Marks on tile counter top.

[SciFiJim]

I put this in the Recipe forum because it is mostly related to cooking.

The countertops in my kitchen are ceramic tile that is about 30 years old with appropriate wear. When I place an aluminum or steel pot or pan on the counter it leaves metal rub marks on the tile. Is there a treatment or coating I can apply to the tiles to prevent this? I don't know what direction to start looking in.

Thanks for the input.

[Scrounge]

I put this in the Recipe forum because it is mostly related to cooking.

The countertops in my kitchen are ceramic tile that is about 30 years old with appropriate wear. When I place an aluminum or steel pot or pan on the counter it leaves metal rub marks on the tile. Is there a treatment or coating I can apply to the tiles to prevent this? I don't know what direction to start looking in.

Thanks for the input.

Can't help with coatings to prevent it, but you can remove the marks with Bon Ami cleanser. It uses feldspar & calcium carbonate for the abrasive, and is softer than the tile. Comet and most others use a silica abrasive, which is harder than the glaze on the tiles, and will scratch it.

[roadie]

I take it that the glazing is worn off the tiles, and now the metal pots are directly contacting the core?

If that's the case, I can't think of anything you could put on that would do the same job as the glazing did. A grout sealer might stop the marks, though I don't know what a hot pan would do to it. I made my own with thinned urethane which worked well on the joints, but I never has exposed surface to deal with.

[Geezer in NH]

use a silicon, heat resistant, cozy under the pots

[SciFiJim]

use a silicon, heat resistant, cozy under the pots

I generally use a tea towel for hot items. The worst offenders though are the cold pots and pans sitting beside the sink waiting to be washed. That area has the most wear on the glazing and gets the worst marks.

[gwpercle]

Does the word trivet ring any bells .
Wood , metal , silicon , bamboo ...check them out at a place that sells cooking stuff .
I've some of cast aluminum ...one looks like a fish another is Mickey Mouse .
They don't have to be fancy , throw a pot holder or two on the counter top and set the hot pot on it .

[Winger Ed.]

Everything wears down eventually.
Getting 30 years out of ceramic tile in a high impact zone like yours is really pretty good.

Our new to us house has granite counter tops.
To minimize that effect-
We don't put anything on top of them that isn't cloth, plastic, or card board.
No pot or pan goes on them without a pad underneath.

[redhawk0]

Put some sort of pad underneath. To get the current scratches off...try one of those Magic Erasers....they work great.

redhawk

[dangitgriff]

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

[trails4u]

Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

These work....but I've also found a dish towel with soapy water works for us as well. Ours are 4" white ceramic. I hate them. It's on the honey do list....

[gwpercle]

These work....but I've also found a dish towel with soapy water works for us as well. Ours are 4" white ceramic. I hate them. It's on the honey do list....

We upgraded our counter tops to this wonderful new product ...it's called " Formica Laminate ", the wife just loves it, looks just like butcher block but better ...but you still want to put something under a hot pot .