We can safely say that marble is one of the hardest floors you can use, and one of the easiest to clean.
That doesn’t mean marble doesn’t require maintenance though, so we’re going to offer tips on how to clean marble floors.
By using cloths instead of brooms for dusting, using a deep cleaning mop, and polishing after you’re finished, you can make sure that your marble’s sheen remains for years after its installation.
Key Takeaways:
Mop marble floors regularly, only use cleaning products that have a PH-neutral balance (such as dish soap, for example), dry it with a cloth after cleaning, and then buff the floor when you have finished. Never scratch marble paint, and never leave wet marble to air dry.
This is the best way to clean marble floors:
Don’t Scratch The Paint
We know that most homes contain vacuums nowadays, but trust us when we say to leave the vacuum out of your marble-floored room. Marble is hard and smooth, meaning most dust collects on the surface instead of falling into cracks or divots.
When using a vacuum, the wheels or hard bristles can scratch the surface of your marble, causing more harm than good.
The best way to clean up dirt from a marble surface then is to skip straight to the mop and bucket.
Mops don’t scratch the floor the way sweeping can, and marble surfaces don’t give dirt cracks or room to fall into for your mop to miss. Normally light dust is reserved for a sweeper’s duty, but a mop and bucket can leave a marble surface shining like new easily and on their own.
To help remove food or stuck on filth, mix soap into your water. Don’t use any cleaning product though.
Marble is fundamentally different from other floors because it’s essentially made up of a mixture of limestone. Acidic floor cleaners and do it yourself mixtures using vinegar can eat away at your floor, and destroy the polish while causing permanent damage to the surface underneath.
Check the PH balance on any chemicals you use, and try to make them as neutral as possible.
Let It Shine
Also, make sure to use a towel or other cloth to dry your floor once you’re done.
Whether they’re liquids from spills or your own mop water, if you leave liquids to pool on a marble surface they can sink into the pores, and while that may not compromise the integrity of the floor, it can cause discoloration. Air drying it with a fan pushes the water along the marble, which gives water more chances to drip into pores and alter areas along your floor’s surfaces before it dries.
The signature part of a marble floor is the shine you get from it. That shine can go down over time, as small dust particles sink into the pores in the marble. Tools that lift dirt out of these pores can be especially useful for cleaning marble, and steam mops offer one of the best options. They don’t threaten to scratch the marble, and the use of heat makes cleaning your floor easier. And marble boasts enough durability that no amount of hot water will risk damaging it.
Steam mops are the easiest option, and you can get some models for less than $100. See Household Advice’s own steam mop reviews for advice.
Once you’ve removed any dirt from the surface, try buffing it or polishing it to give it a proper finish. You can even wax marble floors to restore the sheen to them after some time, which we recommend doing every four months to half a year or so. There are sealant sprays designed specifically for use on marble floors that you may be able to use as well.
To Reiterate
To paraphrase all of that, here are our tips for cleaning up your marble floors again:
- Mop regularly. Use hot water and a mop, or a steam mop, to clean up dust and light dirt that accumulated over time.
- When dealing with accumulated dirt or a stain, add a cleaning chemical that has a PH neutral balance. Dish soap is a good choice because it is relatively basic and safe on your hands.
- Dry it quickly with a cloth or other items, but do not let it air dry. Letting the water sit on the surface can cause discoloration.
- Buff the floor when you’re done. Buffing it generates heat that can evaporate leftover water, polishes it to prevent scratching and smooth the surface of your floor, and helps to maintain the trademark sheen of marble surfaces and remove discoloration.
In Conclusion
We know marble floors can be hard to keep spotless, but by following these instructions cleaning marble floors should be easy. Use hot water and a mop to clean dirt and grime regularly, and then dry your floor once you’ve finished mopping. Apply a sealant or wax your floor when it calls for it, and avoid tools like brooms or vacuums that may prematurely scrape your marble’s finish.
