Marble Cleaning

Marble, while it may not look like a delicate substance, is very porous, easily stained, and it can be scratched and etched using the wrong products or not caring for it properly.

Marble should only be cleaned with a pH neutral cleaning solution, spills should be wiped up as soon as possible especially those of an acidic nature or containing alcohol.

Precautions:

• If you have a marble table, mantelpiece, or countertop, use coasters for glasses and cups and doilies for vases of flowers. In general - don't allow liquids; wet or sweating, to sit directly on a marble surface as they can leave a ring.
• Always use trivets or mats under anything hot, like serving dishes. They can scratch or burn the surface of your marble table or countertop.
• When it comes to cleaning marble - Never use vinegar. Vinegar is natural but is an acidic product that will etch and permanently damage your beautiful marble.
• Never use abrasive or alkaline cleaning products as damage can also occur.

Everyday Cleaning:

For everyday cleaning of your marble counter tops, just wiping it down with warm water is enough. Dry immediately with a soft cloth or chamois. If you feel this just isn't enough, squirt one or two small pumps of liquid dish detergent in a bowl and mix with warm water. Wash and dry immediately.

Perk Up Marble Counters:

Maybe you just moved into a new home and it isn't up to your caliper of cleanliness and the marble counter tops in the kitchen could use a good cleaning. Mix the following ingredients together:

• 1 quart warm water
• 3 tablespoons baking soda

Wet a cloth completely then wring it out and wipe down the counters. Scrub just a little for tougher areas. Let the solution sit and dry, about an hour or so. Wipe down with another cloth and warm water and dry. Should you want to buy a commercial cleaning product, make sure it is a pH Neutral product.

Caring for Marble Floors:

Water water will work just fine, but for extra shine and you can add a little Murphy Oil Soap.

• 1 TBL Murphy Oil Soap
• 1 gallon of warm water

Clean with a damp mop, squeezing out as much water as possible, then wipe dry with a sh-mop.

For regular cleaning, use a dust mop for marble floors. Anything gritty that will naturally be found on a floor, including dirt and sand, is abrasive and will scratch the floors.

Protect Your Marble Floor:

Here are a few things you can do to protect your floors.

• Be sure to put mats or small rugs, with rubberized backs, on both sides of doorways that open onto a marble floor.
• Be sure not to use a vacuum cleaner that has worn attachments or wheels. These, two, can scratch marble.
• Clean up spills immediately.
• Don't use a broom, this will only move dirt and dust around causing scratching.
• Keep furniture on carpets or rugs or use protectors

Repairing Etched Floors:

If the floor is etched, no regular cleaner will fix it, you need to re-polish the marble. More information is available in this article on repolishing etched marble.