4 Cleaning Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Marble Countertops & Floors

How To Avoid Damaging Your Marble Surfaces

Natural stone is a popular material for homeowners who are seeking a beautiful but durable material for flooring, shower walls, countertops, and backsplashes. However, even if a material is durable, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t still vulnerable to some types of damage. Although it may take a hammer to break marble, it can still become worn down or damaged if not properly cared for.

Unfortunately, well-intentioned homeowners often make mistakes when cleaning their marble surfaces that cause them to look worn down or dull over time. Our Anthem tile floor restoration specialists can restore damaged marble, tile, and natural stone surfaces to look brand new, but prevention and good care is always better.

To keep your marble surfaces looking shiny and amazing, avoid these four common cleaning mistakes:

Cleaning With Vinegar Solutions

Marble surfaces should always be cleaned with the appropriate cleaning products. Some solutions can cause adverse chemical reactions with marble, resulting in a burned appearance, loss of glossiness, or other damage. The ideal cleaner for a marble shower wall or countertop is a neutral, gentle cleaner with a pH of 7.

Although it’s easy to assume that a natural cleaner is safe for any surface, never use vinegar or vinegar solutions to clean any kind of natural stone, including marble. Vinegar is a highly acidic solution, and natural stones such as marble, travertine, and limestone will have hidden adverse reactions to the acid in vinegar. These reactions may not be immediately apparent, but will be noticeable over time as the finish and surface begins to wear away. Always use a neutral, balanced cleaning solution to maintain the integrity of your marble surfaces. Ask your Avondale tile floor cleaning professionals for recommendations.

Failing To Seal Marble Surfaces

Some natural stones offer more stain resistance than others, usually depending on how porous they are. Marble is more porous than granite and some other types of natural stone, which means it’s more likely to hold onto a stain that isn’t quickly cleaned up. This is why quickly cleaning up spills is imperative to keeping your marble flooring or surfaces looking great.

Many homeowners neglect to seal their marble surfaces. Although this may seem like an unnecessary chore, regularly sealing your marble floors, shower walls, and countertops prevents stains because the sealant provides an additional layer of water resistance, which will make it harder for stains to seep into the marble and cause discoloration. Our top rated Buckeye tile floor cleaning service offers sealant services for marble flooring and other surfaces if you don’t want to complete this task yourself.

Another advantage of properly sealing your marble surfaces is that you can change its appearance. Sealants are available in matte, satin, and glossy finishes that will give your marble surface the look you want to achieve. Additionally, sealed marble surfaces are much easier to clean because your cloth will glide across the surface. Dirt particles, stains, and other potentially problematic elements won’t be able to penetrate into the stone.

Not Protecting Their Marble Flooring

Although natural stone provides an elegant and beautiful flooring, it is more vulnerable to damage from sand, dirt, and debris than other types of flooring. Marble floors in particular are prone to damage from these gritty particles, which will become abrasive, resulting in etching, scratching, and other damage. Homeowners should protect vulnerable areas of their marble flooring, such as doorways, with doormats or soft carpeting. Although a doormat won’t stop all dirt and debris, it will significantly cut down on how much can get inside your home.

Frequent cleaning with a dry dust mop is also important if you want to protect your marble flooring from damage. A dry mop will catch dirt and sand without scratching your marble floors, unlike a vacuum or broom, which isn’t recommended. Always avoid acidic cleaning solutions when mopping your marble floors. If your marble floors need additional care, contact your trusted Anthem ceramic tile floor cleaning specialists for deep cleaning and restoration.

Cleaning With Abrasive Tools

Although your Scottsdale ceramic tile and grout cleaning service can beautifully restore your marble surfaces, prevention is always the best option. If your marble surface has developed pitting, etching, scratches, or stains, it can be tempting to use a hard scrubbing pad to try to eliminate the damage. Unfortunately, these types of cleaning pads will only make the problem worse. Using abrasive cleaning tools on marble floors only scrapes off the stone surface, leaving a rough, unfinished edge that is more vulnerable to water damage, stains, and scratching.

When cleaning your marble shower walls or flooring, only use soft cloths with warm water and a neutral soap. Microfiber is an excellent option. Once marble flooring has become scratched or damaged, it can only be restored with professional Gilbert tile floor restoration services.

Restore Your Marble Surfaces With Gilbert’s Leading Professionals

Is your marble floor, shower wall, or countertop looking worn down or scratched? Call Desert Tile & Grout Care for solutions! Our experienced professionals have the tools and expertise needed to carefully restore and refinish marble surfaces, which can eliminate scratches, etching, pitting, stains, and other damage. We can also restore or re-color the grout around your marble, giving you a beautiful floor that looks brand new! Contact us today to learn more about how we can restore the appearance of your marble surfaces.