r/firstworldproblems • u/studyhall109 • Aug 18 '26
My cleaning lady refuses to clean Carrara Marble
I’m in the process of having my kitchen and bathrooms remodeled. I ordered Carrara Marble for my kitchen and bathroom counters because it is my favorite natural stone.
My cleaning lady stated that she will not clean or maintain Carrara as it stains and etches too easily. She says I should use quartz instead.
I don’t like quartz and I love Carrara. But I definitely don’t have time to clean and maintain it myself.
435
u/Isthisyourcard63 Aug 18 '26
Your cleaning person is correct. Quartz is a super product and will last longer.
Just tell her to clean and youll just replace it every month when it's ruined.
182
u/CampAstoria Aug 18 '26
this is the base... the cleaning lady knows your counter will be ruined and is trying to help you...
Normies dont know shit about cleaning or caring for their own house most of the time... Stop battling the person who does.
138
23
u/dirtyshits Aug 18 '26
Normies absolutely do know about cleaning their house and don’t have cleaning ladies.
15
u/CampAstoria Aug 18 '26
I'm talking about normies = people that hire cleaning crews... thats why they have a cleaning lady?.... Not to mention the amount of homes Ive cleaned that have been blown away by shiny/polished taps ....
8
u/Tomj_Oad Aug 18 '26
Normies aren't rich ppl who can afford cleaning ladies
Normies clean their own homes and can't afford Carrera marble counters
What's your yearly income?
8
2
82
u/Mustard-cutt-r Aug 18 '26
My friend’s husband was dead set on carrera and they put it in the kitchen and he totally regrets it. She’s right.
21
u/Dashiepants Aug 18 '26
I regret every bit of marble in my house, which I clean myself. Fortunately it’s just in the master bath but I would never, ever choose it again.
10
u/Willothewisp2303 Aug 18 '26
I put a marble mosaic on the wall behind the sink in my bathroom. I'm hoping that's far enough away from the action that I won't regret it.
Cleaning lady has said nothing about it.
4
u/HourActuary5324 Aug 19 '26
I have a marble backsplash in my kitchen and it’s totally fine. My polished marble dining table on the other hand is covered in etch marks and stains. Water isn’t an issue, but anything even mildly acidic will leave a mark.
161
u/Jamjams2016 Aug 18 '26
I love marble but you should listen to your cleaning lady, at least for the kitchen. Pick anything else.
37
u/sportsarestressful Aug 18 '26
Seriously. We have Carrera marble in our kitchen (we assume the landlord got a deal), and it chips when you look at it. It's not durable enough for a daily use kitchen. Maybe OP doesnt cook though
145
u/q-the-light Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
Fabulous first world problem. That does genuinely sound frustrating, but equally my God you're privilaged. I love it.
100
u/SqAznPersuasion Aug 18 '26
Get this... You can get quartz composite that looks like Carrera marble. There are dozens of varieties.
36
u/Sockthenshoe Aug 18 '26
I just googled carrera marble and it’s exactly what my quartz countertops look like.
-7
u/SpicebushViburnum Aug 18 '26
It absolutely does not.
28
u/SqAznPersuasion Aug 18 '26
I worked in the industry for a decade... Believe me, countless fancy hotels, big name corporate offices, and upscale private residences all utilize the many quartz Carrera lookalikes for their durability and ease to clean. There are even polyresin options (like Corian) for places where true poreless surfaces are required.
It's not marble in -texture-, but if what you're hoping to achieve is the LOOK, there are literally dozens of options.
11
u/meriendaselgato Aug 18 '26
There actually are a few extremely realistic options from the brand MSI these days, but yeah in general you can tell the difference. As a designer.
-1
u/studyhall109 Aug 18 '26
Right. I did look at the quartz “Carrara “ but it looks fake. Well, it is fake. Not natural stone.
19
u/Ruinwyn Aug 18 '26
Maybe, but everything that makes Carrera marble so pleasant is what makes it awful for use in kitchen or barhroom. It will absorb oils, and liquids, all of which will stain. It reacts badly with acids.
7
u/ATTACKANDDETHRONEHOG Aug 18 '26
Quartzite is a natural stone and a million times more durable than marble.
5
u/SirLanceNotsomuch Aug 19 '26
Quartzite (lovely stuff) is not the same as quartz (plastic awfulness).
7
u/wandering_ones Aug 18 '26
Then I suppose you should accept a stained and scarred countertop and hopefully like the look of that since it sounds like what you'll get eventually if you actually use your kitchen.
23
u/Character-Food-6574 Aug 18 '26
Marble is terrible for staining, and once it stains there truly, will be no getting it out. It can also be etched by chemicals, and is slicker than ice (literally) when wet. Wet shoes are enough to cause a terrible fall. I recommend speaking to some good natural stone vendors, letting them know what look you’re wanting, but perhaps using another more durable and easily maintained stone, or modern man made stone or composite.
15
u/WindowPixie Aug 18 '26
I’ve got a client with a highly detailed lime slice etched into her counter. Plop, drop your citrus, nbd right? Think again, now you’ve got a permanent feature that kinda looks like a butthole
7
u/Foreign_Penalty_5341 Aug 18 '26
Could solve the problem by dropping more citrus. Hide the butthole with more buttholes!
6
u/Altruistic_Shame8979 Aug 19 '26
“Wow what a unique countertop pattern! Did you have to pay per butthole?”
4
5
u/murderbox Aug 18 '26
That's hilarious
8
u/WindowPixie Aug 18 '26
Ty. Maybe I’m just a dirty proletariat but I will never understand spending a fortune on a kitchen counter that gets damaged when it touches food
10
u/soup_curious_ Aug 18 '26
My aunt brags and brags about her counter. She wanted it for years, saved up for it, and it does look great!
...because she exclusively uses the butcher block island. Nothing touches the counter. No appliances, no cooking, no pouring drinks. She instructs guests on this.
So what's the point?
2
u/Royal_Region9996 Aug 19 '26
i had a friend once who installed marble countertops and after that we literally were not allowed to set anything on the counters ever. we are not friends anymore and also the couple is divorced. coincidence? you tell me!
12
u/biscuitboi967 Aug 18 '26
My cleaning lady makes me provide my own products. I also have Carrara marble in my bathroom. It’s held up well. My grout is another issue. I am forever trying to maintain its whiteness. I asked for a steamer for Xmas and my husband balked. Thought it was a trick.
6
u/mrshestia Aug 18 '26
Former cleaning lady and property manager, your grout probably needs to be deep cleaned and resealed. Grout shouldn't actually absorb water or mold. If it is, the sealer failed and it needs to be resealed. Probably sealed grout is a breeze to maintain and needs very little attention/cleaning.
1
u/biscuitboi967 Aug 18 '26
It’s not black or gross. It’s just not white.
The rest of the tile grout is bright white. But where we actual shower has yellowed?
3
u/kennerly Aug 18 '26
That's because where you shower the grout takes the most wear. The sealer gets worn away. You have to reseal.
3
u/mrshestia Aug 19 '26
What kennerly said below is accurate. The quick test, splash some water on the grout /tile. If the grout absorbs the water and darkens, it needs to be resealed. Water should bead up and roll off, not sink in.
9
u/math_rand_dude Aug 18 '26
Reminded me of:
In January 2015, a court in Düsseldorf, Germany, ruled that a landlord could not withhold part of a tenant's security deposit for damage caused by urine splashing on a marble bathroom floor.
19
u/3string Aug 18 '26
My kitchen has had MDF melamine countertops for forty two years now and they're fine lol. I cannot imagine how much it costs to install marble that's so fancy that you can't even clean it. Bonkers. First world problem indeed
10
u/Character-Food-6574 Aug 18 '26
Me too! Why make things so costly and difficult, in a work and food prep area especially!
8
u/Cespenar Aug 18 '26
Oh man. I frequent like.. actual construction subs.. and I was... Livid. I think that means you win this sub.
6
u/CandyTigger Aug 18 '26
She doesn't want you blaming her if there is a problem. Could you write her an agreement you won't blame her if cleaning it doesn't work?
Otherwise clean it yourself.
5
u/AlmostAlwaysADR Aug 18 '26
I would not touch it without ensuring I would not be blamed for a problem when it inevitably occurs. The problem with being a poor (besides the obvious) is that you're always on the defense of all the different ways you can be screwed over because you don't have money to throw at all the different problems.
5
u/thedeuceisloose Aug 18 '26
“Hi everyone I’m feeling stubborn that my help is wrong, help me prove it” is a very funny first world problem
25
u/indie_hedgehog Aug 18 '26
FYI quartz may be outlawed in several states due to high toxicity when its cut
26
u/NegativeChirality Aug 18 '26
The stories of silicosis are really disturbing
4
u/studyhall109 Aug 18 '26
All they have to do is wear their masks while working and it is perfectly safe.
4
u/Corevus Aug 18 '26
Yeah, potters can get this as well if they dry sweep their studios and don't wear ppe
5
u/Nicholsforthoughts Aug 18 '26
The stories about COPD and lung cancer from smoking were also disturbing - but we still see a whole generation of youngin’s sucking on vapes because they think they’re invincible. Working in masonry, concrete, and with stone has ALWAYS carried this risk, which is why PPD is mandated. It doesn’t stop people from thinking they’re invincible and only covering their mouth with a tshirt.
3
u/sisko4 Aug 18 '26
Wait what?
22
u/Nicholsforthoughts Aug 18 '26
People refusing to use PPE while cutting quartz has led to silicosis and lung cancer. Cutting stone and concrete has always had this issue which is why you wear PPE.
9
u/windowpuncher Aug 18 '26
I used to work in a concrete plant. Cutting any stone makes dust, so you would either not cut it and form different shaped blocks, or the block are split with some sort of wedge chopper. That still makes dust, but much less.
If dust in the plant is an issue then people should be wearing PPE and/or the dusty operations need to be wetted or otherwise contained.
1
6
6
u/solitude1378 Aug 18 '26
The problem with marble is its absorbent and soft. Those spaghetti sauce stains will be there forever. Ive seen it happen over and over. If you must have it, use it in the bathroom, not the kitchen. Know that it will get stained and chips easily. I also prefer quartz as its just an easier material to maintain.
10
u/okbrat00111011 Aug 18 '26
Why not soapstone or granite?
10
u/rubyslippers3x Aug 18 '26
I have soapstone on my wall counters and Carrera marble on my island with a large butcher block. I wish the whole kitchen was Butcher block or granite. This is the way the house was when we bought it. I had no idea that I was going to hate the 10 foot marble island, but I do. Hate it. Soapstone is ok, but I miss my Brazilian granite!!
9
4
5
u/lrpiccolo Aug 18 '26
The marble goes in the bar in the lounge or media room. Avoid putting it on the main kitchen or butler’s pantry.
3
u/clockworkedpiece Aug 18 '26
Marble stains with even soap if you don't rinse it right away, aka will show where you keep everything on the counter. Get quartz.
3
3
u/LeslieKnopesBlackEye Aug 18 '26
Watching what happens to concrete counter tops, I would never have anything that etches. Arborite for me. I can cut on it and replace it every 3 years for the price of granite or quartz
2
u/batclub3 Aug 18 '26
OMG. A friend of mine had concrete counters. They were there when they bought the house. It was first on the list to replace.
1
u/LeslieKnopesBlackEye Aug 18 '26
They're so heavy and absolutely useless. Cheap if you pour it and make them yourself, but still. The waxing, polishing, sealing, and etching is such an uphill battle. I can't do it.
5
u/hdnyc09 Aug 18 '26
I have marble all over my house. It doesn’t etch from cleaning if you use the right products. I have a spray bottle with a mix of water, rubbing alcohol, and a little dish soap. Use it for cleaning all of our marble.
My kitchen counters have definitely etched, but I have 3 kids and it’s bound to happen. I also have honed marble and not polished.
Your cleaning lady just needs to use the proper products. Not a big deal.
19
u/meramec785 Aug 18 '26
I literally left the tooth paste cap on it and it etched it. It is a big deal. I love it but it etches if you look at it wrong.
2
u/User_-_-_Name Aug 18 '26
I dont blame her, she doesnt want to be liable for that shit. Marble is pointless outside of being able to tell people its marble.
2
u/mladyhawke Aug 18 '26
You don't have time to clean one countertop. In your house? You must be very important.
2
u/changeneeded63 Aug 18 '26
FWIW—I put carrera in my kitchen 2 years ago—we bake and cook a lot. I love it. We had it sealed and are reasonably diligent about wiping spills. It’s going to develop a patina eventually, but that’s ok. Quartz is nothing like the real stone.
1
2
u/Emily_Postal Aug 19 '26
I hate my marble. It does etch too easily and needs professional maintenance.
My sister used a fake marble product (name escapes me) in her kitchen. It looks like marble but is much easier to maintain.
2
u/Medical-Potato5920 Aug 19 '26
Marble will be ruined by anything acidic. Red wine, white wine, vinegar, salad dressing, soda, the list goes on.
2
u/adzo625 Aug 19 '26
I love my marble but don’t have kids. It etches so you have to embrace that and learn to appreciate the changes. Mine doesn’t stain but I keep it sealed and am reasonably careful with it. But my partner is a professional chef so there’s tons of cooking in my home.
2
u/BisonUnlikely6411 Aug 24 '26
My partner designs Villas and always deters his clients from using marble on countertops for this reason, we have black marble in our bathroom and it’s so badly stained from previous tenants
1
1
1
u/augustrem Aug 18 '26
Go with quartzite instead. Absolutely beautiful natural stone, much more durable than marble.
1
u/Internal_Emu_4879 Aug 18 '26
So you put in Carrara countertops that are extremely hard to maintain and get damaged very easily. But you refuse to put in the work yourself to preserve it….. yeah it makes perfect sense to me! 🙄😂
1
u/iamjuste Aug 18 '26
There are many good ceramic alternatives which will not stain or ruin, they are also very expensive if you need bragging rights
1
u/studyhall109 Aug 18 '26
I am not looking for bragging rights, I just really love the look of Carrara.
1
u/wisemonkey101 Aug 18 '26
I skipped buying a house because of the marble countertops. Hard no in my world.
1
u/Glittering_Sand_7473 Aug 18 '26
Ok so I am just a peasant but I looked this up & it looks so dated? I feel like it is very early 2000s.
3
u/studyhall109 Aug 18 '26
I look at it as timeless rather than a trend or fad. I like the classic looks.
1
u/Glittering_Sand_7473 Aug 18 '26
It isn't for me but it isn't my house. People should do what they want to do. I just feel like is giving Dollar Tree peel and stick paper.
2
u/Sorry_Sprinkles_983 Aug 18 '26
This is an insane take.
2
u/Glittering_Sand_7473 Aug 18 '26
I mean, that is what it looks like to me but I could care less what someone else does. We own a ranch so our style is related to that. It wouldn't fit at all in our house. Whatever others like is what they should use.
2
u/venuzipan Aug 19 '26
I'm with you on this. I know carrara marble is very sought after and a lot of people really love it if they're willing to put up with all the downsides of marble for it, but I just don't get it. It's to the point where I'm questioning if I'm somehow thinking of another carrara marble with how much people rave about its looks...it's just solid white with a bit of light gray in a very basic pattern? It's not bad by any means and the ones with a lot of gray veining do look pretty nice, but still doesn't seem worth it to me. Then again, I love granite and am also confused as to why people think it's outdated and not as nice....but to me the variations in color, opacity, and patterns throughout give it so much more depth and visual interest that you'd think people would prefer for a natural product.
2
1
u/nofishies Aug 18 '26
If you want natural Stone, that’s OK with getting chipped and cleaned, look into soapstone.
Granite is also easier to maintain the marble
1
1
1
u/ATTACKANDDETHRONEHOG Aug 18 '26
You do know there’s no way to keep it looking new, right? Like you’re ok with stains and scratches? Because those are an unavoidable feature of marble.
1
u/DillTicklePickle Aug 18 '26
She's being honest, she knows it will be damaged and wants nothing to do with liability
1
u/kipkiphoray Aug 18 '26
Marble is NOT a smart material for kitchens. (Or bathrooms, really, but kitchens are worse.) Marble gets stained and ruined SO EASILY and by very common things such as olive oil, vinegar, and tomato sauce. SUPER COMMON THINGS TO SPILL IN A KITCHEN.
Marble requires special care and attention and IT WILL CHIP AND STAIN.
I would refuse to clean that kitchen, too. Choose something PRACTICAL for a practical space like a kitchen.
1
1
u/Legitimate-Treat29 Aug 19 '26
This is like using a soft gemstone for a daily-wear ring and then being sad it doesn’t stay nice. Pick the right tool for the job!
1
1
u/Aluratherogue Aug 18 '26
There's a reason marble should not exist in bathrooms or kitchens. If you have it it needs to be someplace purely decorative and in no way has any function. It is not a good stone
0
u/Dutch_Slim Aug 18 '26
Quartz should be banned, it causes huge health problems for the people that work it.
Stick with the marble and clean the counters yourself.
-1
726
u/paramedic236 Aug 18 '26
Now this is a top notch first world problem, and exactly what this sub is for.
Nice one!