Hey friends! Today I’m writing about one of my least favorite chores… my natural stone countertop maintenance. Don’t get me wrong, they are totally worth the extra hassle for the beauty that you get. It’s quite a process though. Luckily it isn’t an every day or even every year task. If you’re interested in learning about how I keep my dolomite countertops looking brand new keep reading. Below you can find my 4 tips for natural stone countertop maintenance. This method should work well for dolomite, quartzite, granite and marble too based on my research.
Why I Chose Super White Dolomite Countertops
We renovated our kitchen 4 years ago. At the time I wanted a bright white kitchen but I was scared of putting in marble countertops based on what other people had told me about maintenance. That said, I knew I didn’t want to go dark and that I wanted natural stone.
When I saw the super white slab at the stone yard I fell in love. It had different tones of gray and the prettiest marbling. It was labeled as quartzite but I later found out that it was actually dolomite (apparently this is very common). I’m not going to lie, I was so nervous about putting this stone in our kitchen. My worst fear was that I was going to spend several thousand dollars on new counters that were going to stain, etch and chip right away and look terrible over time. Well, I’m so happy to tell you that my countertops look just as good today as they did the day they were installed (4 years ago).
Here is a terrible picture of our kitchen remodel during the process. As I said, this was four years ago which was well before I had the idea to start this blog. Not the best quality picture so sorry about that. At this point I was in the process of painting the cabinets. The old countertops were a laminate that looked like wood. They weren’t terrible but I wanted natural stone.
This picture was taken the day that the new super white dolomite counters were installed.
Natural Stone Countertop Maintenance – 4 Tips!
Now, let’s talk about how I’ve kept my super white dolomite countertops looking brand new for so long. It’s actually much easier than I thought it would be.
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Tip 1 – Seal your countertops
After your countertops are installed, use a good quality countertop sealer to protect the natural stone from stains and etching. The supplier that I purchased the countertops from recommended StoneTech Heavy Duty Sealer
and it has worked great for me! I bought the quart size bottle and it was enough for me to seal my countertops 2 times. I did this immediately after they were installed and again 6 months later. After that I could follow the manufacturers recommendation of every 3-5 years.
Tip 2 – Don’t let stains sit
This tip is pretty obvious. If you get a stain on the natural stone wipe it off as soon as you notice. At first I would stress ever time I would see a stain and then buff it out like a psycho but time and time again I’ve noticed a coffee stain that had been sitting there for a week or a wine stain that sat overnight (Don’t judge!). They came out just fine. I don’t know that it would be that easy had I not used a good sealer though.
Tip 3 – Use a natural stone cleaner
On a daily basis I use an inexpensive natural stone cleaner to wipe down my dolomite countertops. I’ve tried a few but I really like the method granite and marble cleaner
. I see it at most of the stores in Cincinnati so it’s readily available. Every few months I use a heavier duty cleaner called StoneTech Soap Scum Remover
. It’s meant to remove soap scum but works wonders on my kitchen counters too.
The worst thing that you can do for natural stone countertops like marble, quartzite and dolomite is to use a cleaner that is too harsh. If you use an all purpose cleaner that isn’t meant for natural stone you’ll leave etch marks all over the place. We learned this the hard way in our bathroom. If that happens to you, check out this post on how to remove etch marks from marble.
Tip 4 – Fill any stone pits that form over time
Small voids in the stone will appear over time. There were probably many of these in the slab when you purchased it and the supplier filled them with an acrylic. You don’t have to be a professional to do this at home. There are several kits available online that come with the acrylic and a light to cure it. I purchased the ProCaliber Products Granite & Marble & Quartz & Stone Chip & Nick Repair and Fill Kit 
. Last week I did this for the first time and it turned out great. Here are some photos of the process.
First I marked off the spots where there were voids in the stone.
This may look like a lot since the spots are so close but it was mostly in one area of the countertops. They tend to happen near each other if they are going to form at all. I had 6 on this countertop.
Only 2 on this countertop.
And a single spot on the last countertop.
The process was very easy. First you inject the acrylic into the void.
Then you cover it with the plastic sheet and use the light that was included to cure the acrylic.
After it cures you sand and buff the spots.
Honestly, the biggest hassle of the 3-5 year maintenance process is clearing everything off of your countertops and not using them for an entire day or more.
Super White Dolomite Countertops 4 years later
I said it before and I’ll say it again. My dolomite countertops look just as good today as they did 4 years ago when they were installed. If you avoid letting spills sit for too long, don’t drop anything heavy on them that chips the surface, seal them every few years and fill the stone voids I’m certain you will have similar results. If I moved again I would definitely choose dolomite for my countertop surface. I read a lot on the internet about how easily these counters chipped and stained but I can happily say that I haven’t experience that with my kitchen countertops.
If you are considering super white dolomite or have any other questions about maintenance please leave a comment. I’m by no means an expert on this subject but I’ve learned a lot over the past four years and have had a great result. I hope that you found these 4 tips to maintain dolomite countertops helpful!
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Great post, thanks for sharing. Pinned. Would you by any chance know what product i can use on my counter top that has gone dull from washing it with windex?
My Dolomite is shiny in some places, and its dull in some places when the light shines on it. Its brand new. I thought it would be shiny all over like granite. I had my installer re-seal it to try to even it. He used a color enhanced sealant. It is still shiny in some places, with dull patches as well. You see this when the daylight is on it. Is this normal?
I just spoke with a fabricator about dolomite and he told me if I notice any dull spots as I’m checking out the slab then that means it was filled with resin… which can be common. He said it is just fine as long as I’m okay with it. He said most likely when the slabs were originally cut, it may have had an open pocket or a piece may have chipped out and was filled with resin and then polished.
Thank you for posting on the Classy Flamingos. You’re the best. http://blog.poinsettiadr.com/2019/08/classy-flamingos-blog-party-65.html
Thank you for this post, Hannah. When we renovated our kitchen in 2017 with quartz, you’re right, there were a few nicks, and I watched the guys do a similar repair, but did not have a kit. Fast forward to 2019 and we have downsized into a loft with granite. Again, a few nicks, so I am pinning this post and have put the product in my Amazon shopping list. Thanks! (saw your feature on Marty’s blog).
Rita C at Panoply
Awesome. Thanks for pinning Rita!
great information. Thanks for linking up with us at the #GatheringofFriendsLinkParty 5
Thank you so much for this post! My husband and I are in the process of renovating the kitchen in our first house and been struggling with which counter top to choose. We fell in love with super white but have also had hesitations. Thanks again!
I’m so glad that you found it helpful Alina. I really love my super white counter tops!
Hey, ultimate natural stone countertop maintenance tips! I really appreciate your idea of choosing the maintenance topic as most of the people are not aware of it!
Thanks!
Help! It seems there are some coffee mug rings that won’t come out. I can see the reflection of them in our brand new super white countertops. Any tips to get them off our counters? Thanks!
I’ve always used a special cream that I buy on Amazon to remove etch marks and watermarks from natural stone. Here is a link to a blog post about that! https://handmadeweekly.com/remove-etch-marks-on-marble/
Hi Hannah, Do you seal first and then fill the voids or fill the cracks and then seal? I know this is made from epoxy / acrylic and the sealer only connects to natural stone. That being said if you seal and then fill, you run the risk of sanding the sealer off when you buff it… thoughts?
Hi Nicole, If possible it would be best to fill voids before you seal the stone. If you notice voids after you’ve sealed the stone you could always go back over those spots with the sealer.
Hi Hannah! Thank you for the quick reply. The sealant won’t penetrate anything that is not natural stone…. so if I go back over with it – it won’t work. Thank you for the guidance though. That is vey helpful!!
No problem. You are correct that it won’t work on the void filler. My thought was that if you sanded the sealer off the natural stone around the void you can re-seal that.
Just had Honed Pegasus Dolomite countertops installed in my kitchen renovation. I love them! But literally have only had them less than a month and already have some blemishes where it has been knocked into (still have workers here finishing up). What is the best way to fill and smooth? The Pegasus is really white almost like a marble and the honed means there is no shine so will all these fillers make it weirdly shiny?
Hi Betsey. Honed Dolomite is so pretty! Nice choice. Bummer that you have blemishes already. The filler that I used is definitely a tiny bit shinier than my countertops (which aren’t honed). I’d recommend reaching out to the company that you purchased the stone from. I would think that they could provide guidance.
I also have super white dolomite. I was cleaning coffee maker with vinegar and sat empty pot directly on stone. Well, it stained it. And I discovered a new area this morning that looks like the sealer dissolved.
Have big regrets about the dolomite although I love the look.
Sorry to hear that Melissa. I could totally see that happening with vinegar. It takes a lot of work to keep them clean but to me it’s worth it since they are so pretty.
Great information, Thanks for sharing this informative blog with us. Keep sharing!!
Stupid question here: we just replaced our tile countertops with dolomite a few days ago. I’m used to using vinegar and Clorox wipes to clean, so I’m on a huge learning curve here. I know I can’t do vinegar. What about Clorox wipes (whenever COVID is over and they aren’t so rationed)?
I wouldn’t recommend using Clorox wipes since they have some harsh chemicals in them that may etch the surface of your countertops. I haven’t been able to find the 409 cleaner for months so I switched to Method brand granite and marble cleaner.
Thanks for the information. We just purchased a home with brand new dolomite countertops. We still need to seal them. I have a question about usage. Will glassware, silverware, and/or metal etch/scratch the surface? I’ve been doing some reading and I’m very nervous.
No need to be nervous Anissa. They are actually very durable. I haven’t had any issues with etching or scratching from glassware etc. That said, if you were to scrape a rough material across the countertop that is harder than the dolomite you would definitely see a scratch. As long as you’re not throwing things around you should be just fine. I’ve had my dolomite counters for 5 years now and they still look brand new. The only issue that I’ve had is hard water spots around my faucet but that’s due to the crappy water at my house. I think that would have happened regardless of the material that I chose. I also think that with enough elbow grease I could clean it up. I would highly recommend sealing them though. I came home from a weeklong vacation to find a large coffee stain behind my coffee pot one time. I didn’t think I’d be able to get it up since it sat for a week but it came clean just fine. I really think that the sealer was the reason for that.
Thanks! That does relieve some anxiety. We’ve been making sure a mat is under anything we’ve put on the counter, but it sounds like that may be unnecessary.
Anissa, I just moved into our new home at the end of January and I’ve been doing this — towels and trivets under EVERYTHING especially anything that MIGHT be wet. I feel so validated because of you. And freer thanks to Hannah!
Hi, thank you for such a brilliant post. I have been reading some blogs that gives me more knowledge about the dolomite countertops maintenance. I must say this is one of the best among them. You have done a great research for I feel, thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for the kind comment.
I just fell in love with some Dolomite slabs. I currently have granite countertops that are in very good condition. My concern is I have a 15 year old that is a disaster in the kitchen. Would common items like keys, utensils, or liquids like lemon etch or scratch?
Have you ever tried these natural stone cleaning wipes? I am thinking of getting Dolomite countertops but I am nervous because of all the ways that my kids could damage them. I use clorox wipes a lot because its quick and easy I’m wondering if these wipes would be safe on Dolomite countertops if we do choose to get them.
https://www.amazon.com/Weiman-Granite-Cleaner-Polish-Countertop/dp/B083KQ6259/ref=asc_df_B083KQ6259/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459704589333&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8588406137021111959&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011492&hvtargid=pla-945280026871&psc=1
I haven’t used those but I’ve tried several sprays. What I’ve found is that if it says that it’s safe for marble it will be safe for dolomite too. I wouldn’t recommend using clorox wipes as they have some harsh chemicals in them.
Hi there! I have the exact same countertops. Have you found a cleaner that helps lift stains out? We have done a great job having no stains and then this morning we now have a yellow stain from lemon zest … hoping to find a product that helps lift it? Our normal cleaner doesn’t do anything for it … Thanks in advance! Your pages are super helpful!
I’ve been using method brand daily granite and marble cleaner and it’s worked well to lift stains. Sometimes I have to let it sit a while before I wipe it up but I haven’t had anything stain permanently.
Thanks for sharing these helpful & useful maintenance tips for the marble countertops maintenance! Keep it up!
Thanks for sharing these helpful & useful maintenance tips for the marble countertops maintenance! Keep it up!
Our old house used to have a marble countertop inside, and a granite one in our outdoor kitchen, and I was thinking of having them restored to look as good as new when we do renovations next month. I appreciate the advice regarding sealing the countertops once they’re installed to protect the natural stone from stains and etching. I will remember to do this from now on after we hire granite and marble restoration services to fix our countertops.