Cleaning Products That Will Damage Your Marble Floor. Do’s and Don’ts
Marble floors add the perfect touch of elegance and luxury to your home. But with this beauty comes the special care and cleaning needed to keep it immaculate. Marble is quite porous and can hold stains. The polished versions usually don’t show the stains as much, but they can etch and scratch.
Most homeowners who don’t know how to properly clean and maintain marble usually end up damaging it by using the wrong cleaning products. This is why we recommend hiring professional marble restoration in Orlando but if you are looking for more information, let’s have a look at which products to avoid and how to properly clean your marble floors and surfaces.
Products to Avoid
Name-Brand cleaners
Not all name-brand cleaners are effective or suitable for cleaning marble floors. Some like Tilex, Lime Away, Windex, 409, and Lysol aren’t the best, especially when it comes to cleaning marble.
While a few grout, tub and tile type bathroom cleaners claim to work on marble, they might not be as gentle on all surfaces. These chemicals have ingredients that can be extremely abrasive to marble and other natural stone surfaces, ruining the sparkle.
Acidic Cleaners
Acidic and citrus cleaners like lemon, orange juice and vinegar are some of the best natural cleaning agents but they do contain high levels of acidity. These cleaners might seem like a great option for synthetic surfaces, but the high acidity is bad for marble.
Most have hydrogen peroxide (pH 4), low vinegar (pH 3), or citrus (lemon-orange pH 2-4) which end up etching marble. Avoid any cleaner with a PH below 7. These common cleaners can leave dull spots, rings, or spray marks on your floor.
High acidic levels can dull marble, making your floors look weathered. This also applies to acidic substances like wine, milk and juice which can stain your marble surfaces. Remember that once your marble floor is etched, it might require re-polishing which will cost you.
Products Containing Alkali
Though chemicals containing alkali are sometimes used to clean surfaces, long-time usage can be bad for your marble. You can use them to wipe away stubborn stains and dirt, but leaving them on porous surfaces like marble for long periods will damage them in the long run. If you have to, only use alkaline marble cleaners specifically formulated for stone.
Homemade Marble Cleaners
Homemade marble cleaners which include soap, ammonia or vinegar are not the best since they have high acidity as we explained. While soaps might not immediately damage your marble floors, regular use will leave a film that attracts dirt. This will end up making marble dull and harder to clean
Use a Specialized Marble Cleaning Agent
Use a specialized marble cleaning agent that you can purchase from a general hardware store. Find one that is specially designed for marble floors so that no damage is caused while removing stubborn and old stains. Do note that wiping won’t remove etching or stains that have penetrated the surface.
There are stains that can’t even be removed by a marble cleaning product and you’ll have to bring in the professionals to do the job. As tile cleaning experts, we have the right equipment, tools and products that enable us to give your marble floor a proper and effective clean.
Conclusion
When it comes to cleaning your marble floor, you can’t just use any kind of cleaning product. Marble has to be looked after carefully. If you’re unable to remove dirt and stains, contact us today so we can help clean and restore your marble floor to its original shine. Clean Image recommends using a Neutral Cleaner.