How to Do An Easy Spot Treatment on Concrete Countertops
One of the key attributes of our engineered concrete countertops is its durability. The concrete is resistant to stains and damage from water. However, like all countertop surfaces, it is not indestructible. Because concrete is made of natural stone particles and aggregates clients may see some efflorescence (white marks) come to the surface. These white marks are not permanent and are easy to remove with a simple spot treatment.
The beauty of concrete is that it’s a wholly unique material. No two slabs will match in color, texture, or tonality. Due to this, it is difficult to predict how or when this efflorescence will appear. Concrete will interact with household products and foods with which it comes in contact. To minimize the appearance of these white areas, it’s important to clean up any spills as soon as possible.
In the event that you do see some white marks or rings on your concrete countertops, we’ve put together a tutorial on how to minimize these areas using items you may already have in the home:
FIRST:
Using a solution that’s one-part household vinegar to one-part water, scrub the area with a green Scotch-Brite pad. (Scrub as hard as you want or need, concrete is very strong.)
NEXT:
Rinse the countertop with plenty of water. You want to make sure there is no vinegar left over on the countertop surface.
Allowing the vinegar to sit on the countertop surface may result in dark marks.
THEN:
Let the concrete dry completely.
Repeat these steps as needed.
IMPORTANT!
We recommend testing this process on a small, out of the way area before attempting it on any large or important area of the countertop.
By following this method, you should see a noticeable reduction in these problem areas.
A before and after view of how your countertop should look.
Before
After
If you are still experiencing white marks after going through this process, please feel free to contact us for added service advice. Email photos of the problem areas to service@brookscustom.com, or call 914-666-2029 for technical advice.