Martha Stewart’s Secret to Sparkling Marble Counters – A Kitchen Care Method That Actually Works, and I’ll Never Use Another Way Again
Martha revealed the step-by-step process she swears by to keep her marble counters looking spotless
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If you have marble countertops in your kitchen, you'll know that they strike a brilliant balance between beauty and durability, which is perhaps the most important consideration in kitchen design. Yet in spite of their sturdiness, marble counters still require regular maintenance, and it can be tricky to know where to start.
It might be durable, but marble is vulnerable to pesky marks and stains. I'll admit that I've never known exactly how to tackle these – until I stumbled upon Martha Stewart's method.
Shop Martha Stewart's Marble Cleaning Essentials
This water-based sealer provides impressive stain protection on a variety of surfaces, from stone to tile and even grout. You can use it both indoors and outdoors, too.
This is a reliable way to clean stone countertops, and it also helps to reinforce them and protect against wear. You can use it surfaces like granite, slate, sandstone, and ceramic tiles, too.
Acetone is a crucial part of Martha's process: it works brilliantly to dissolve stains and marks, and it leaves no residue. Pour it into a rag before wiping your surfaces – just don't forget to wear rubber gloves.
You can never have too many cloths; fortunately, these are machine-washable, but it's always best to stock up when you're tackling big cleaning tasks.
Martha swears by 400-grit sandpaper sheets; she uses them to remove tough marks and stains. You can use each sheet multiple times, but the cleaning process does require a bit of perseverance.
While regular cloths can help you remove to stains, microfiber cloths are softer, making them ideal for wiping down surfaces without risking scratches or marks.
In the blog post, Martha takes us into her kitchen to reveal how to clean marble countertops effectively – as well as discussing the benefits and drawbacks of this luxurious material.
'While marble counters are stunning, they do come with some disadvantages,' she writes. 'To start, marble is very porous making it prone to staining and etching. Marble is also softer than other countertop materials which causes it to be more susceptible to scratches.'
After enlisting the help of Mark Galazzo, owner of Precision Stone in Greenwich, Connecticut, Martha documents the cleaning process carried out by her housekeeper, Enma. You can check out each step below.
Martha Stewart's Failsafe Method For Cleaning Marble Countertops
While marble counters make a statement, maintenance can be tricky – but Martha's cleaning tips are priceless
1. Wipe With Acetone
As you might expect, the process starts by clearing your counters and wiping them down – but you'll need to invest in some acetone. (Stocking up on cloths, like these cotton terry cleaning towels from Amazon, is also a wise idea, along with some rubber gloves like these nitrile disposable gloves from Walmart.)
'Enma clears the counters and starts by pouring a small amount of acetone onto a rag,' says Martha. 'Acetone is a colorless, flammable liquid used to dissolve various substances. Enma wipes the counter thoroughly with the acetone; my counters are wiped down many times a day, but there is still dirt left on the marble.'
2. Use Sandpaper to Remove Marks
After everything has been wiped down, sandpaper is the key to removing any etching or marks. (You can pick up plenty of sandpaper sheets from Amazon; fortunately, Martha notes that each sheet 'can be used several times before disposing'.)
'Enma pours water onto the counter and uses 400-grit sandpaper to remove the acid etching marks,' she explains. 'Doing it on a wet surface prevents any scratching. The sandpaper is waterproof, so it is very effective on this counter. It is an ultra-fine abrasive that removes the scratches easily and effectively.'
If you want to achieve a spotless result, Martha notes that this part of the process requires some persistence.
'Enma spends at least 10 minutes going over the table with the sandpaper,' she says. 'It doesn’t need too much pressure, but it does necessitate repetition to be sure the marks are removed.'
3. Deep Clean the Surfaces
Next, you'll need to swap out the sandpaper for Martha's recommended products, starting with the StoneTech Revitalizer, Cleaner and Protector.
'Enma wipes the counter again to remove the water, and then she sprays the Stonetech Revitalizer,' Martha says. 'Using another clean rag, Enma spreads the cleaner on the surface and wipes the entire area. She does this several times over to make sure the counter is completely covered and then she wipes it until clean and dry.'
Martha recommends the Stonetech spray since it 'cleans the surface and protects against future stains and bacterial growth'. While she notes that it's effective in removing dirt, she mentions that 'this step may need repeating until the rag ends up clean'.
4. Don't Forget Sealer
In typical Martha style, this blog post doesn't just provide an ingenious solution – it offers advice that you can return to time and again. After detailing her cleaning process, for instance, Martha explains how she keeps her counters protected for future use.
'After a thorough wiping, Enma pours a bit of the StoneTech BulletProof Sealer onto the marble, and she wipes it again carefully,' says Martha. 'This adds a very light layer to seal and protect the surface.'
Martha says that her kitchen is the 'main hub of [her] home' – so regular maintenance is crucial
5. Admire the End Result
The final product? 'No marks or rings at all,' declares Martha.
It's clear that this process doesn't simply improve the aesthetics of your home; it also makes life easier, helping you to use your kitchen to its full potential.
'My kitchen is the main "hub" of my home: it's where I eat meals, meet with staff, and do a lot of my paperwork – all on my marble kitchen counters,' reflects Martha. And after the cleaning process is complete, she proudly notes that her counter 'looks just as it did when it was first installed more than 20 years ago,' concluding that 'it’s great to get these jobs done'.
Marble kitchen ideas are always stylish, but the upkeep can be intimidating – which is why Martha's tips are invaluable.
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