How To Clean And Restore Cultured Marble

How To Make clean Cultured Marble Countertops and Showers

woman cleaning a white cultured marble countertop

Learning how to clean cultured marble properly is essential to avoid impairment and maintain all surfaces in similar-new condition. Cleaning cultured marble showers, sinks, countertops, and vanity tops is easy plenty, but you tin't just get at information technology willy-nilly with whatsoever blazon of cleaner. Specific care is needed.

First, it's vital to know that cultured marble is non real marble. Information technology's a mutual betoken of confusion. Cultured marble is a homo-made solid-surface cloth made with marble dust and resins. It is similar to Corian countertops.

Cleaning and maintenance requirements, repair options, and types of products used are different from regular marble and other materials.

Follow the recommendations provided in this detailed guide, and yous'll know how to clean cultured marble like a pro.

Related Content on How To Clean Cultured Marble:

Repairing Cultured Marble: Scratches, Cracks, Polishing, and Refinishing
Cultured Marble vs. Marble: What'south The Deviation?
Cultured Marble vs. Corian, Quartz, and Granite

Do'due south & Don'ts for Cleaning Cultured Marble:

To go on your cultured marble in summit condition, you must apply the proper cleaners, avoid damaging products, and develop skilful maintenance habits.

Cultured marble is durable, but quality does vary, and often information technology can be damaged by many common and brand-name household cleaners.

You may read that sure products or cleaners are safe to utilize, but in fact, it's a adventure. You chance scratching or discoloring the finish. Even manufacturers give contradicting recommendations.

Popular cleaners used only once or twice may not damage. But when used regularly, they will ruin the cultured marble. Better rubber than sorry.

For Regular Cleaning

Spray on a pH-neutral cultured marble cleaner. Using a soft textile or non-abrasive sponge, wipe down the surface and buff dry to eliminate streaks. Do not use whatever harsh or abrasive cleaners or scrubbers.

Apply this Gel-Coat product periodically to maintain the glossy smoothen. This Topical Marble Polish works great also.

You'll clean cultured marble sinks the same fashion every bit the countertop. The same rules use.

Follow all guidelines presented hither for cultured marble bathrooms. But run into the specific department beneath on cleaning a cultured marble shower. Showers and tubs take some special needs.

Soap or a balmy detergent is commonly recommended but is counterproductive (see why below).

Use a pH neutral difficult surface cleaner like Puracy for daily cleaning. A quality Marble Cleaner (fabricated for existent marble) is besides an excellent and safety cleaner for cultured marble.
Avoid using soap as a general cleaner. When used regularly, fifty-fifty a mild soap or detergent will create a soap scum flick on the surface. This film looks irksome and dingy and makes the surface even harder to make clean over time. Also, it is hard to remove without potentially damaging the finish. It's precisely the same problem equally seen in showers.
Apply Gel-Gloss Polish for cultured marble regularly to maintain the similar-new smoothen, condition the gel coat, buff out surface scratches, and brand the surface easier to make clean.
Do not utilize annoying cleaners, abrasive pads, steel wool, scrapers, or sandpaper (except when repairing as detailed below).
Note: balmy abrasive pads or cleaners like Soft Scrub may be gently used on a "matte" finish but simply when needed to remove calorie-free stains.
Avoid contact with strong, caustic, acidic cleaners, citrus cleaners, harsh chemicals similar bleach, pigment removers, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, and acetone (including fingernail smoothen remover), ammonia, and vinegar.
Do not apply hair dyes or whatever similar dyes around cultured marble. Dyes tend to stain.
Avert water temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Repeated exposure to extremely hot water tin crusade cracks. This commonly happens around the sink drain. Normal water temperature from your water heater should be around 125 - 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hot objects will scorch, burn, or even cook the surface. Do not place hot pans, cooking appliances, or hair-styling tools directly on the surface or you'll likely need to refinish the surface. Quite a projection!
For instance, removing curling iron burns from cultured marble is a common issue on bathroom vanity tops.

Employ trivets for hot pots or a silicone hot mat to set up larger hot things on to protect the surface.

Important Tip: Some cultured marble intendance guidelines you read online are contradictory, even from a few cultured marble manufacturers.

You may read recommendations to utilize white vinegar, ammonia, or bleach to clean cultured marble showers or remove hard water stains. But many cultured marble manufacturers specifically country not to employ acids like vinegar and other strong cleaners similar chlorine bleach as these can damage the gel coating.

Or to avoid acetone, simply then also say to use acetone to remove nail shine, ink, or other gunk stuck to the surface. Get figure!

What Should You Not Use On Cultured Marble?

You're probably wondering if sure cleaners or your favorite product should be used to clean cultured marble. Many common cleaners are not rubber.

Stick with a quality pH neutral cleaner and soft material or sponge.

Practice Non use the post-obit cleaners:

Clorox Wipes will harm cultured marble. Clorox Wipes contain bleach, which may dull the protective gel coat of cultured marble.
Bar Keeper'south Friend should not be used as a cultured marble cleaner. It is both acidic and annoying and can scratch and deadening the finish.
Soft Scrub is not safe to use as it is annoying and contains bleach. Like Bar Keeper'southward Friend and Clorox Wipes, it can ruin the shine and finish.
Windex and other window or glass cleaners should not be used on cultured marble. These are non as harsh equally other cleaners, just repeated utilize can still cause harm. When cleaning mirrors, spray Windex on the material first to avoid overspray onto the countertop.
CLR, Lime-Abroad or other hard water stain or calcium deposit cleaners. Use a safe non-acidic Hard Water Remover instead.
Oven cleaners and bleed cleaners will cause severe impairment and should not be used on or around this countertop material.
Ammonia, which has a high pH (like bleach) and can ruin the terminate and gloss.
Vinegar should not be used for cleaning cultured marble. White vinegar (and all other types) is a strong acid. Acidic chemicals will dull or etch the surface when used as a regular cleaner.
Hydrogen peroxide. Do not use it every bit Information technology is acidic and will etch or damage the gloss finish.
Acetone is a solvent that will damage cultured marble surfaces. It will deliquesce the gel coat finish. Also, do not use fingernail polish remover as it contains acetone.
Comet or other abrasive powdered cleaners. These will scratch and dull the stop.
Annoying scrub pads or steel wool will crusade scratches and dullness. Practise non use.

Some of these cleaners are constructive when making a repair or removing a stain but may scratch or dull the resin coating in the process. So utilise with caution and only when really needed as role of a repair or stain-removal procedure.

If you choose to attempt these harsh chemicals, then test the cleaner first on a small subconscious surface area to ensure it volition not damage. Not all cultured marble is exactly the same, so results may vary.

Cleaning Cultured Marble: Loftier Gloss vs. Matte Finish

The vast bulk of cultured marble materials come up with a loftier-gloss cease. It'south the protective outer layer of articulate blanket that creates this shiny surface. But a matte finish is also bachelor now to adjust different tastes in blueprint.

Cleaning requirements are basically the aforementioned, with a couple of nuances between the 2 types.

Loftier Gloss End

A high-gloss cultured marble surface will prove dust more readily and may demand daily cleaning to keep it looking its best. This is peculiarly truthful for surfaces with a minimal pattern or a solid color.

Again, avoid using lather as a cleaner. It won't harm the cultured marble direct, simply a tedious film can build upwardly on the surface when used regularly. This oily film is challenging to clean and tin can lead to discoloration.

Instead, use a marble cleaner or non-abrasive, all-purpose cleaner like the highly-regarded Puracy for proper cleaning. It'southward non-toxic, biodegradable, super-effective, and dries streak-free.

Apply the cleaning product with a not-abrasive pad, soft sponge, or a microfiber material.

An annoying sponge or cleaner will scratch the resin coating, causing dull spots or a hazy finish. Never utilize an abrasive cleaner or pad for regular cleaning. The just exception is when necessary for stain removal and repairs (see more beneath).

Polish for Cultured Marble

How practise you lot make cultured marble shine again?

Use Gel-Gloss Polish regularly to go along cultured marble shiny or restore the glossy shine.

This production is specific for polishing cultured marble. It functions like car wax or fiberglass polish. It will protect the elevation layer gel glaze and maintain the luster of the high-gloss end.

Gel-Gloss will vitrify out light surface scratches and make regular cleaning a snap.

A Topical Marble Polish is also a adept choice for regular maintenance and enhancing the smooth.

If your cultured marble vanity, shower, or tub is actually tiresome, damaged, or yellowed, then you will need to repair or refinish it first. But Gel-Gloss is used as part of this polishing and refinishing process too.

Matte Terminate

This type of cultured marble finish won't show grit and clay as readily as a high-gloss finish, merely smudges and fingerprints tin exist more axiomatic on darker colors.

Apply the same non-annoying cleaning products recommended higher up for general cleaning.

Although a matte cease tin can stand upwardly to annoying cleaners better than a polished finish, consistent apply tin can vesture on the finish leaving it looking more than boring or hazy.

How To Clean a Cultured Marble Shower

Soap film buildup and hard water stains are the biggest cleaning problems for cultured marble bathrooms, tubs, and showers. The Soap Film & Hard Water Cleaner is peculiarly-formulated for safe and effective cleaning for showers and tubs.

hard water stains on cultured marble shower wall

Really, this is true for showers fabricated with natural marble, natural stone, acrylic, fiberglass, etc. All showers have this trouble.

Soap scum leaves a boring, hazy moving picture on the shower walls and flooring. Mineral deposits in the water create crusty white or yellowish deposits around the drain in the shower base or on shelves and seats in the shower.

Removing excess water with a squeegee after showering can assist minimize buildup and make cleaning easier.

These same bug can occur on a cultured marble bathtub or effectually sink faucets and drain as well.

And both types of films tin lead to the growth of mold and mildew.

Steps to Clean a Cultured Marble Shower:

Apply a non-acidic Hard H2o & Soap Scum Remover.
Allow the production sit and soak for v-ten minutes.
Scrub with a not-abrasive pad or scrub brush.
Rinse and Repeat until clean.
Apply the aforementioned Hard Water & Soap Moving-picture show cleaner for regular cleaning to eliminate problems with lather film buildup, water spots, hard water stains, and mold.

Beware Contradictory Recommendations

Many sites propose using diluted vinegar (acidic) and a fabric to remove hard water stains or even covering the area with a fabric or paper towels soaked in vinegar, merely information technology'south a big take a chance.

Vinegar is a commonly accepted and constructive household cleaner for many purposes. It can remove hard water deposits, simply it may also damage the finish of cultured marble, existent marble, and other surfaces.

So be careful what cleaning product you use. Always test on a small hidden area commencement.

As noted above, many cultured marble manufacturers state to avoid acidic cleaners and other stiff chemicals.

What is a bit ironic and comical is that some sites will recommend both using vinegar (which is acidic) in one judgement while also stating to avoid anything acidic—same contradiction with acetone.

The safe bet is to use the non-acidic Soap Movie & Hard Water Remover to clean a cultured marble bathroom. It works dandy on grout equally well and every bit a marble cleaner. However, cultured marble showers don't usually accept grout lines like real marble.

Again, use information technology equally your regular shower cleaner to remove water spots, hard water stains, lather motion-picture show buildup, and mold growth or mildew. This product makes information technology easy to maintain squeaky clean shower walls and floor.

Does Cultured Marble Stain?

Cultured marble is durable and resistant to most stains. But it can stain from hair dyes, ink, shoe smoothen, nail smooth, some foods and drinks, colored waxes, and oils.

Stains don't e'er or hands occur from such substances, merely it is possible and does happen.

Removing Cultured Marble Stains

To remove stains in cultured marble, you may accept to use products that you should non use for regular cleaning, as noted in a higher place. It's a bit of a catch-22.

And so it'due south a judgment call. Remove the cultured marble stain but risk other damage to the gel coat. However, refinishing the protective gel-coat is possible. So in many cases, this is the only way to become out stubborn stains. The key is to exam first and don't be as well ambitious.

Ink Stain Removal

To remove cultured marble stains from ink, nail polish, dyes, or anything stuck on the surface, effort isopropyl alcohol on a cotton ball and gently rub.

Or utilize a non-acetone fingernail smooth remover (annotation that most fingernail polish removers contain acetone).

Food, Oils, and Other Stains

For general stain removal, gently scrub using an extremely fine grade Scotch Pad, an abrasive sponge, or Soft Scrub.

As noted above... abrasives may damage the protective glossy gel-glaze. So you may have to repair the finish with a polishing compound subsequently removing cultured marble stains.

Procedures for stain removal are the aforementioned for cultured marble sinks, showers, tubs, vanities, and cultured marble countertops.

How To Clean Cultured Marble That Has Yellowed

Cultured marble can be maintained in splendid condition for a long fourth dimension if yous follow the above guidelines for proper cleaning and care.

Over time cultured marble tin can xanthous for a couple of reasons.

Lack of natural light or fresh air in the bathroom can crusade the surface to yellow later on many years.
Repeated utilise of abrasives or harsh cleaners is another reason. Annoying and harsh cleaners rough up the gel-glaze, which then accumulates clay and oils, making information technology harder to make clean. This leads to a barbarous cycle.

More often than not, you see yellowed cultured marble when removing an sometime faucet. Underneath will exist yellowish. Just also if you lot keep a soap dish or any kind of decor detail in the same identify, information technology tin yellow underneath.

Steps to make clean yellowed cultured marble:

Mix a very dilute bleach solution (1 capful of bleach added to a 32 oz. / quart spray bottle full of water).
Let the dilute bleach solution to dwell on the surface for 5 minutes.
Scrub gently with a non-abrasive pad.
Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
If the above procedure doesn't work, then yous may have to sand down and refinish the cultured marble surface.

Do not let the bleach solution sit on the surface for too long. Use it and scrub a scrap, then rinse it very well. Repeat until yellowing is removed.

WARNING: Bleach or products containing bleach should never be used as a regular cultured marble cleaner. Use only when attempting to remove yellowing.

Can Cultured Marble Be Refinished?

Yes. As long equally the protective gel-coat remains, it is possible to refinish cultured marble. Y'all can refinish cultured marble yourself, merely information technology may be all-time to hire a pro depending on your handyman skill level. Or only supercede the countertop or shower.

Conclusion

Cultured marble is a human-made textile used for countertops, bathroom vanity tops, bathtubs, and showers. It'south not the same as a marble countertop.

Information technology is durable, resistant to most types of harm, reasonably depression-maintenance, and piece of cake-to-clean.

However, you demand to learn how to clean cultured marble correctly, including the employ of proper cleaning and polishing products. Using the wrong types of cleaners can quickly ruin the terminate or protective gel-coat.

If y'all follow the guidelines, procedures, and recommendations in this article, you won't have any problems cleaning your cultured marble. Information technology'll look glossy and fabulous for years to come up.

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