How To Clean Marble Tile Floors

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Nothing beats the timeless elegance of the marble tile floor. It brings a unique mid-century modern to traditional home vibe. However, its fabulous appearance needs special care when cleaned. Unlike other floor types, marbles require careful cleaning methods to avoid damage. Keeping them clean won’t require much effort if you know how to clean marble tile floors.

You must be keen on the process and the products you use to make them last for many years. Luckily, you’ll only need household supplies to clean them.

Unique Features of Marble Floors

Marble is one of the most popular natural stones from a family of limestones. It is typically mined from mountainous areas. With heat and pressure applied to them, it transforms into its metamorphic state. The lines and veins you see are created as it had changed and compacted through the process.

Marble is a beautiful yet delicate stone. Since it is a natural material, it is highly porous and easily damaged. It tends to absorb water and moisture fast, which is one of its disadvantages. In addition, it is not resistant to impacts compared to hardwood and other stones. Hence, marble is also prone to scratches and stains.

The Right Way to Clean Marble Floors

Marble floors are ideally cleaned by hand. Vacuums and attachments can scratch or etch the floor surface; we don’t recommend using them. Since marble floors are prone to damage, here’s how to clean them.

What You’ll Need:

• Distilled water
• Mop bucket
• Soft dust mop
• Cold water
• Clean floor towels or microfiber cloth
• Non-acidic floor cleaner (optional)
• Gloves

Here are the steps:

1. Remove all dust and dirt using a soft dust mop.
2. Boil at least eight cups of distilled water. Distilled water doesn’t have minerals that can cause scratches or discoloration.
3. Pour the hot water into the mop bucket. For best results, add a non-acidic floor cleaner to the hot water. If you don’t have one, hot water will do.
4. Using the soft dust mop, wet the floor and mop slowly.
5. After mopping all surfaces, rinse the mop with clean water to eliminate gathered dirt.
6. Next, fill the mop bucket with cold water and mop the floor.
7. Use clean floor towels or microfiber cloth to dry the floor completely. Don’t air dry to avoid moisture access.

Safe Products to Use on Marble Floors

Aside from using hot water for cleaning marble floors, there are also safe products that you can use. Don’t forget to rinse your floor with clean water after using them and wipe out excess moisture.

Baking Soda

Baking soda works well with stains and stubborn dirt. Mix baking soda with water to form a paste solution. Apply enough paste to a soft brush and gently scrub the surface. Deep-seated stains might be harder to remove. Therefore, we recommend applying and leaving the baking soda paste for hours before wiping it away.

Hydrogen Peroxide

You can use hydrogen peroxide if you want thorough cleaning. It’s found in supermarkets and is tough on stains. Mix a cup of hydrogen peroxide with a bucket of water, then cautiously rub the mixture over the tiles.

Stone Cleaner

Stone cleaners, specially made for marble, are available in the market. There are non-abrasive ones that have a neutral pH level. Follow product instructions before using them on your floor. There are also stone cleaners that don’t need rinsing with water.

Mild Soap

Mild soap mixed with water is one of the safest products on marble floors. Soaps that contain concentrated and acidic components such as vinegar (acetic acid) and lemon juice (citric acid) are good at cleaning but cause damage and tile discoloration. Check the product label and ingredients by making sure you’re using a mild soap.

How to Deal with Stains on Marble Tile Floor

Stained marble floors are unsightly. They destroy the perfect beauty of your floor and also pose potential damage. Here’s how to remove stains from marble floors:

Fresh Stains

You’ll get a bigger chance of getting rid of the floor stains while it is fresh. Here’s what to do:

• Blot up using a clean cloth or paper towel.
• Soak a soft cloth in white vinegar and rub the stained surface.
• Rinse using dish soap and water.
• Dry the area using a towel.
• Repeat the steps if you still see visible stains until they’re completely removed.

Old Stains

Some stains may go unnoticed on your floor, especially in the kitchen and dining room areas. They might have set in for days or weeks before you notice them. White vinegar may not be enough for old stains. It’s ideal to use hydrogen peroxide.

This powerful cleaner contains a natural bleaching compound, which is tough on old stains. Here’s what to do:

• Apply an ample amount of hydrogen peroxide on the stained surface.
• Leave it for about half an hour.
• Wipe it off using a damp cloth.
• Dry the floor using a towel.

How Often Should You Clean Marble Tile Floors

Marble floors need daily cleaning using a soft broom or dust mop. This prevents dust and dirt build-up from penetrating the marble, which causes scratches and stains. This simple cleaning routine will maintain your floor’s durability and shine for years.

Vacuum cleaners can also be used on marble floors. However, we don’t recommend using them frequently as these machines can damage your floor in the long run.

Deep Cleaning

If you think you are not doing enough for your floor marble tiles, it is best to schedule deep cleaning once a month. It’s easy to do, but you may hire a professional cleaner.
Occasional deep cleaning is ideal for homes with constant visitors. The more people get in, the more your floor will gather dirt.

Use a mild non-acidic floor cleaner available in supermarkets for a DIY deep cleaning to minimize scratches and avoid potential damage. You may also use stone soaps specially formulated for marble.

How to Protect Your Marble Floor

As mentioned, your marble floor needs preventive care to maintain its beauty. Aside from sweeping and mopping, there are ways to protect your marble floor and reinforce its durability.

Removing Surface Marks

Surface marks are visible scratches on the floor, often caused by dirt from shoes or furniture legs. Don’t let minor scratches settle for a long time on the marble tile because dirt easily penetrates the porous surface.

Door mats are your floor’s best friends. It’s frustrating to see shoe marks, but you can easily remove them by gently scrubbing using a microfiber cloth or a tennis ball if you have one. Place dirt-absorbing door mats on areas that lead to entrances of your house to minimize dirt entry.

Furniture legs will also cause marks and little scratches when dragged on your floor or left unmoved for a long time. Use felt pads on your furniture’s legs to solve this problem.

Sealing Your Marble Floors

Sealing will protect and make marble floors look even more beautiful. A sealant is a protective layer of wax applied to marble floors. In addition, it acts as a barrier against all types of dirt.
You may hire professionals to seal your marble floor or choose a DIY option.

Cleaning a sealed marble floor is much easier and more convenient because it requires less scrubbing. Reapply sealants when you see them start to fade. If you choose a DIY option, sealants are available in hardware stores. Get some recommendations from your marble manufacturer to get the best product.

Removing Scratches From Marble Floors

No matter how careful you are, scratches on the marble floors may be inevitable. However, minor scratches can quickly disappear by using buffing materials and polishing products.

For some bigger extensive scratches, you’ll need cleaning and buffing procedures. Clean the scratched area first using a soft cloth or microfiber cloth. Damp the cloth with mild soap and water it directly onto the scratched surface.

Rub to smoothen the area and wipe off debris and dust using a soft cloth. After cleaning, grab fine grit sandpaper to buff out the scratch. Apply sealant or polish to give it a smoother finish.

Cleaning Grout Between Marble Tiles

Grouts between your marble tiles are keepers of dirt. Therefore, you must clean them regularly, especially if the grouts are wider. You’ll need a soft brush, grout cleaner, towel, and water.
Here’s How To Do It:

• Spray a sufficient amount of grout cleaner on the tile grout.
• Using the soft brush, lightly rub the sprayed areas.
• Clean the surface by wiping a damp cloth or towel.
• Rinse the surface with water.
• Using the floor towel, dry the cleaned grouts by gently pressing them.

Wrap Up

Marble floors occupy big spaces and are your best home investments. Luckily, these gorgeous floors aren’t difficult to clean as you’d imagine. It wouldn’t require much cleaning effort if you followed our tips on cleaning marble tile floors.

You’ll keep them in great shape and protect them for years without spending much on cleaning services and expensive materials.