Marble produces a beauty that lasts. Think about the ancient Roman statues that still stand today. This durable beauty does need a bit of help though; maintaining marble countertops will help them last a lifetime—or more.

Protect Your Investment
Your marble countertop was probably sealed before or after installation. If not, sealing your countertop should be priority. Sealing will give you some protection from stains, but the biggest benefit is that sealing will give you extra time before a stain sets. This extra clean up time will allow you to finish a task and come back to clean up a spill.

Sealing your marble countertops is a bit like waxing a car. Wipe it on; wipe it off. Expect your sealer to last three years under normal use. A coat of wax will add another level of protection, but don’t wax white marble—the wax will yellow the marble.

As a final step, be sure to protect your surfaces from everyday abuse. Use coasters, trivets and cutting boards for entertaining and food prep. Consider that trace chemicals found in water can etch a marble surface and leave permanent rings that can only be removed with sanding and buffing. The best marble maintenance advice is to never let it come in contact with abrasive substances.

Clean Up On Counter Nine
If you do spill something, clean it up as quickly as possible. Wine, juices and vinegar all contain acid. Acid will etch your marble countertops and leave a flat or cloudy splotch. Etched marble can only be repaired with sanding and buffing: not a job for the faint of heart.

When cleaning your marble countertops, use a clean sponge or damp cloth. Warm water and a little pH-neutral soap are all you need to clean most spills. Specialized stone cleaners are available and are certainly useful, but for spills and spot cleaning, mild soap is fine.

Avoid abrasive or harsh cleaners. Even mild abrasives will scratch or cloud the surface of marble countertops. Ammonia-based cleaners will etch marble as well. Avoid window cleaners and general-purpose cleaners that contain ammonia or vinegar.