How do you clean a marble pastry slab?

Your gorgeous marble countertops are something you treasure, but cleaning them requires more care and attention than cleaning other surfaces.

In addition to being an expensive design option, marble is also sensitive to acids, alkalis, and abrasive cleaners. If your budget permits, investing in a commercial, neutral pH marble cleaner will ensure the safest cleaning procedure for your lovely countertops. However, a straightforward mixture of water and baking soda can be a fantastic substitute. In contrast to stronger chemicals like vinegar and ammonia, baking soda doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals, is a powerful sanitizer, stain remover, and is less likely to etch marble. Not to mention that you already have a box in your kitchen cabinet or refrigerator.

The secret is knowing how to use baking soda to polish properly to protect your counters.

How to Clean a Marble Table

Many of the dangers associated with countertop marble also apply to tabletop marble. Use coasters under all beverage containers, whether they are hot or cold, and clean up spills right away. To avoid a film from forming, you should even wipe away any spilled water with a clean, dry cloth.

Bobbi Lin took the first and last images; Sarah Stone took the second image of dough being rolled out; and James Ransom took all the other images.

In a dream world, our entire kitchen counter would be marble. Theres something about the natural stone with its interlocking mosaic of crystals thats sleek but also inviting. But tearing up existing counters can be pricey, to say the least: The average upscale kitchen remodel costs around $80,000, with countertops accounting for 10% of that cost, and marble countertops can cost up to $250 per square-foot.Shop the Story

1. They make the perfect dough. If the dough is too warm, it can become sour and yeasty and become difficult to work with as the butter melts. Buttery pastry and pie dough can also become difficult to work with. Particularly in the summer, when a hot oven can make an already warm kitchen unbearably hot, marble surfaces can help regulate the temperature. Marble feels cool to the touch—and to food, to be more precise—about 7o F cooler than room temperature. ” Pastry hardly sticks to it. It’s almost like a natural Teflon for rolling out dough—you only need a little bit of flour, claims Marsha—because marbles have a naturally smooth surface and are made of natural anti-caking agents.

Tell us in the comments below some of your favorite uses for marble boards!

Although these figures are intimidating, we didn’t want to use the only marble in our kitchen for cake frosting and homemade planters, so we teamed up with Vermont Lifestyle to find a replacement: white marble boards made from marble from Danby. The boards are available in two sizes and are big enough for all baking and serving requirements while still being compact enough to fit directly on top of your existing countertop or dining table. We asked Marsha Hemm, a co-founder of Vermont Lifestyle, and Erin McDowell, our test kitchen manager, why they adore using marble boards (and countertops) in the kitchen:

How Often to Clean Marble Countertops

Despite being a multipurpose and powerful cleaner, you shouldn’t use baking soda on marble every day as it could dull your marble countertops. Instead, you can use a little dish soap and a damp rag to quickly clean your counter every day (or as necessary). Finish off with a clean, dry cloth to remove any remaining soap residue.

Being a soft stone composed of calcium carbonate, marble is easily dulled, scratched, and stained. Try your best not to let spills go unattended and stay away from vinegar and other strong acids as well as detergents and strong alkalis on your counters. You can use baking soda to get rid of tough residue because it is alkaline and considered a mild abrasive, but you should use caution when doing so.

On marble, never use a scrubber or scrub brush as they may scratch the surface. Use a damp rag or the soft side of a sponge in its place.