, it's important to clean strategically in order to prevent your countertop from taking on a soapy film that can dull its appearance over time. According to Academy Marble, this can be accomplished by wiping your marble countertop down with plain water after you've thoroughly cleaned it with soapy water. You can then remove all moisture from the countertop by using an ultra-absorbent microfiber cloth. This will help prevent water stains on your countertop.

While soapy water is great for everyday cleaning, sometimes it's necessary to employ hydrogen peroxide or baking soda when tackling surface stains or grease. According to FavoredStoneGuides, diluted hydrogen peroxide can be used for tough stains like wine or coffee, but must be thoroughly cleaned off of your marble countertop to avoid etching the marble. However, if the stain has penetrated too deep to be removed by hydrogen peroxide, applying a simple baking soda paste and letting it settle on the stain might just do the trick (per Academy Marble). While this method can be attempted several times to loosen up a particularly tough stain, sometimes professional help is required to restore your countertop to a like-new condition.

If you own marble countertops, you've probably seen the wide array of specialty marble cleaners that line the shelves of your favorite grocery store. These tend to be quite a bit pricier than everyday cleaning products, so it's only natural to wonder whether they're worth the price. The truth is, most marble-specific cleaners won't cause any harm to your marble countertops and are equally effective as cleaning your countertops with soap and water. However, according to Countertop Specialty, any natural stone cleaner with a pH above 10 can dull your countertop's appearance by etching the marble surface.

For this reason, it's incredibly important to do your research and to test out a cleaner on a small part of your countertop before cleaning the entire surface. It's also worthwhile to check online reviews to see how other homeowners have fared using a specific cleaner. If in doubt, it's probably a good idea to simply save some money by cleaning everyday messes with your favorite gentle dish soap and warm water.