White marks on Black Marble Countertops

Hi Maurizio! I have black marble counter-tops that get these horrible white stains whenever I spill anything acidic (like lemon) or any oil-even white rings if I leave a glass of water on them for too long! What product of yours should I use to first, get rid of the stains, and second, seal the counter to prevent future stains? Thank you! -Kat

 

Dear Katherine:

Black marble countertops in a kitchen, huh… WOW!! L

 

“ What product of yours should I use to first, get rid of the stains ”

 

Of course, a ll the “water stains” you have on your stone are marks of corrosions (etchings) made by various acidic or other pH active liquids that became in contact with the surface of the stone, i.e.: drinks, vinegar, salad dressing, lemon juice, tomato sauce, orange juice, some generic cleaning product and so on through a long list. There's no product on the marketplace – sealer or what-have-you – that could prevent such surface-damages from happening. And this, while convincingly explaining why polished marble does not belong in a kitchen, also answers your second question: nothing on planet Earth could do that for you.

As for the repair of the current damages, you will need the services of a bona fide stone restoration contractor, who will have to hone and re-finish your stone. You could also consider a good quality Marble Repair Kit. Keep in mind, however, that the centerpiece of the kit, MB-11 is the only product of MB product line that does not come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. This is due to the fact that if the etching is too extensive and/or too severe, the whole countertop will need to be professionally honed before polishing. It will help a great deal though, and if some handy person in your household can use a car buffer, it would increase the performance of the product dramatically, but keep in mind that black marble is the most difficult marble to polish.

However, all of the above is rather immaterial: it's a never-ending and unavoidable uphill battle with not a chance of winning it.

Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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