What Causes Etching In Marble

However soft and porous marble counters have their downsides and chief among them is their tendency to stain or etch.

What causes etching in marble. Then wipe and clean the surface with a clean towel. These acids will etch the marble without fail. In fact just plain water depending on the mineral and chemical content can cause staining or color leaching on unimpregnated unsealed marble surfaces. The marble cleaner s 7 facts about etching on marble.

As a result the exposed area is lighter and duller than it previously was. Then wipe and clean the surface with a clean towel. Many household cleaners contain acids to increase there cleaning power. Think of it as burning the top layer of the marble.

Marble consists of calcium carbonate which interacts with the acid and leaves a dull mark on the surface of the smooth stone. The longer the exposure the deeper the etch can become. When acid touches your marble surface and reacts with the calcium carbonate a tiny bit of the surface is eaten away and dull spots known as etches are created. Etching in marble countertops is caused by the same thing acid.

So we paid visits to every marble topped bar and marble furnished ice cream parlor we could find cocking our heads to the side peering down long polished surfaces to examine the damage left by countless drippy. After the marble etch mark has been removed spray a marble cleaner over the surface. Because marble is a soft stone and made of calcium carbonate it is very prone to marking and etching. Marble etching is very common and the marble cleaner s facts helps prevent and remove these annoying spots.

Can etching be prevented. When my husband and i were researching our kitchen renovation a couple years ago marble countertops were the clear frontrunner but we were nervous about the inevitable etching. Typical household cleaners can cause etch marks. Marble travertine limestone and onyx will react to acidic foods i e.

And often people hold false assumptions and have incorrect ideas about how to polish marble or how marble polishing is actually performed to create a shiny surface finish. The good news is that there are many ways to reduce the likelihood of your. This mark is not a stain but rather an actual change in the stone s composition as the surface is eaten away by the acid. This reaction will result in a dulling in surface sheen and change in texture otherwise referred to as acid etching.

The latter problem etching refers to dulled spots that sometimes appear. Once clean and free of any extra polishing powder dry the surface completely. Worse yet if the substance is acidic you can get an etch and a stain at the same time. Marble polishing and etching are commonly misunderstood those dull water spots and glass rings etch marks are baffling.

Acid etching surface erosion of natural stone what causes acid etching.