Cultured Marble Care
- , by Trudy Chuoke Trudy Chuoke
Do you have cultured marble? It’s a question that I ask all the time when someone asks about cleaning the counter tops in the bathroom. Most of the time I get the “deer in the headlights look” because my customers don’t know. And it’s important to know what you have so you know how to safely clean and protect. So, you have to ask, what is on my countertop?
If your countertop was from the early 80’s and 90’s, and is one solid piece including the sink, it’s probably cultured marble. Cultured marble is a composite of crushed marble, or marble dust bonded together in a resin and given a beautiful sheen with a polished gel finish. It is an affordable custom alternative to natural marble and granite. Although it’s affordable it’s also a challenge to safely clean because if you use too strong a cleaner you will damage the gel coating. Once the coating is damaged there is no way to easily repair it. So let me give you some hints on cleaning and maintaining.
TR Industries made Gel Gloss at the request of cultured marble manufacturers. It has a blend of carnauba wax and silicone to clean and protect surfaces. You can use it cultured marble counter tops and shower and tub surrounds. It can be used on fiberglass or acrylic whirlpool tubs. Clean and protect your outdoor spa. It will enhance the color, clean off water deposits, and protect the surface. Gel Gloss will hide surface scratches and remove oxidation leaving behind a restored polished finish.
Shake bottle well before and during use. Apply Gel Gloss directly to a clean, dry surface. Using a soft rag rub a thin coat over the surface. Allow to dry slightly to a haze before buffing to a shine. Once Gel Gloss is applied it will repel water, and hard water stain.
Gel Gloss comes in an 8oz., and an aerosol. They are reasonable priced and now on our website. TR Industries has 2 other products that I brought in that I will tell you about next week. If you have any questions about use, call me at the store 210-341-1573.
Now to the email….
Questions: We were going to paint our front door but decided not to change the finish. So, the natural stain looks a little dull. I washed it down thinking it was just dust and grime, but I think the finish still looks faded. Would stripping off the varnish and re-staining be the best solution? Or is there something else we can do?
Answer: As long as the finish is intact, in other words the varnish is not peeling, then absolutely yes there is a much easier and economical answer. Freshen the door color with Restore A Finish. It’s the only product that I know of that will penetrate the finish of the varnish and color the wood underneath. Do you know how old this product is? It’s over 80 years old. This Howard’s product is still owned by the same founding family and is run by the third generation. I talked with the grandsons, and they told me that their dad still comes in the office. You want to take a soft rag, apply Restore on the rag and then directly to the door. I like to go in the direction of the wood. Put on one coat and let dry for an hour. Now look at your door. If the color looks good, then you can move on. However, if it looks like a second coat might be necessary, apply another coat. Restore A Finish comes in eight colors so you can get the closest color possible to the original – however Restore A Finish is very forgiving and will blend in perfectly. I know we are talking about doors but Restore A Finish can be used on your finest furniture. Water marks and inconsistent color from UV damage can all be erased with a couple of coats of Restore A Finish. Then on the door, once the color looks good, apply a protective coat of SunShield. SunShield is a protective coating made of UV inhibitors, carnauba wax, orange oil and beeswax. Sunshield will protect the new finish you just applied and will last until next season. And the cost is under $30 with just a few hours’ time. You neighbors will be asking all the questions!