@J C - Antolini sent me a cleaner literally FROM Italy when I first engaged them about my problems and told them I had been cleaning the counter for 6 months with Dawn dish soap mixed with water. I think it was called C107 Day? I love it - it smells wonderful. I couldn't find it on amazon or anywhere, really. I asked my fabricator to please start carrying it as I mentioned I love the smell and I'm petrified to use anything else now. I ran out recently while waiting for the shipment to the counter manufacturer (Classic Granite and Marble in Jessup, MD) and they just called me yesterday to say it finally came in. In the mean time, I added water to the C107 day bottle and have just been using water in that to tide me over. Let me find the attachment they sent me when describing what kind of cleaners are ok, though. I'll attach it. I recall in email dialogue he said that by soap and water, they were intending on people using soap like you would use on your baby, NOT soap like Dawn dish soap that is strong enough/meant for cutting grease. So I did consider using my kids Honest baby wash mixed with water. Will post again in a minute with that attachment or maybe just copy and paste what it said. FYI - my "new" section of counter is still perfect! And yes, I'm careful. :-)

So azerocare is suppose to hold up to stains and acids but a little bit of dawn in water to clean the counters is going to ruin the finish? Sounds like nonsense to me.

@vinmarks - it's supposed to allow you more time to clean up stains and acids before etching occurs, not bathe your marble in dawn with water every day which is what I was doing. :-)

Blame the customer, even whenever they follow your instructions. That’s the Antolini way....and lucky you, now you need a specialty cleaner made in Italy because you need to be super-delicate with the extra expensive treatment. It’s supposed to make things better, not worse. The whole thing is a sham. Don’t’ buy it! Plain marble is less trouble and less cost.

Well, my Bianco Gioia AZerocare marble is 10 days in.... $14,120.00 later.... they said a large kitchen...doesn’t seem large. I was warned and warned ...marble is awful to maintain...etching, staining, and discoloration. I am 71 yrs old....walked on marble in Italy, saw marble churches, love the grace and elegence, God made stone from God Made mountain and ...I wanted marble. being in the outdoors never hurt it. They said Azerocare Antolini marble will be even better and will be amazing...worth the money.... 10 days installed, just my 71 yr old husband and myself, eat out a lot.... several places with etching, not even sure I ever touched those places...surely I did...even a circle under the pepper mill. I have laid my cheek in the coolness and cried, but it ok.... I wanted marble and I love it and I will love it till I am gone...then it will still be here. Disappointed in the promise or lie as many on the blog have said...I just love it and will be ok with the blemishes.... I have them too.

That’s all you can do - learn to live with it. No one will ever fix it, and they will blame you for ruining it, even when you follow their instructions. Marble without this coating would be better. Such a sham. For anyone considering it — do not buy this product. It is worse than nothing.

Check out MORE AntiEtch - it can fix the issues with any slabs that previously had failed protection on it. A technician will come and prepare the surface by grinding to remove current etch marks and damage. They will then apply the AntiEtch material that no acidic substance can penetrate. A true 10 year warranty against etching and staining.

Marbe Guy, I priced MORE when I was looking at Marble and the installer I spoke to qouted me about 50% of the cost of the marble? I think it was $35 or $40 a sq ft. did you have MORE applied...does that price point seem appropriate?

Our Azerocare countertops are almost 2 years old. We have some etching and scratches. We have been extremely careful from day one with these countertops, using cutting boards and plastic mats whenever we work on the countertops. We had the countertops sealed with a standard sealer a few months ago - and that appears to have had no effect on protecting the countertop from new etching. However, this is not really a workable situation - these are in the kitchen and working in the kitchen is messy. What are others doing with the countertops? Have you had them sealed - and if so - with what? What about having them honed - then you can work with them and each scratch and etch becomes part of the beauty of the counter. I'd love to hear what others have done, other than replacing them with another project. thanks Joy

That’s exactly what I thought and suggested honing to my client. She declined.

I am sorry to hear it. I hope someone has a solution. As this thread makes clear, Azerocare is a failed product that the company does not stand behind. They will blame you for causing the problem. It’s incredible. we are thinking about having our countertops resurfaced and then sealed we’ll let you know. Spread the word about Azerocare - don’t buy it!

I disagree that it’s a failed product. It’s 1 of 2 products on the market that will help prevent etching. Please know that it voids the Warranty if you apply another sealant. We ordered the Antolini maintenance kit to clean and maintain the marble. If you want to add a product to protect against etching there is only one other product that is guaranteed to prevent etching but it is outrageously expensive. It was not much less than the cost per sq ft of the marble from the quote I obtained prior to finding Antolini Marble. Here is the link to that product. https://www.moresurfacecare.com/pages/more-antietch-anti-etch

For context we have 2 teenage boys and aren’t very careful. We’ve spilled lemon, vinegar and ketchup. We even accidentally spilled some dishwasher rinse agent that was left on the marble overnight. At first we had a dark spot but over the next week or so the spot disappeared and there was no etching. We took a sample of the stone and left wine, ketchup and Vinegar on the stone. We started at and hour and went up to 10 hours before there was any etching.

I am glad yours works. Mine etched almost immediately, despite more gentle handling than you are describing and cleaning with diluted soap and water only (as advised). it is totally ruined. Looks like we bought the same stone actually!

I’m sorry to hear that. The distributor shared that they actually apply the Azerocare. I wonder if that’s why you didn’t have the same results.

Not sure about that. Azerocare has been very clear in their materials and on this thread that all the treatment is done in Italy with a proprietary, patented process. It just happens to not work, and they will try to blame everyone but themselves. ZERO responsibility has been taken by the company. Just don’t buy the product. it is expensive, does not work, and if you believe Antolini, must be handled with EVEN MORE care than untreated marble. What is the treatment even for if that’s the case? Such a waste of money and a tragic ruining and etching of gorgeous marble.

"The distributor shared that they actually apply the Azerocare."

That's news to me. The guy at Antolini's trade show booth told me Antolini only lets a select few employees into the plant where they do the treatment as they're terrified of getting ripped off.

Hmmm. I wonder what the truth is. I know it’s working for me...I wonder why others are having problems.

Would anyone feel comfortable sharing the cost per sq ft/linear ft for the Azerocare? Or what the difference in price is for regular marble v Azerocare?

Regular marble is worth more. Save your money. Read this whole thread. You are better off without Azerocare.

Alyssa, I can tell you that we went through a very tough time trying to decide. We had our hearts set on a beautiful calacutta gold and were having trouble finding slabs nearby treated with Azerocare. We were able to find some that were decent that were already treated and they were honestly about the same price in some cases a bit less. The trick is finding the one that you really want. We found some that had the look that we wanted but they were very far away. Those were typically around $40/sq ft more but then you have the logistics of getting it delivered from far away. We also looked at some ceramics and quartz but they are honestly just nowhere near as pretty. Ultimately we just chose the calacutta gold that we loved and we had tuffskins applied to it. I can honestly say was the best decision. We've had no problems with ours. It's been almost two years and they are still gorgeous. I don't think twice about spills or having anything on our counters. Good luck!

Routerguy1, how much was tuffskin?

@iontigone it was around $1700 for product and installation (probably just north of $20/sf). I guess sorta pricey but was def cheaper than trying to find an avail slab that we liked with azerocare .. also at the time there seemed to be a lot of back and forth as to how well the azerocare worked. That was 2 years ago maybe that's all been worked out now. With this you don't have to worry though as it's an impenetrable barrier. You do have to be cautious not to drag heavy or sharp things across the countertop or you could potentially scratch it. But really the same precaution you'd have anyway. If you have your heart set on marble you def can do it! Here's a picture of our countertops (not the best lighting since it's nighttime) but it has held up very well for two years of abuse.

Sounds like a much better solution than Azerocare. if you read this chain, you will see that nothing has changed with Azerocare. The product has not worked over and over, and they have taken no responsibility for it. Glad to see that there is something else available.

Not sure about everyone else, but wish xpopex would stop the constant bashing. Thank you for your opinion, but you don't need to continually say the same thing over and over. I get it, you have a bad experience, but enough with the redundant responses. I personally thought the response from the Azerocare team was professional and I WILL be purchasing the product because I believe it is better than nothing. Are there some stories where something bad happened, sure - but you will get that on ANY product, whether it's a car, computer, or any other consumer device.

I don’t think that there is any bashing going on by xpopex or anyone else. I do think that there has been an honest sharing of a personal experience. I wish I had found more honesty when I was researching the Azerocare product originally. I could have saved myself money, time, stress, and mental anguish. Countertops are a big investment. Better to know what to expect going in. I could have been the exception to the rule, but I wasn’t - maybe you will be. I hope that your outcome is different and satisfactory. It’s disappointing to have such high expectations for a product to crash and burn in your own kitchen. Hopefully, your slabs will turn out perfectly. Mine, however did not.

That flaking snd glittering is exactly what my client experienced. Such a shame. A total sham.

i am not trying to bash. Just to warn. Antolini can fix this problem if they want to. They simply have chosen to pretend it doesn’t exist, and for that they will receive my justifiable scorn. I really hope the best for all of you. It’s a huge investment, and the company that has made the promises should stand behind them. That’s not a “me” issue.

Alyssa I don’t recall exactly but I think the cost was lower than some others. We had budgeted for $45sq ft and we didn’t pay a premium for the Azerocare.

One other thing to share…

A bottle of dishwasher rinse aid leaked on the marble over night leaving a large dark spot. We were very upset but as it died over the following week, it completely disappeared and left no etching.

We installed Azerocare Covelano marble, 4 slabs, for the cost of 24,000$ Cdn$. Like written in other comments, we take great care of it; we always use cutting boards, wipes the counter continuously, etc. After only 6 months we see etching on the counter like thousand of knife blade marks, circles from the bottom of a glass that we have no idea how it has happened and we can see some flaking. I wish I have seen all your comments before buying this Azerocare marble, it is becoming a nightmare. I intend to contact the company that sold us the product to see what can be done but my hopes are not very high.

Jordan G.

Antolini Azerocare, Be careful with this product as it can NOT be fixed. If you are looking for a product to protect the surface of your marble stone use the TuffSkin Protection System. This product works great! Call Jerry with All The Marbles in Houston, TX. Also, ask him about the "Dead Look" its another option.

Glad to find this thread to hear of the pitfalls of Azerocare and to learn about TuffSkin. Unsure if TS is available in my area, so will have to do research. I too, still prefer marble and this would be a great option. Have appreciated stone discussions on houzz. *Lisa*

As a follow to my comments of Oct.2021, here is the situation. The supplier came to see our island countertop which is frankly a disaster. The representative has been honest and transparent with us. He had sold several slabs of different marble protected with Azerocare. I am the second customer that has problem with the product. He had brought with him a care kit from Antoloni but it has been totally useless on our countertop. My supplier has recommended a Company specialized in restoring natural stone; mid-March someone will come to sand my 15’ feet island counter top. I am told that the marble will return to its natural state and will require to be regularly sealed. Curiously the other countertops in the kitchen, on each side of the stove, remain in excellent condition. My supplier is assuming all the cost of the restauration.
Here are a picture of our island and a close up of the problem we have all over the surface- flaking, etching, etc..

Wow! What a mess. Glad the supplier is assuming all the cost of the restoration.

As a follow-up, the sanding of our island has been done. Lets say 98% of the surface is like new. Four coating of sealer have been applied. However, even if I protect the surface of my counter with padding and that I take a meticulous care of it, almost to the point of being a bit obsessive, after only a week, I can spot some stains most probably made with water…yes, water. I am really discourage. After reading several comments and articles on the product, I have decided to contact the representative of Tuffskin Canada. I am ready to invest an extra 2K to get rid of the problematic situation. I will try to obtain a compensation from my supplier : after all, originally, I bought a “trouble free marble counter” and I don’t see why I should put up with all the troubles inherent to a regular marble. To follow.

Sorry to hear it. please let us know if the Tuffskin works, as i still have no solution.. Despite griping at me and about me on this thread, Antoloni has never once tried to contact me and make it right. they know their product does not work. They just don’t care and certianly don’t want to pay comepnsation.

Look forward to hearing about the TuffSkin. I would like to try it but the nearest installer is about 7 hrs away. Not worth the high price I imagine that would incur for a tiny cottage that we may sell in a year or two. Still have not decided on counter tops and I need to get on the install list or I won't get them until Christmas at this rate! lol I never thought that selecting counter tops would be SO difficult.

Try www.stoneguardusa.com please.

We had beautiful Azerocare marble put into our kitchen 3 years ago. The marble is beautiful, but would I buy it again? Absolutely NOT.

I have a working kitchen. I cook a lot. I have guests over who slide things across my counter and I cringe because this counter is so delicate. If I had only been warned. The seller of the this stone (I paid 24K for my slabs) said it was great, no care required. As long as spills are cleaned up, no staining OR etching. It was supposed to be revolutionary. I believed this guy. I'm feel like such a sucker. Honestly, I just can't worry about it anymore. I am not replacing it. I will probably end up having the surface repolished completely removing the Azerocare finish and just have it polished and sealed. It scratches SUPER EASY (I had a cardboard box leave scratches on this). I feel like a slave to my kitchen countertops. Seriously!

Disappointed to say the least. I had a house sitter and forgot to warn them about the counter before I left. Now I have etch marks. Worn in spots that are used more often. Makes me sick. Please, PLEASE don't buy Antolini Azerocare.

very interesting thread. i would also suggest StoneGuard

What is the price point for StoneGuard (and does anyone have experience with the product?). I just looked it up and seems a viable solution. We would like Marble, but have not considered due to things similar to this thread...

The biggest advantage of StoneGuard is that the price is much less, than every other option, it performs the best, and your stone doesn’t get ruined during install or potential future removal. Everything else either fails or requires your stone to be sanded down to dust prior to install. You’ll either never get that original factory finish back, or it will cost you an arm and a leg to do so. With StoneGuard, it can just be removed and installers can walk out the door.
Films are the best. People wrap their car with paint protection film, their phone, etc… A film is designed to be easily installed and easily removed while providing a physical sacrificial later

Does anyone know if you can put tuff skin over azerocare. Trying to get a fix for my marked up countertops

You've got to have the stone restored before installing any film.

We've had our tuffskins for 7 years and love It . We have white marble in our kitchen and it looks as good as the day we bought it.