Love your marble counter tops and marble floors, but clueless on how to maintain and clean them? Fret no more because here are some great tips you can put to very good use when looking after your marble.
First and foremost, here is the most important thing you need to remember when cleaning marble.
Marble is not like linoleum, plastic or, obviously, wood.
Marble is delicate.
It can get easily scratched and damaged, so it is important to be very, very careful when using certain chemicals or solutions when cleaning it up.
It is not advisable to use just any kind of household cleaning agent you have lying around in your house.
Even the "softest" powders and the gentlest creams can easily damage the marble.
If you absolutely need to use some kind of solvent in order to clean up stains, be sure to research the product very well first, so you are sure that it would not be abrasive to your floors or your countertops.
To be on the safer side, try to buy something that is specifically made for cleaning up marble, as well.
Secondly, remember not to use lemon or other acidic substances on the surfaces.
While these may seem like natural-and thus, "safe"-ways to clean up stains, you may end up doing more harm than good to your marble.
Your marble may be more delicate than you think it is.
Third, remember that the very best thing to use when cleaning up is still just warm or hot water.
Use a sponge, a mop or a soft cloth (nothing rough or abrasive) to wipe up surfaces.
Do not forget to dry up the floors and the countertops completely too, lest the droplets cause some dirty-looking and unsightly spotting.
As for prevention, remember to wipe off all kinds of spills immediately.
Marble is a porous substance, so leaving spills on it for a long time will cause staining and etching.
Additionally, you may also want to consider applying a light coat of colorless wax on your marble.
While this is not a must, the coating does provide extra protection from staining.
Remember not to apply wax if your marble is white, however, as the wax may cause the surface to yellow.
If you want the extra sheen back on your floors and countertops, you may also choose to have the surfaces re-polished.
Re-polishing actually involves some form of abrasion, so the rough surface of your marble is smoothed out.
After re-polishing, your marble will most likely also be waxed.
Finally, remember that all the advice and all the tips given here are only applicable on marble floors and countertops.
While some may be useful to marble sculptures as well, it is best to look for a separate guide with regards to marble pieces of art-especially if your piece has some important historical value.
Marble restoration and marble maintenance may seem like a lot of work, so the best thing, really, is to be very careful with it in the first place.
Stick to the basics: use coasters, wipe up spills quickly, use warm water to clean up every once in a while and your marble will be good to go.
If you need professional help on floor cleaning, restoring marble, travertine, natural stone or granite floors or countertops, it is best to visit Services Ireland Directory or SID to find the best company that can help you solve your marble restoration problems.
Murray Marble in Dublin is one of the companies that can provide you good service.