Effective Tips to Maintain Shine of Marble

Stones
For thousand of Years Marbles surface be it your flooring, wall or countertop, has been
trusted for its enduring nature, dependability. Marble has also become people's favorite due to its
shining look, durability and perfection. The marbles are available in different colors and textures,
making its presence into people with different color and textures choices. Its also available with a
polished or nonpolished finish, and in an array of thicknesses and shapes. We should take proper
care of these marbles to make its shining, and durability even longer. A little mistake or unawareness
can harness the glow of marbles.

Well, cleaning marbles is not a tough task. The ease of maintenance is also a major reason behind
marble's popularity. With very little effort and regular care one can keep their homes glowing like
new forever. But once you have it, how do you take care of it? The truth is, with very little effort,
your natural stone will give you years and years of low maintenance service

There are several ways to maintain the brilliance and shine of this stone.
Marbles have porous nature, it has tendency to soak anything that is dripped on to it. People
sometimes use acids, or rough cleaning materials to clean these stains caused by porous nature of
marble, resulting scratches. These scratches on your marble will result into the loss of beauty of this
stone.

One needs to be cautious while working with marble. Never use vinegar or any other type of acidic
or rough cleaning products to clean marble floors. Marble is delicate and should only be cleaned
with PH natural, gentle cleaners. Even, mild acid present in vinegar can prove dangerous to the
overall finish of marble flooring. Always use neutral PH cleaning products for cleaning marble. You
need to consider following tips when cleaning marble.

 Nonpolished marble is very porous, stains easily, and must be sealed with a commercial
sealer. Do not use varnish or lacquer to seal marble; it quickly peels off. Polished marble is
less porous but can still be stained; a commercial marble sealer is also recommended for this
finish.
 Marble floors look great after being damp-mopped using either clear water, an all-purpose
cleaning solution in warm water, or a mixture of 1 cup fabric softener and 1/2 gallon water.
 In case anything spills on a marble surface, wipe it with a damp cloth or terry cloth almost
immediately. The more you let the spill sit, the more stubborn will the resultant stain be.
 While wiping marble, always make use of a damp rag. Thereafter, buff-dry it with a chamois
cloth.
 Always wet the marble top with lukewarm water. Don't use hot water. You don't require
scrubbing marble surface unless there are some hard materials present on it. Use a mild
detergent to clean marble.
 For removing stubborn stains from marble surface, make use of neutral, non abrasive
cleaners, like acetone, hydrogen peroxide & clear ammonia.
  Mix liquid dishwashing detergent with some warm water. Take a sponge, dip it in the
solution and use it to clean your marble. Thereafter, buff-dry it with a chamois cloth.
 In case your marble has become dull, you can brighten it once again by using a commercial
marble cleaner and polish/wax.

 In the bath/ shower or other wet areas, soap scum can be minimized by using a squeegee
after each use.

 In outdoor pool, patio or hot tub areas, flush with clear water and use a mild bleach solution
to remove algae or moss.
 For removing rust stains from marble, a commercial rust stain remover is the best. However,
do not let it sit on the marble for too long. Do not use stain remover on a regular basis as it
damage the floor
 In case of organic stains like tea, coffee or soft drink, use a poultice soaked with 20 percent
peroxide and a few drops of ammonia. Put it on the stain with a soft cloth, and let it dry on
its own. Then wipe the marble with a warm, damp cloth, and dry it with a towel.
 If oil stains on marble are bothering you, dust the area with an absorbent fine powder like
whiting or corn starch and let it stand for 24 hours. Thereafter, wipe with ammonia-
dampened cloth, rinse and wipe-dry.
 If you want to dry and shine the marble, use dry terry cloth or paper towels. In case, you
require something more than just a mild detergent to clean the marble, you can purchase a
high quality commercial marble cleaner.
 After cleaning marble, polish it with marble polish containing tin oxide. In case of marble
floors, you can also use a stone sealer. Maintain your marble floor and tiles regularly to
make its shine and beauty long-lasting.
 Self-polishing liquid wax is a fast, shiny finish for marble. Occasionally, you'll have to strip the
wax buildup and rewax. After applying the stripper according to the manufacturer's
directions, rinse the floor thoroughly, then apply wax.
 Use either a water-base self-polishing wax or a paste wax. If you use a paste wax, test it in a
corner to see if it will discolor the flooring. If a solvent-base paste wax is used, rewax to strip
the old wax and to renew the shine.

Make regular marble cleaning your habit in order to keep them glowing forever.

Do's and Don'ts for Marble Care

 Do dust mop floors frequently using a clean non-treated dry dust mop.
 Do clean surfaces with a neutral stone cleaner.
 Do thoroughly rinse and dry the surface after washing. Do change rinse water frequently.
 Do blot up spills immediately.
 Do protect floor surfaces with non-slip mats or area rugs and counter top surfaces with
coasters, trivets or placemats, particularly under those containing alcohol or citrus juices.
Many common foods and drinks contain acids that will etch or dull the stone surface.
 Don't place hot items directly on the stone surface. Use trivets or mats under hot dishes and
placemats under china, ceramics, silver or other objects that can scratch the surface.
 Don't use vinegar, lemon juice or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone,
travertine or onyx surfaces.
 Don't use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners or tub & tile
cleaners.
 Don't use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
  Don't mix bleach and ammonia; this combination creates a toxic and lethal gas
 Don't use more than the recomended amount of any cleaning product. Too much may leave
a film, causing streaks.
 Don’t use scouring powders or creams; these products contain abrasives that may scratch
the surface.
 Don’t use vacuum cleaners that are worn, the metal or plastic attachments may scratch the
surface.

Eco-friendly Tactics Of Cleaning Marble

1. Learn how to reuse, reduce and recycle. Do your best to come up with new cleaning
materials out of the things you can find in your storage or old stuffs. Instead of throwing out
old clean clothes or let insects and pests fest upon them, make use of such to clean your
marble countertops. Wiping marble countertops with clean cloth soaked in hot water can help
lessen the growth of bacteria on the surface. It can even remove some stains and spills. You
can mix organic extracts for an added fragrance that is never toxic or harmful to your health
and atmosphere.

2. Check your cupboards or storage. You may find some useful and natural cleaning stuff.
Fabricate your own cleaning products if you have time and interest in doing so. However,
make sure that you know what you’re doing. See to it that the ingredients you’re going to use
are suitable for marble cleaning since there are natural ingredients such as vinegar which can
cause discoloration. Gather enough information with regards to making homemade cleaning
products specifically marble cleaners. There are so many resources providing easy and non-
toxic cleaning methods or recipes for organic homemade cleaners.

3. Choose organic, go green. Properly dispose your old toxic cleaners. Now is the time to stop
using cleaning products and other chemically-enhanced merchandise. Find the best marble
floor cleaner or settle with the application of natural cleaning products. Through the going
green campaign, getting a hold of safe and effective cleaning products has become easier and
more preferred by many households.

4. Have your marble floors and countertops sealed and polished. This way, you can
discourage deep penetration of stains and spills which can ruin the shine and durability of
your marble. Choose organic marble sealers and polish. Sealed and polished marble surfaces
are also easier to clean or that it needs less the cleaning and maintenance. If a sealer is
applied, be sure that it is non-toxic and safe for use in food preparation surfaces. Do not use
varnish or lacquer to seal marble; it quickly peels off.

5. Nothing beats proper maintenance and prevention of stain or spills and other cleaning
problems. Clean marble regularly. Water and detergent alone can do the job provided you
rinse thoroughly to avoid moisture or soapy films. Have those clean clothes or fabric for
wiping readily available and easy to reach so you can get rid of stains and spills as soon as
you can. Paper towels are also recommended but it pays to use recycled ones to discourage
utilization of trees. Train your entire household to clean as they go and prevent any stains or
spills.

6. Sand, dirt and grit do the most damage to natural stone surfaces due to their abrasiveness.
Mats or area rugs inside and outside an entrance will help to minimize the sand, dirt and grit
that can scratch a stone floor. Be sure that the underside of the mat or rug is a non-slip
surface.