Care and Maintenance Ideas for Marble Countertops and Floors

Nothing can express the elegance and luxury of natural stone surfaces. It has been used in homes and commercial establishments for more than thousands of years and is prized for its variety of colours, patterns, beauty and durability. Natural stone, however needs maintenance; knowing how to maintain can help to keep them long lasting and fresh looking.

Marble Grades: Marbles are installed as tiles. There are different kinds ranging from soft to much harder according to its composition. Some are very solid and some have sand veins running throughout the marbles which do not suit for flooring. The veins may add beauty to the marble floor, but after constant foot traffic for a long time, the veins will have a tendency to crack. They are suitable for walls where heavy pressure is not applied. 

Know your Stone: Marble is a mixture of limestone and sand. It is little harder than limestone but because of the lime content that reacts well with acids. So you have to be careful in cleaning with acid polishes and the way to use them on the marbles. 

Care and Maintenance for marble floors and countertops: Marble has aesthetic merits and though it has limitations with delicate varieties, marble is considered as a durable material. The frequency of maintenance and the type of maintenance depend on the location where it is installed, daily intensity of wear and tear it is subjected to and how far you want to keep it glossy.

Some of the dos and don’ts for Marble surface:

• Clean up the spills immediately to prevent stains.
• Use trivets or mats under hot cookware and hot dishes.
• Use place mats under scratching items like chine ceramics and silver utensils.
• Use coasters under glasses to prevent the contact of citrus juices or alcohol. 
• Clean surfaces with professional cleansers.
• Use professionals recommending sealants to protect the stone.
• It is good to keep the toiletry products in a tray to prevent the surface exposure to damaging chemicals.
• Dust mops the marble floors regularly.
• Use doormats inside and outside the marble floors and place area rugs on the marble floor.
• Do not leave the spills on the floor for longer time.
• Do not use cleaners containing acids such as grout cleaners, tub cleaners and bathroom cleaners.
• Do not use, bleach, vinegar, ammonia or any other general purpose cleaners.
• Do not use scouring powders and abrasive materials such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
• Do not use alkaline cleansers that are not specifically formulated for stone.
• Do not place the toiletry products directly on the counter top surface.
  

Use marble cleaners with neutral pH as both acidic and alkaline materials have equal effect on the material. A highly polished marble tile is more likely to get scratched. If you want a shiny and clean appearance of the marble floors, stone benchtops and countertops, it is very much essential to have routine professional maintenance, viz. sanding, honing and polishing. This will help to maintain a polish mirror finish and buff out deep cracks. Usually marble and limestone requires maintenance at every quarter. The frequency may depend on the type of stone, its finish and the foot traffic it receives. In some season like winter, it requires more attention as the products we use for melting the snow truly damages the surface. 

If your marble surfaces are looking careworn because of neglecting for years, poor installation or misguided cleaning methods, you need not replace it. Inappropriate methods of installation and cleaning may lead to very expensive repairs. It is good to approach professionals like The Marble Man for marble floor restoration and maintenance guidelines. They can impart a new beautiful finish to old marble floors. They are well known for all types of stone maintenance, stone repair and natural stone restoration processes in the Queensland and New South Wales regions. 

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