Many people long for the classiness and sophistication of marble tile. But just like linoleum, wood, granite, Formica, and tile, marble needs to be cared for in its own special way, and has its own pros and cons.

Unlike some other types of countertops, it isn't known for being durable. While it is strong, it is also very sensitive to common kitchen items like cleaning chemicals, juices containing citric acid, and oily liquids. These fluids will eventually erode your countertop or make it look "cloudy". Here are some ideas to help you clean and care for your kitchen:

Polished vs. Honed Marble

Assuming your kitchen counters get lots of use, the best choice for you is honed marble, instead of polished. The honed countertops have a matte finish, as the last polishing step is skipped. The polished finish is stunning, but what many people fail to realize before they put it in is that every little bit of alcohol, lemon juice, and olive oil will leave behind spots, tarnishing the shiny surface. Also, nicks and lines from sharp objects such as knives, in the same way as stains, are much more noticeable on polished than honed.

Cleaning Your Marble Tile

Some must-have cleaning accessories:

Specialized stone soap (or another neutral cleaner)
Soft bristle brush (synthetic)
Soft washcloth or sponge
Bucket
Warm water
Stone sealer/protector
Step 1: Preparing Your Countertop

Before you start cleaning your marble tile with specialized products, first use the soft bristle brush to loosen the surface dirt, wiping away what comes off with your soft washcloth or sponge. With the surface dirt gone, those specialized cleaning agents will have much more success.

Step 2: Specialized Cleaners

Be sure to only use cleaning products that were made to clean marble. Most household cleaning products home-owners keep under their sink in the kitchen or in their laundry rooms include acids, which as already mentioned, will leave stains behind (exactly what you're trying to get rid of). The best marble-friendly cleaning products are phosphate-free solutions or even liquid dishwashing soap. The best way to use any cleaning product on your countertops are to rinse off the soap instantly with warm water to keep from drying it out.

Step 3: Removing Stains

Stained marble tile leaves you with two options: live with the stain or live with an etched surface where the stain used to be. Many cleaners that remove stains from your countertop do so by removing the stain but in doing so also damage the surface finish.

For food and oil stains, a better option would be to spread dry con starch over the stain, letting it sit undisturbed for 24 hours. The corn starch will absorb the oil from the stain on the counter, and will hopefully prevent you from having to use the harsher, damaging, cleaners.
Removing rust stains is much more damaging, as rust can only be removed by using specialized rust-removal products that only work by etching away polished surfaces.
If the stain is just too horrible to live with, marble tile can be sent out and re-polished. You will receive your countertop back with a beautiful shine again, but it will also be slightly thinner.
Step 4: Sealing Marble Tile

When you have cleaned the surface of your marble tile countertop, you will want to seal it to keep oils and dirt from causing damage again. It is not a good idea to use wax, especially for white colored counters, as the wax causes the it to yellow. A better option is to use a stone sealer designed specifically for protecting marble tile and helping it to resist the oils and dirt you just spent so much time and energy removing.