When we rebuilt the kitchen after our water leak, we kept almost everything the same as when we bought the house. We were on a very tight budget as new homeowners, and keeping things the same made it so we didn’t have to change out cabinetry in the unaffected areas of the kitchen. That said, the one thing we did decide to upgrade was the counters. Instead of reinstalling old, dated tile, we bought natural stone slabs for our counters and backsplash.
We love the upgrade and think natural stone counters are beautiful, but we quickly learned that they must be resealed to keep them this way. Sealing the stone slows its absorption of liquids and foods, which helps keep staining and etching at bay. Not all stone is made equal though, and how often you should reseal the counters depends on the type of stone in your home. If your counters are made of a more porous stone, such as marble or limestone, they should be sealed more frequently than a less porous stone like granite.
Our counters were sold to us as quartzite, but we learned later that quartzite can vary widely in its properties. Our quartzite counters are quite porous and etch easily, so, we reseal our counters roughly every six months. When the sealant isn’t enough and our counters do etch I, fortunately, found an etch remover that works well on our counters. So now we give our counters a one-two punch and integrate etch removal into our counter-sealing routine.
MATERIALS
| MATERIALS NEEDED |
| Lustro Italiano Etch Remover |
| 511 Impregnator Sealer |
| White Rags |
| Rubber Gloves |
| Spoon |
| Spray Bottle of Water |
| Paper Towels |
TIME COMMITMENT
| ACTIVE TIME: About 1-2 hours spread over a couple of days |
| Etch remover takes about 1-1.5 hours, depending on how many spots |
| Sealer takes about 15 minutes for each coat, so 30 minutes total |
| TOTAL TIME: 2-4 days, most of this is drying time |
STEP BY STEP
STEP 1 – CLEAR OFF COUNTERS & CLEAN
The first step on your journey to remove etch marks and seal your counters is to clear everything off the counters. We put everything on the dining room table, so it’s still easily accessible but also out of the way. Your counters will be out of commission for the next few days so make sure to set things up so that you can access anything you may need. For example, we make sure to find an area where we can still plug in and use the coffee pot because coffee is so very important!
After you’ve cleared everything off the counters, wipe them down with water and a rag. Make sure that the counters are clear of crumbs, and sticky food/drink residue.
STEP 2 – REMOVE ETCH MARKS
The next step is to remove the etch marks (if any) on the counter.
LOCATE THE ETCH MARKS TO REMOVE
Locate the etch marks you’d like to tackle. As you can see below, we had an especially nasty cup ring on the counter this round.
For your first time using the etch remover, I cannot stress this enough – test the etch remover somewhere inconspicuous or, better yet, on a scrap piece of stone if you have one. Some etch removers will damage your stone, and you want to ensure it will solve your etch problem, not cause an even bigger one.
APPLY THE ETCH MARK REMOVER
After locating the etch marks, grab the Lustro Italiano Etch Remover. Make sure to put on rubber gloves to protect your skin. Then, using a spoon, take a small amount of the etch remover out of the container and place it on the counter over the etched area. DO NOT SHAKE OR STIR THE CONTENTS.
Per the jar’s instructions, apply about 1 tsp. of etch remover for about 4 sq. inches. If the area is larger than 4 sq. inches, focus on one area at a time so that your etch remover isn’t sitting out on the counter.
With a rag, work the etched area in small circular motions. Add a little water to the etch remover if it is too dry, you want to keep a toothpaste consistency. Continue to work in small circles for 2-3 minutes.
After the time is up, scoop the remaining etch remover back into the container and clean off the area using water and a paper towel.
REPEAT THE PROCESS, IF NECESSARY
If the etch mark is still there, repeat the process. I’ve found that deep etch marks will not disappear entirely, even with repeated attempts and some elbow grease, but they will lighten significantly. That said, lighter etch marks will go away after one or two turns under the etch remover.
The above photo is after one round of etch remover. As you can see, the mark is still there, but much lighter. I completed four rounds on this mark since it was so deep.
The above photo is after four rounds of etch remover. The mark is still visible if you view the counter in the right light and at the correct angle. However, it is so light that I cannot get a picture of it.
WAIT 24 HOURS
Once you have tackled all the etch marks on the counter, wait 24 hours until the next step. During this time, avoid using the counter, especially in the areas where you used the etch remover.
STEP 3 – SEAL THE COUNTERS
After 24 hours, it’s time to seal the counters. Grab the 511 Impregnator Sealer, some rubber gloves, and white rags.
Following the directions on the container, apply the sealer evenly to the counter surface until slightly damp with a clean, white towel.
I split the counter into two parts when sealing. I first do the left side of my kitchen until it’s completely wiped off, and then I start on the right side.
Leave the sealer on the counter for about 3-5 minutes. Then remove any excess with a different clean, white towel. You want to remove the excess before it dries and creates a filmy appearance. If some of the product does dry, you can apply another coat of sealer and wipe it off immediately.
Apply a second coat 2-3 hours later in the same manner.
After both coats are done, allow the sealer to cure for 24-72 hours. During this time, once again, avoid using the counters.
STEP 4 – REASSEMBLE THE KITCHEN
Just look at that shine! After 24-72 hours, it’s time to reassemble the kitchen. I always give everything a good cleaning before returning it to its location. This way the counters and all my appliances are squeaky clean! Enjoy your counters and rest easy knowing they are safe(r) from etching!
If you’re looking for more kitchen projects, check out How to Fix A Rusting Dishwasher Rack, How to Organize Under the Kitchen Sink, or How to Organize a Small Pantry.
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