Marble is a stunning natural stone surface. It’s a number one choice for Instagram-like look for your living space. Marble gives classic stamps of the decor and gives the impression of glamour and luxury. The stone can be used for flooring, countertops, splashbacks, tables and chairs and even walls. It’s amazing for kitchens and bathrooms. Each piece of marble is unique as the stone is formed through a natural process over millions of years. Marble is a beautiful investment and that’s why you must protect by cleaning and maintaining it correctly.
What is marble made of?
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed from the metamorphism of limestone or dolomite rocks under the influences of heat and pressure. This occurs in forming of a mosaic and crystals within the rock, forming beautiful forms. Marble can contain materials such as quartz, pyrite, graphite, micas and clay minerals. The rock can be found in a variety of colours – from white or beige to blue, pink, red, green, black and even gold.
Have you wondered how marble is harvested? Watch the remarkable process, documented by the Italian artist Yuri Ancarani.
Different Types of Marble and How to Take Care of Them
Marble is quite unique and comes in a wide range of colours and patterns. That’s what makes it the perfect choice to complement whatever the interior of your home.
We picked up the most popular choice of marble in any different colour. Here are our favourite marble options:
Carrara Marble
Carrara marble comes from Italy and it’s a popular and affordable choice when comes to marble. It can be found in a variety of shades of white and grey. Incorporating it in your design will open the space and bring more light to it. It’s perfect for indoor spaces and mainly for kitchens and bathrooms. As Carrara marble is usually white-coloured, it can get stained easily. Which is why it’s important to be cleaned regularly.
Crema Marfil Marble
This type of marble comes from Spain and it comes in natural beige colours. The crema marfil is a unique stone and it’s a great choice for pieces of furniture and sinks. It can be perfectly combined with other materials and different types of marble. It provides elegant look of your home and it’s very easy to maintain because of its natural strong texture. This type of marble is perfect for outdoor spaces as well. However, stains appear quickly on the marble, so avoid using it in kitchen countertops or bathrooms.
Nero Marquina Marble
This kind of marble is in deep black with contrasting white veins throughout its surface. The stone is harvested from Basque Country in the North of Spain. As black is the most common colour associated with luxury and elegance, it’s often chosen from most of the people in the interior design. The Nero Marquina marble is not recommended for outdoors. It can be easily damaged by the heat and sun because of its natural dark colour. The black beauty (as it’s also described) is quite a strong material. It’s the perfect choice for floors and countertops because it cannot be broken easily. The Marquina marble is also easy to maintain – dust it regularly and clean spills as soon as they happen.
Rojo Alicante Marble
Rojo Alicante marble, also from Spain comes in rich red colours with white or grey veins. This stone in stunning colours is perfect if you want to add dramatic or sensual tones to your home. This type of marble is very resistant to weather conditions so it’s also perfect for outdoor spaces. It can be glossy or matt – either way it’s easy to clean and maintain.
Dark Emperador Marble
Dark Emperador is brown coloured marble with golden veins inside the surface. This beautifully coloured stone is elegant and it can be the perfect choice for living rooms or other high-traffic areas in your home. This type of marble is not so sensitive to acid, which can be found in citruses and another type of foods. This marble cannot be sealed unlike any other type of marble. Sealing usually makes the surfaces more stain resistant. Because of this, it’s recommended not to be used in the kitchen for splashbacks or countertops.
Rosa Portugués Marble
As you can tell by the name, Rosa Portugués comes from Portugal and appears in all shades of pink with grey, white and even dark streaks. The marble can be used interior and exterior. It’s perfect for tables, chairs, countertops and in bathrooms. Treat stains as soon as they appear and clean regularly to maintain its fabulous look for longer.
Amarillo Triana Marble
Amarillo Triana has a yellow surface with dark veins. The streaks throughout the surface are irregular and unique from any other type of marble. Amarillo Triana is quarried in Spain. It’s not a popular choice and one of the least used marble in renovations. It’s a great choice for living rooms. Incorporating yellow in your home will bring joy and optimism in your life. This one can be used outdoors as well, as it’s strong and weather resistant.
Verde Indio Marble
The last type of marble we’ll review is Verde Indio. This is a green marble with dark streaks inside. It originates from India and it can be found in various of types from stone with few streaks to one with very articulated white stripes. It can be used everywhere around your house because it’s stain resistant. It’s a perfect choice for floors and it’s able to give personality to every space. However, we advise you not to use it in outdoor spaces.
Why You Should Seal the Marble and How To Do Tt
Sealing marble is a very important step for the maintenance of the stone. The reason it needs to be sealed is to protect it from absorbing any stains especially grease. It’s often mistaken that because the marble is polished it does not require any sealing. Polishing is only done to give a shiny look to the marble, it does not protect it from dirt.
The Method of Sealing Marble
The process of sealing is simple, just apply the sealer over the marble surfaces with brush or a clean cloth. Let the sealer do its magic for a couple of minutes and wipe it off with a clean cloth. Read the manufacturer’s instruction on the packaging of the sealer to make sure you follow the recommendation strictly.
Protect the Marble
You can add extra protection to the marble against stains by using spray sealant once a month. You will still need to reseal every couple of months and to wipe out spills as soon as they happen. But the spray will give you more time to treat stains before they start to damage the surface.
Remember, sealers won’t make the stone completely stain-proof, only make it stain resistant.
Do’s and Don’ts of Cleaning Marble Surfaces
The key for reserving the fabulous look of the marble over the years is care and prevention. Marble should be regularly polished and sealed over the years to keep its bright looks. Here’s what you should and what should not do when you take care of marble.
Don’ts of Marble Cleaning
Don’t use general all-purpose cleaners
Marble is soft and cracky which means it can easily be damaged by stains and spills. Cleaning marble surfaces the right way is important for its appearance. All-purpose natural cleaners and vinegar must be avoided. Their acidity will damage the soft surface of the stone. Alkaline cleaners like bleach must also be avoided of usage.
Don’t use scrubbing sponges
The surface of the stone is really soft and trying to remove a hard stain with scrubbing sponges or with dishwashing stainless steel scrubbers can seriously damage the surface.
Don’t leave the marble surface wet
Marble is pory which makes it absorb liquids quickly. If you don’t dry marble after mopping, cleaning or spilling water, the surface will absorb the water, which will damage it.
Don’t stand or sit on marble countertops
Marble countertops are not as strong as other materials and leaning or sitting on them, can damage them. Needless to say, it’s also dangerous for you because the surface is slick, which might cause you to slip or fall.
Don’t put sharp-edged items on marble
Use mats and trays on marble countertops to protect them from glasses and heavy objects with sharp edges. If you have marble floors use carpets or mats under chairs and tables. As we mentioned above, marble can easily get scraped and torn.
Do’s of Marble Cleaning
Do clean marble regularly with water and soap
For regular cleaning use a soft cloth and clean with a mixture of hot water and dishwasher soap. Wipe up with damp cloth or sponge afterwards to dry out the surfaces.
Do invest in a marble cleaner
If your budget allows it, it’s highly recommended to buy professional marble cleaner to be as safe as possible. Marble is vulnerable to acids and alkalis, so better be save and invest in a quality product specially created to clean this gorgeous stone.
Do clean spills as soon as they happen
If you got to this point of the article, you probably heard that a lot, but here it goes again. Marble is a very sensitive type of rock so clean spills as soon as they happen. Acid can be found in food and drinks such as coffee, wine, alcohol, tomatoes, citrus fruits, meat, yoghurt, vinegar etc. And as you may already know acid is destructive to marble.
Do use cutting boards and plates on countertops
If you decide to use marble for your countertops, it’s almost unavoidable to completely prevent it from getting scratched. Use cutting boards to avoid scratching and food juice spills. Use heat pads under hot pans, and coasters under bottles and glasses.
Do use trays in bathrooms
Protect the marble from your toiletry products by avoiding them straight on the surface. Use trays to protect it from damages by the chemicals in the toiletries. A tray will also look nice and neat and it’s a great way to decorate the bathroom.
Do use doormats and rugs
Place a doormat in front of the front door to protect your marble floor from getting scratched by sand and dirt from your shoes. Put carpets under moving furniture like chairs and tables and on the high-traffic areas.
Do mop the marble floor regularly
Clean the floor regularly to remove dust and dirt. You can also use a vacuum cleaner, but be careful. Don’t push it too hard to avoid scratching.
How to Remove Stains from Marble
No matter how careful you are, accidents happen. Stains can happen while you’re not at home or you may miss seeing them right on time. Here are some natural stain treatment methods.
Simple Cleaning with Water
If you come home to a dry stain on the marble countertop try to remove it with just water before moving to harder detergents. Spray the spot with water. Leave it for a couple of seconds to soften the stains. Scrub gently with a dry cloth until the spot is completely removed.
Use Baking Soda
If the stains can’t be removed with water, add baking soda to create a mixture. In a small ball mix baking soda with a couple of drops of water until you create a paste. Baking soda will sanitize and deodorizes the surface. You can also add dish soap to the paste. Apply the mixture evenly over the stain on the marble. Cover the area with plastic wrap and let it rest for twenty-four hours. After that, remove the plastic cover and use a damp cloth to wipe away the stain. If some parts of the stain are not cleaned, repeat the process until it’s completely cleaned.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide
You can use hydrogen peroxide for stubborn stains. Pour a little peroxide over the stain. Cover it with plastic wrap and again, leave it for twenty-four hours. After that, remove the plastic wrap and wipe out the liquid with a dry cloth.
Cornstarch for Greasy Spots
If there is a grease stain on the marble, sprinkle cornstarch until it completely covers the stain. The cornstarch will absorb any oil from the stain. Leave the powder for 30 minutes and wipe away with a dry cloth.
How to Remove Scratches from Marble
General Cleaning to Remove Scratches
If there are small marks on the surfaces try using a gentle washing to remove them. Use hot water and a soft cloth. Pour the water over the scratch and rub smoothly. Small scratches should rub away with this method. You can add dish soap to the hot water to generate more friction. After you finish scrubbing, wipe away the surface with a dry cloth.
Use Fine-Grain Sandpaper
For deeper scratches use fine-grain sandpaper and rub the area lightly. Avoid using rough-grain sandpaper, as it can create more cuts in the marble.
Use Marble Polishing Powder.
Wet the surface with water, and apply the creamy powder over the damaged area. When you’re done, rub it away with circular motions, using a wet cloth. Scrub until the scratch goes away.
We know it sounds like too much hassle investing in marble. The truth is, it’s just a matter of learning how to treat and maintain the surface. In the end, don’t stress so much about a few small scratches or stains on the countertop. Part of the beauty and character of marble is that it’s not perfect. So, don’t be afraid and implement marble in the interior to add style and elegance to your home.
The post How to Clean Marble: The Ultimate Guide for Maintenance and Care appeared first on Fantastic Cleaners Blog.
