How To Restore Shine To A Marble Countertop Or Bathroom Vanity That Is Scratched & Dull

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We got this question the other day…

Help! I think I’ve ruined the cultured marble countertop in my bathroom! It’s still white, and looks clean, but it’s got tiny scratches all over it. I’ve only used soft rags to clean it (once I might have used the softest scrubber I could find). I recently used Soft Scrub to clean it, and now our marble countertop is no longer glossy/shiny like before. Is there any hope for restoring the surface of this countertop back to its original shine?

If you’ve ever had a marble countertop — either cultured marble or solid marble — then you know how easily they can be damaged. Normal wear and tear alone can leave your countertop or vanity looking less than stellar, primarily due to minor scratches.

Most homeowners have, at some point, scratched their marble countertops, or cleaned them with the wrong products. The result is usually a dull finish, rather than the sparkle and shine that used to be evident.

Here’s how to restore the color and shine to your marble countertop or vanity sink…

 

Cultured Marble vs Solid Marble

Before we go any further, you should determine whether you have a solid marble or a cultured marble countertop.

In general, cultured marble is less expensive and slightly easier to maintain due to a gel-like coating that helps protect from stains & scratches.

Solid marble is more expensive, more porous, and takes a good bit of extra care to keep it looking nice.

• Solid Marble vs Cultured Marble FAQ
• Cultured Marble Countertops
• Solid Surface vs Cultured Marble: What Are The Differences?
• Cultured Marble Countertop Facts
• Ask The Builder About Cultured Marble

 

How To Repair A Cultured Marble Countertop

You can get your cultured marble countertop looking almost new with just a little bit of effort.

All you need to decide is whether you want to use a sander, or not.

 

Here’s how to repair a cultured marble countertop using a sander:

1. Wet sand the countertop with 1000-grit sand paper which can be found at any home improvement store. Be sure that you don’t sand down too deeply or you’ll go right through the gel top coat of a cultured marble top. (You don’t want to do that, because it’s hard to get it to look nice if you do.) You aren’t going to be able to repair deep gouges with this technique.

2. Once you’ve wet sanded all the shallow scratches and surface stains off, then rinse and dry the countertop.

3. Finally, buff the countertop with a product like Meguiar’s Medium Cut Cleaner.

 

Here’s how to repair a cultured marble countertop without sanding:

• Take appliance wax, car wax or silicone sealer and fill in the fine scratches. This will make the surface of your cultured marble countertop look better.
• Or, you can add a cultured marble polish as a top coat for your countertop or bathroom vanity. Polishes that are safe for cultured marble countertops include:
  Countertop Magic…according to Ask The Builder
  Gel-Gloss Polish …according to This Old House
  Hope’s Cultured Marble Polish…according to Carolina Marble Products

 

It’s worth mentioning that there are also specially made kits for repairing and refinishing a cultured marble countertop. The kits are usually available for solid color surfaces only.