Marble is one of the most beautiful and elegant stones available for decorating countertops, floors, and walls. Maintaining your marble is important for retaining that beauty and elegance. Fortunately, marble maintenance is fairly straightforward. Homeowners who put regular effort into their home marble maintenance can enjoy their marble tile for many years.
Clean Spills as They Happen
Marble is a highly porous, absorbent stone that will absorb spills easily. Marble tile will stain when it comes into contact with dark juices or staining foods. To avoid this, clean up spills quickly before the food or beverage can be absorbed into the marble.
To clean up any spills, use a damp rag. If you are cleaning dried food on the tile, dampen the rag with water that has been mixed with a mild detergent. Wipe the stains down until they're removed.
Use a Poultice When Needed
A poultice is a paste that can absorb a stain from a porous surface like marble. Some homeowners make their own poultice out of baking soda and water, while other homeowners will mix powdered whiting with hydrogen peroxide.
To apply the poultice to the marble, spread it over the surface of the stone and drape a sheet of plastic wrap over the poultice. Tape the plastic wrap onto the countertop. Leave the poultice in place for a full day and then remove the plastic and wipe up the poultice. This should remove the stain. If the poultice didn't work, talk to a marble cleaning expert.
Reseal Periodically
Some marble must be sealed periodically in order to stay waterproof. Fortunately, homeowners can reseal marble countertops or floors on their own with commercially available marble sealer.
Simply check with your marble installation contractor to find out whether or not your marble should be resealed, then purchase the sealer of your contractor's recommendation. Follow all manufacturer's instructions when resealing marble.
Clean Tile Every Day
Repeated exposure to water can have a negative impact on marble tiles. The best way to remove dirt and grit from your marble tiles is with a dry mop. To do this, run a dry microfiber mop over the tiles to pick up dirt and grit on the floor. Periodically shake out the dry mop to get rid of grit and dirt that could scratch your floors. It is especially important to do this in high-traffic parts of the home, like the kitchen or bathroom.
Use Rugs, Coasters, and Trivets
Rugs can help keep your marble tile floors in high traffic areas in good condition. Rugs are especially useful in places like the entrance to the home and the back entrance to the home, where dirt and grit are likely to be dragged in onto the tile. Rugs are also a good way to protect your marble stairs, which can become slightly sloped by wear and tear from foot traffic.
Think of coasters and trivets as rugs for your countertops. Coasters prevent glasses with heavy amounts of condensation from dribbling all over your counter, which could leave to temporary water stains on your marble tiles.
Trivets help protect your counters from heat. Setting a hot pan on your marble countertops can lead to heat stains or even cracks from thermal shock. Even if the pan isn't hot, grit on the bottom could still cause your countertops to become scratched. Using a trivet can prevent this problem from marring your counters.
Contact Marble and Tile Experts With Questions
If you're a homeowner with more questions about how you can maintain your home's marble tile, contact a reputable marble installer in your area. At Best Marble & Granite Company, we're happy to answer customer questions and help you maintain your marble countertops, floors, and walls.
