Marble is a stunning addition to any room; however, taking care of its maintenance is not everyone’s job. You might think you know how to take care of marble, but don’t know some of the basic and correct practices. You can be regularly cleaning the marble and still its continuously losing its shine. Or, have you ever noticed that your marble floor can get scratched if you drag heavy objects across it? You must be aware of some of the wise tricks and tips that can help you keep your marble countertop, floor, wall, or even sculptures new for many years.
Let’s explore some proven tricks on how to take care of marble:
Avoid Harsh Cleaners
Marble is famous as a soft stone and any harsh chemical can heavily damage it. If your marble supplier has provided you with guidelines on which cleaners you should use, then it is best to use those. However, if that’s not the case, you need to find the right cleaner for marble.
Any cleaner that is sold in the market has a description printed on it. You can read those and then pick the right cleaner. Here are some of the properties of a good marble cleaner:
- No acidic substances; only pH-neutral or alkaline chemicals are used.
- Removes stains immediately.
- Does not leave watermarks or colored stains.
- Diluted isopropyl alcohol can also serve as a good marble cleaner.
Clean Gently - Don’t Be Hard on Stains
Marble can be cleaned using mild cleaners, soft bristle brushes and a cloth. You should never use hard cleaning tools for stubborn stains. It is true that some stains are hard to clean, but cleaning using sharp tools or harsh chemicals is not the solution.
You can easily clean most of the marble stains using a soft cloth dipped in pH-neutral cleaner or isopropyl alcohol. A mild dishwashing soap can also do the job but mostly for light stains. But scrubbing the hard stains using heavy tools can do more damage than good. Therefore, it is always advised to clean stains as gently as you can.
Remove Spills Immediately
If you don’t want your marble countertop or floor to have stubborn stains, you should clean the spills immediately. Never let the spills dry because they can develop stubborn stains.
Whenever someone has to deal with stubborn stains, they think they don’t know how to take care of marble. But what they don’t know is that they are damaging the marble unknowingly. Even if you are cooking, keep a spare piece of cloth and clean where spills like sauces, oils, food, spices, or anything else fall. In short, wipe off anything that spills on the marble surface.
Never Miss Out On Sealing
Marble is a natural stone and just like any other natural stone, it has pores that need to be sealed. Whether it’s a marble vanity top or fireplace, the principles of how to take care of marble remain the same: clean gently and seal regularly.
Sealing every six months to one year is crucial for a marble surface. If you want to take care of marble so that it won’t get dull in just a few months, you should remember when it will require sealing. You can mark the next sealing date on the calendar so you should never miss it.
What happens if you miss out on sealing?
Marble has some natural pores that need to be filled using a resin sealant. However you seal it, the dirt, debris, and moisture can occupy the pores. They can make your marble counter or floor look dull and old. Cleaning those tiny pores is really difficult, especially when they are filled with dirt. Therefore, you should avoid them in the first place by sealing the marble regularly.
Prevent Cutting Directly On The Countertops
Cutting meat or chopping vegetables on a marble kitchen countertop has never been considered a good practice. It is unhygienic and a source of countertop scratches. Anyone wondering how to take care of marble countertops should avoid cutting directly on it.
It is advised to use cutting boards since they are easily available in the market. Just like how you cook in a pan, similarly you should cut fruits or vegetables on a cutting board. This simple practice can save the money you have invested in the kitchen countertop.
Clean Grout Lines (If There Are Any)
A marble countertop slab rarely has grout lines, but not the floor tiles, fireplace, backsplash, or island. If there are any grout lines on or near the marble surface, you should keep them clean. Otherwise, they can make the entire space look untidy. Furthermore, understanding how to take care of marble properly can increase its lifespan and save money on repairs. Many homeowners overlook the importance of regular marble countertops care, leading to dull surfaces and permanent damage.
Cleaning marble floor tiles is crucial. Even if the grout lines are near to invisible, you should still clean them. A soft bristle brush is sufficient for cleaning in addition to taking care of the marble surface. For example, if you have designed a bathroom wall using octagonal marble tiles, there will be grout lines separating each tile. Fill those lines using the right filler and clean using the right tools. This way, you can become an expert at taking care of marble.
Avoid Dragging Sharp Objects On Marble Floors
Dragging chairs, sofas, or any other thing that has a sharp bottom can scratch a marble surface. You should never follow such practices because they can cause damage. There are many cases of scratches caused by the dragging of sharp objects on the marble floor and even countertops.
It is best to pull objects instead of dragging them. If you can’t pull, you should take someone’s help but never do anything that can scratch your marble floor. In some cases, dragging even the light objects can also cause scratches. Therefore, you need to be very careful when it comes to taking care of marble.
Final Words:
Taking care of marble surfaces becomes way easier once you know the expert tips and tricks. There are many cases of marble floor scratches that seem to be formed suddenly. Therefore, one of the most common homeowner questions is how to take care of marble floors and prevent scratches. Besides that, keeping a marble countertop stain-free also sounds next to impossible. But, you’ll be surprised and, at the same time, glad to know that taking care of marble is very simple. You just need a right cleaner, regular sealing, and some good practices to keep it fresh like newly installed.
Want to explore some fresh and fully sealed marble slabs? Contact us at SK Stones USA to book a visit to our showroom and view our entire collection in person today!
Read More: Top 12 Types of Marble Tiles For Any Space
