Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
First degrease your dolomite: a film of oil and cleaner is often all that is dulling it. If it is still flat, the surface has probably been etched. Small dull areas on polished dolomite can be buffed back with marble polishing powder, but restoring the shine across a whole benchtop means professional honing and re-polishing.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Flat, slightly greasy look everywhere: residue.
- Dull patches near the sink, cooktop or where drinks are served: etching.
- Whole surface dull and slightly rough: worn finish needing professional work.
What you need
- Hot water and dish liquid
- Microfibre cloths
- Marble polishing powder (small areas)
Step by step
Degrease first
Wash with hot water and a good squeeze of dish liquid, rinse with clean water and dry with microfibre. Residue from oils and cleaners is the most common cause of a flat-looking surface.
Polish small patches
On polished stone, buff small dull patches with polishing powder and water for one to two minutes, rinse and check.
Professional re-polish for the rest
A restorer can re-polish dolomite, though it takes more work than marble because the stone is harder.
Keep it that way
Protection film over the freshly polished surface stops the dullness returning.
What not to use on dolomite
- Waxes, furniture polish and "stone shine" sprays that coat rather than polish.
- Vinegar, lemon juice or "natural" citrus cleaners: they etch dolomite.
When to call a professional
A restorer can re-polish dolomite, though it takes more work than marble because the stone is harder.
Understanding dull surfaces and lost shine on dolomite
Etches on dolomite tend to start as a faint haze and build into patchy areas around sinks and serving zones.
Dolomite is calcium magnesium carbonate. It reacts with acid more slowly than marble, but lemon, vinegar and acidic cleaners still etch it over minutes.
A restorer can re-polish dolomite, though it takes more work than marble because the stone is harder.
Good to know
Dolomite dulls slowly, usually around the sink first. Because it is harder than marble, polishing powders work slowly; professional polishing is more effective.
Stop it happening again
Whether yours is Super White and many stones sold as "soft quartzite", repairing it fixes today's mark; protecting it stops the next one. Our clear Stone Protection Film sits over the surface, so acids cannot etch it and liquids cannot soak in, and its self-healing top layer shrugs off fine everyday marks. Choose Gloss for polished dolomite or Matte/Satin for honed and matte finishes. The protection is identical. It is installed across Sydney with a 10-year written warranty.
How we protect dolomite · Fixing etch marks · Dull surfaces & lost shine on every surface