It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The time of year where we celebrate with close friends and family and eat and drink and eat! But hold on a minute…what about your marble, limestone, granite, and travertine kitchen countertops?
No doubt your kitchen will get a lot of use over the holidays. In this week’s blog, we are breaking down which Holiday favorites may affect your gorgeous kitchen countertops. We’ll also give you advice on how to prevent stains and etch marks.
1. The Problem: Acid Etch Marks
What are acid etch marks?
They are chemical burns on the surface of the stone when something acidic is spilled or comes in contact with the stone. These marks look like the finish or the shine has been removed from the surface of the stone. Sealing stone does not prevent etching.
The Culprits:
Fruit Juice
Salad dressing
Or in the case of my Sicilian in-laws, Tomato sauce
The Stone Prep Solution:
Use cutting boards during food prep and coasters under drinking glasses
Try using the Etch Removing Kit for small etch marks or circular ring marks. For larger areas, give International Stoneworks a call so we can re-hone or re-polish the etch marks from the natural stone surface after your holiday party.
2. The Problem: Alcohol Etch Marks
What are alcohol etch marks?
They are chemical burns on the surface of the stone when something alcohol-based is spilled or comes in contact with the stone. These marks look like the finish or the shine has been removed from the surface of the stone. Sealing stone may help if the substance has very low-alcohol content and the stone is cleaned quickly. Stronger alcohols will etch stone immediately.
The Culprits:
Wine
Boozy desserts
Cleaning up after cooking using the wrong cleaner
The Stone Prep Solution:
Use coasters and tablecloths
Use neutral stone cleaners such as Lavenet to clean/degrease stone after cooking.
Use Sani-Tyze if you would like to sanitize stone tops.
Again, International Stoneworks can help remove etch marks from the stone by re-honing or re-polishing the surface.
3. Oils and Grease Stains
What is a stain?
Areas that are stained appear darker in color yet are still smooth to the touch. Oil or grease has penetrated into the pores of the stone and has discolored that area.
The Culprits:
Christmas Candles
Basting and cutting the turkey
Buttery (but very yummy) side dishes
The Stone Prep Solution:
To help prevent oil stains, we recommend sealing your stone with Seal & Go® S or Seal & Go® W prior to your cooking session. These stone sealers are penetrating sealers, meaning they go into the pores of the stone and repel non-acid liquids like water, tea, grease, oil, etc. We recommend re-sealing your stone annually. If you have never sealed your stone before, you may need to apply more than one application of the sealer.
If you want to learn more about how to apply Seal & Go® S or Seal & Go® W, check out our blog post, “Smooth Sealing.”
Happy Holidays from International Stoneworks!
