How Do You Clean Natural Stone Benchtops?

Benchtops made out of natural stone materials add character, elegance, and fashion to any space both residential and commercial alike.

Cleaning plays a huge role in benchtop maintenance and its general lifespan.

This article covers some useful tips to help you keep your natural stone benchtops looking like brand new. We will take a look at the following:

• Stains you need to be wary of
• Products to avoid
• Creating a cleaning solution
• Other cleaning solutions

Stains You Need To Be Wary Of

While most stains are easily removable with a wet cloth, some stains can be stubborn and usually demand a lot of work and attention to remove.

Permanent markers, red wine, cordial, pasta sauce, pumpkin, and tandoori paste need a lot of work.

Materials like marble have calcium carbonate properties which makes it susceptible to etching and marking.

All forms of acid react with acid which leaves dull spots recognised as etches.

Lemon juice spills or cocktail glasses leave wet patches on marble tops. The liquid spill leaves a subtle, unsightly mark.

With natural stone being so vulnerable to etching, it makes marble one of the hardest to clean.

The reaction properties limit the number of cleaners that can be used like vinegar and all acid-based cleaners.

However, with the right products, marble is as durable as other stone benchtops.

Create A Cleaning Solution

Some items needed are:

• Warm water
• Dishwashing liquid
• Cleaning cloth
• Spray bottle
• Highly absorbent towel

Create a cleaning solution by combining warm water and dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle. Shake well to mix the two together.

Spray the solution lightly on the benchtop surface. Dampen the cleaning cloth in warm water to wipe the soapy surface.

After that, use the highly absorbent towel to dry off the benchtop.

Spillages should be dealt with immediately to avoid staining. The longer a stain is left unattended the more difficult it becomes to remove it.

On the other hand, there are instances where you cannot attend to spillages immediately like overnight parties so you must be prepared to deal with stains.

Cleaning Solutions

Use a poultice. A poultice is a thick cleaning paste made from detergent, liquid chemical (diluted hydrogen peroxide with baking soda) and white absorbent material.

The liquid solution draws the stain into the absorbent material.

Though the poultice is a strong cleaning agent, you may have to apply it repeatedly to completely remove certain stains.

Some stains may require stronger cleaning solutions, but poultices work best on wine, coffee, tea, and other organic stains.

Dampen the stained surface with tap water before spreading half an inch of the thick poultice.

Let the paste sit on the benchtop for 24 to 48 hours and cover it with a plastic seal. As the poultice dries, it draws in the stain from the stone benchtop.

Remove it by pulling off the poultice and wipe the surface with a wet cloth. Repeat the process for stubborn stains.

Using Corn Starch

Grease and oil stains are difficult to remove without the right products.

Using soap and water to remove grease stains takes a lot of effort unlike using corn starch.

Sprinkle corn starch on the stained area and let it sit for about 20 minutes to allow it to absorb the grease.

Wipe off the corn starch with a damp cloth and dry off with a soft dry cloth.

Polishing Stone Benchtops

Polishing is an essential cleaning process in keeping stone benchtops in good condition. It is also a relatively straightforward process.

Make sure you choose the right polishing materials. For marble surfaces, avoid products with polyurethane and acrylic finishes.

Most polishing materials are specifically designed for certain materials, colours, and textures.

Whether you are using chalk powder or commercially available polishes, always start from the centre. For chalk powder, use a wet cloth to polish.

If you have tiles and are looking for a professional and highly specialised tile and stone care company, then look no further than us at Slique.

Slique has highly-developed systems and processes, which means we provide a tile cleaning service that is second to none.
Please call us today on (02) 9648 0395 or contact us through our website https://www.slique.com.au/contact-us/ for all your tile cleaning needs.