Monday 30 January 2017

Day to Day Maintenance Ideas for Marble and Other Stone Surfaces


Marble tiles and worktops are amazing home decor items and they add class and substance to any room in your home. However, one has to be very careful about the maintenance of marble surfaces. Marble is a very delicate and soft stone, and as it’s porous, it is easily etched by liquids such as vinegar, tomato juice, wine, orange juice, etc containing acids.

Use only pH neutral cleaning solutions to clean your marble surfaces – remember, never use vinegar to clean marble.  To clean the marble countertop or floors, prepare a cleaning solution by mixing three tablespoons of baking soda with one quart of warm water. Dip a cloth piece into the solution, wet thoroughly, then wring out and wipe the marble surfaces. Applying a little elbow grease on stubborn spots may help, but never use an abrasive cleaner. Allow the surface to air dry for about two hours. Wipe with clear water to rinse and then use a clean soft absorbent cloth to dry it off.

Oil and tomato spillage is removed with a sponge, warm soapy water and a little hydrogen peroxide. For day-by-day cleaning of marble floors, we recommend dust-mopping with a microfiber mop or soft cloth, and use plain hot water if you need to get rid of any marks or spots.

Immediately wipe off any spills as they will harm the marble surface. Never use strong cleaning products available in the market for removing stains on marble as it may further damage the area with discolouration. Here is a homemade cleaner you can safely use on your delicate marble surfaces. Crush a stick of plain white chalk into fine powder and apply it on to the marble surface. Apply it smoothly and make sure to overlap each stroke. Let it remain there for a few minutes and then rinse it off with a wet rag. If there are deep stains on the marble floor or countertop, get professional help to remove them.

The bathroom marble floors can be cleaned with a sponge, dish soap and water. It’s good to clean the marble floor and shower surrounds when leaving wet glasses or shampoo bottles sitting too long. Wash the marble tiles once in a week using a neutral pH cleaner. However, if your marble tile is extensively stained or etched, it’s advisable to call in a company that specialises in marble and other stone restoration. Restoration of polished marble involves the removal of dark spots, stains, scratches or damages from the surface of the stone by means of mechanical abrasion (diamond grinding).

While cleaning a marble surface, use a mop or cleaning cloth that is not impregnated with anything and ideally free of polish, cleaners, waxes or oils. And for the cleaning products to be used on the marble surface, get some advice from the experts like The Marble Man in Australia.

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