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While the countertop materials that we offer at Washington Marble World aren’t super high maintenance, do they do involve a certain degree of maintenance to keep them looking their best.

 

Cleaning Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertops are available in all types of patterns, designs, and colorations. Their versatility is part of why so many people gravitate to them. These countertops are made of a nonporous material, which means that they’ll never need to be sealed—all the while resisting stains, mold, mildew, and bacteria.

It matters what chemicals you choose to clean your countertops. Here’s a quick guide for quartz:

– In the moments after a spill, use dish soap and a soft cloth.
– For tougher stains, use glass/surface cleaner and a soft cloth (or a nonabrasive sponge).

Quartz is durable, but it does not take well to rough sponges, Clorox, oven cleaners, concentrated bleach, nail polish remover, and other harsh chemicals. Cleaning these countertops daily with simple soap and water is enough to keep them gleaming.

 

Cleaning Granite Countertops

Granite countertops are a natural stone that is heat resistant, scratch resistant, and gorgeous. Since it’s a natural, porous stone, it needs to be sealed in order to remain tough against stains and liquid damage.

Everyday cleaning for granite involves the same components as quartz—just soap and water will do the trick. It’s also important to avoid acidic cleaners, vinegar, Windex, and bleach—these are not good for granite surfaces because they dull the finish and weaken the seal.

Here’s a quick granite cleaning guide:

– Use a soft, dry sponge to wipe off crumbs and debris.
– Wet the sponge and add soap for everyday cleaning and use a “windshield-wiper-like” motion.
– For hardened stains, use a razor blade (carefully), a plastic knife, or baking soda.

Make sure to dry off whatever solution you use, as sitting liquid can damage granite’s sealant over time.

 

Cleaning Marble Countertops

There’s nothing like the glamor that comes with marble countertops, but they are known for being sensitive. Much like granite, these countertops are porous and require sealant, and they stand up well to heat.

Staying away from acids around your marble is key. Don’t let spills accumulate—instead, clean them right away. As with the other two countertop materials, dish soap, water, and a soft cloth will do wonders for your marble.

For marble, use this cleaning guide:

– Mix dish soap and water in a spray bottle, then spray the solution onto your countertops. Wipe down the surface with a nonabrasive sponge.
– For oil-based stains, mix dish soap with a tiny amount of bleach or acetone, then spray directly onto the spot. Wipe it away immediately and rinse with soap and water.

 

Cleaning Your Countertops

Maintaining your stone countertops isn’t as intimidating as it may seem. To learn more about this practice, get in touch with Washington Marble Works today at (253) 891-1823.

There are plenty of myths that surround marble—too many to fit into this article. This is a natural material that has been used for centuries, and some ancient marble fixtures can still be found standing to this day! For quite a long time, it’s been the pinnacle of luxury and class, and as of 2022, it’s more accessible than ever.

Here we’ll debunk three myths that you’ll commonly hear about marble countertops so you can move forward with your marble investment with confidence.

 

Three Marble Myths, Debunked

1. Marble needs tons of care

Almost every article will tell you that marble calls for an indescribable amount of care, but this is not true. While marble does require a certain degree of TLC, it’s no more or less than the care you’d show to any other type of countertop.

Since marble is a porous, natural stone, it requires sealant upon fabrication and regular resealing as time goes on. This sealant will prevent major staining and liquid damage, and it’s a small price to pay to keep your countertops looking fabulous.

Marble’s daily maintenance is nothing to worry about, either. To clean it, all you need is dish soap, warm water, and a soft cloth.

2. Marble isn’t food-safe

Since marble is a porous stone, many people mistakenly believe that it’s not a safe surface to prepare food on. They think that bacteria will find its way into marble’s pores and create a home there—but they’re wrong.

While marble itself does have pores, these pores are not accessible to bacteria once marble is sealed. If you use the right seal, marble is a perfectly safe surface upon which to prepare food. In fact, you’ll find marble surfaces in many professional kitchens.

Just make sure you keep up on your sealant. That way, you can prepare food on your marble surface without worry.

3. Marble won’t last

While it’s true that marble is relatively soft compared to granite, quartzite, and quartz, that doesn’t mean that it won’t last. Even though it’s a soft stone, it’s still a stone—and not a fragile stone at that! With the right care, marble can last for generations. Just look at the marble fixtures throughout history and how long they have lasted.

Even if your marble sustains etches and scratches, these are just surface blemishes. They will not affect the integrity of the stone itself. All you need to do in this instance is give your stone a good refinish, and it will look as good as new. Better yet, exercise care with your marble slab to avoid scratches and etches in general.

 

Keeping Up with Marble

There are plenty more myths that surround marble countertops, and we would be glad to discuss them with you. To learn why marble is a great investment, get in touch with us at Washington Marble Works today.

Renovations are a great time to introduce new-and-improved aspects to your bathroom. They are also a big investment, so you’ll want to make sure that you’re investing in the right things when it comes to your remodel.

At Washington Marble Works, our team of professionals knows quite a bit about bathroom remodels, so we’re here to tell you how to get the most functionality and beauty out of your bathroom. After all, this room is where most of us start and end the day—it should turn out exactly as you imagined it, or even better.

 

Tips for Your Bathroom

Here are three tips that you should always remember when remodeling your bathroom:

 

1. Consider the Lighting

Bathroom lighting is essential for getting ready, so to make it extra-customizable, we recommend installing a dimmer on the light switch. Not only does this let you adjust the lighting for your reflection, but it also lets you shift the mood. If you’re taking a relaxing bath, you don’t want to be encased in darkness, but overly bright overhead lighting isn’t very peaceful either.

You should also include a light in your shower space—this is something that not many people think of doing.

A well-lit bathroom is a game changer. It also helps to have a vanity area with recessed fixtures around the mirror so you can see what you’re doing when shaving, styling your hair, or doing any task that involves fine details.

2. Remember Shower Essentials

There are a few things about your shower that you should know in order to make your bathroom as comfortable as possible. First of all, installing a frosted glass window in your shower area is a great way to add ventilation and prevent mold and mildew buildup in your bathroom.

Second of all, it’s wise to put some critical thought into your showerhead. If the shower is a rejuvenating, relaxing place for you, you won’t regret installing a rainfall showerhead for luxury and a heated towel rack for an ultimate spa-like feeling.

And in your shower, recessed niches can be a huge asset to storing shampoo, conditioner, and other shower supplies so they don’t fall all over the place while you’re in there.

3. Think of the Countertops

Vanity tops should be both functional and beautiful. Since the bathroom can sometimes be wet and soapy, the last thing your countertops should be is porous and vulnerable. You want something that you don’t have to cast a second thought toward when you’re rushing in the morning.

Quartz is a great choice because it’s nonporous, stain resistant, and scratch resistant too. Not to mention beautiful!

 

Creating Your Ultimate Bathroom Remodel

At Washington Marble Works, we care about making your bathroom remodel the best that it can be. To get started on your project, get in touch with us today for a consultation.

At Washington Marble Works, we offer top-of-the-line porcelain slabs that would be a great asset in any kitchen. But some people—especially those who are partial to natural stone countertops—may not be quite convinced of porcelain’s worth.

Here’s the thing: porcelain has all the qualities that you love about natural stone but with none of the maintenance and upkeep.

Natural stone slabs can have fissures that have the potential to cause severe damage. They can also stain and etch. Most of them also need to be sealed. Porcelain has none of these traits.

In this article, you’ll learn just what porcelain is and why we love it as a kitchen countertop material.

 

What Is Porcelain?

Porcelain is a durable material made out of white china clay and powdered china stone. This mixture is heated at 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, then coated with a pigmented glaze in order to give the look of natural stone.

These man-made stones are nonporous, meaning they never have to be sealed. Even without sealant, they don’t allow bacteria and germs to collect on their surface—because the surface doesn’t have pores for them to collect inside.

Porcelain countertops are scratch resistant and heat resistant too, which are two qualities of natural stone that people fawn over.

All of these details make porcelain a great choice for the kitchen.

 

Porcelain Durability

Porcelain is so hard that, if you slice food on its surface, it’s likely that your knife will become dull. For this reason, we recommend always using a cutting board.

Since porcelain is nonporous, you don’t have to worry about stains from food, drinks, or condiments finding their way onto your countertop.

Since porcelain is created at such high temperatures, there’s no way it takes any issue with hot pots and pans. Although, to avoid thermal shock (damage from going from one extreme temperature to the other), we recommend always using a hot pad or trivet.

Very little maintenance goes into porcelain countertops. They’re easy to clean—all you need is a soft, damp cloth and mild detergent to make sure they shine.

 

Porcelain Style

If the durability isn’t enough to convince you that porcelain is a great kitchen countertop material, it will surely win you over with its versatile designs. Because it’s a man-made material, there are a variety of colors available and endless possibilities for styling and design. No matter the aesthetic of your kitchen, whether you have a vibe that’s traditional and rustic or sleek and contemporary, there is always a way for porcelain to look right at home.

 

Choosing Porcelain

At Washington Marble Works, we are big fans of porcelain and would be happy to answer any questions you may have about this versatile material. To learn more about it, stop in and see us or give us a call today at (253) 891-1823.

While searching for countertops, you’ll find two main materials: quartz and natural stone. While natural stone has been the top choice for a long time, quartz is slowly taking its place as number one. The reason is that it doesn’t call for much maintenance and its durability can’t be beat.

 

Five Advantages

Here are five advantages that quartz has over natural stone:

It’s full of variety.

Quartz come in all sorts of styles and colorations—their looks are so versatile that it’s not difficult to find a slab that fits the style of your kitchen. While natural stone is limited to the patterns and designs that the earth can make, quartz is man-made and can be customized. It also has the ability to mimic the look of natural stone.

It’s low maintenance.

If you’re someone who likes a beautiful countertop but doesn’t have the time or the inclination to put a ton of work into it, then quartz is a great option. There’s no need to buy fancy cleaners or expensive chemicals to clean it, all you need to do is wipe it down with soap and water.

It’s actually better for your quartz countertops if you avoid harsh cleaners, as these substances have the potential to harm quartz’s surface over time.

It’s hygienic.

People love using quartz in the kitchen and the bathroom because of its nonporous nature. While marble and granite require sealant to keep them impervious to germs and bacteria, quartz doesn’t, and yet it still does not harbor bacteria or germs. You can feel peace knowing your countertop isn’t hiding any unknown, microscopic intruders.

It’s durable.

If you have a busy family, quartz should be your top choice. It’s much harder than natural stone, and it’s often considered indestructible because it’s not created with any materials that degrade over time. It’s for this reason that your quartz countertop has the ability to last for generations upon generations!

It also doesn’t sustain damage easily. Unless you go at your quartz slab with a sledgehammer, it’s not likely to chip or crack.

It has a low environmental impact.

As far as the earth is concerned, quartz is one of the most eco-friendly materials on the market. Natural stone involves the process of quarrying, and this calls for a significant amount of hard labor that uses quite a bit of resources.

Quartz, on the other hand, is made in a factory with materials that would otherwise have gone to waste. If the environment matters to you, there’s yet another reason why you should consider quartz.

 

Quartz Compared to Natural Stone

When it comes to comparing these two types of stones, there are many ways in which quartz wins out. To learn more about this engineered stone and how it can positively impact your life, contact Washington Marble Works today.