In our days marble has become a common design element in many homes as well as some offices. Marble is stone that is generally polished and used in fine building works such as many accent walls, tile floors, and even some countertops.
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Marble may look impervious, but it’s surprisingly easy to stain. While many people assume marble is practically indestructible, the fact is marble is very delicate and it does require maintenance to look its best.
Marble is a very soft stone and it is much softer than granite. It is also highly porous, so it is very easily etched by acids such as vinegar, tomato juice, orange juice, etc.
The surface of unsealed marble is covered in millions of large and small pores. It’s even prone to develop water stains or spots, such as marks left by drinking glasses, or water spots after mopping.
Let’s see some guidelines on how to clean marble surfaces without marring the beautiful appearance of your surfaces.
1 – Always wipe off any spills immediately as they happen and in general, clean marble with a gentle liquid soap that does not have a grease remover.
Mix about 2 tablespoons of mild liquid soap in 2 liters of water. Using a soft sponge or a sponge mop if you’re cleaning a marble floor, wipe the marble clean. Follow with two to three water rinses, depending on how soapy the water mixture is. Then dry with a soft cloth.
TIP: For marble countertops use coasters under beverage glasses to avoid moisture rings.
Cleaning and Sanitation of the Kitchen Trash Can (howtobuildahouseblog.com)
Stain Removal:
Sometimes we find scuff marks on marble. Other times it is the things that spill onto the surface. While each case is its own creature, cleaning marble can be done effectively:
- Organic stains: Use poultice soaked with 20 percent peroxide (hair bleaching strength) and a few drops of ammonia to clean: tea, coffee, colors bleached from paper, textiles or soft drinks stains.
- Oil stains: Oil stains may include butter, hand cream or lotion. Spread surface with an absorbent fine powder such as whiting or even corn starch. Then, brush to remove and reapply more powder. After 24 hours you can brush to remove it again. To remove: Scrub with hot, sudsy (detergent) solution and stiff brush. Or wipe with ammonia-dampened cloth. In either case, then rinse and wipe dry.
- Rust stains: Use a commercial rust stain remover. Follow directions exactly and do not leave on surface very long as acid in many rust removers can etch the surface.
- Acid stains: Wipe up acid (fruit juice, carbonated beverages or other acids will etc) spill immediately, and wipe surface with wet cloth. If surfaced is etched, polishing may be required.
2 – DO NOT USE abrasive cleansers. Abrasive cleansers should be avoided at all costs, as they will leave scratches in the surface.
3 – Cultured marble is stronger than natural stone marble, but it does lose its shine eventually. You can clean cultured marble with neutral pH purpose cleaner.
Spray the surface with this cleaning solution and wipe it dry with a soft clean cloth to remove any water spots.
4 – Marble which has become dull can be livened up by using putty powder (tin oxide) can be used to polish dulled or etched surfaces, rubbing on with a damp cloth, folding and refolding to clean damp areas, and preferably using an electric polisher for buffing.
5 – In order to protect your marble surfaces, it is a good idea to treat them with some type of polishing agent from time to time. Make sure to clean marble surfaces before applying the polish. Polishers that contain tin oxide are often a good option for this task.
6 – After the polish is in place, reseal your marble floor annually at least, it’s as easy as waxing a floor. Buy a stone sealer in a home improvement store. Take a sponge, sponge mop or rag and cover the entire marble surface, including corners and the backsplash.