When marble is installed in a pristine environment, it can provide an ethereal feel to its surroundings. They can seem perfect.
In an ever tumultuous lifestyle, filled with work, family, chores, one demand after another, it can be a daunting task to even consider where to start with marble polishing and cleaning. Here are three questions with answers that you need to know
How to Care for Marble on a Day-to-Day Basis
The trick to preventing a big issue is also to prevent the little ones before they occur. Therefore caring for a marble surface needs to start with the “little things” every day. What are these little things, you ask? They include:
The use of appropriate cleaning products specifically designed for or approved for use on marble. This will mean they are less likely to have a chemical reaction with the sealant on the surface, which could cause damage.
Fix issues as they occur. See a chip, a crack, or a mark? Address that small item before it becomes a major item.
Always clean after use. This is particularly important for food preparation surfaces or areas that come into contact with a lot of substances. Substances will have chemical reactions with the marble, decreasing the integrity of the sealant on the surface and therefore the life expectancy of the marble. Cleaning after use can prevent chemical reactions from occurring.
Use coasters, trivets, mats and runners on counters and tables to prevent heat or chemical reactions.
Dust regularly with a soft microfiber cloth.
Do not allow pooling of liquids on your marble surface as they are likely to react and penetrate the protective surface of the marble, resulting in discolouration.
If unsure, get advice!
What Products Can I (and Can’t I) Use on Marble Surfaces?
In the realm of housekeeping, there is an overwhelming number of products available, including several products for each task. Without in-depth product knowledge or preferences, it can be difficult to select the right product to maintain your marble surface.
In the age of health and environmental awareness, companies are pushed more and more to make their products more environmentally friendly, less toxic, hypoallergenic, user-friendly, and still have appealing packaging.
Aside from getting a product specialist to come and maintain your marble for you, professional services are able to recommend the best products for the job and apply a sealant at the same time.
How Often Does Marble Flooring Need Sealing?
There are several factors that go into this response.
Where is the marble flooring?
Is the flooring exposed to the elements?
What is the volume of foot traffic it receives?
What products are used on the marble flooring on a day to day basis?
How old is the marble flooring?
When was it last sealed?
What was it last sealed with?
The list goes on.
Depending on the responses to the above questions, marble flooring will need to be resealed every 3 to 15 years. You may think that is a great variance, but consider a display home that is not lived in compared to a set of marble steps to a public building that sees thousands of people on them every day. Ultimately, the cycle for restorative maintenance will be determined by the amount of wear and tear it is exposed to.
Summary
Professional marble cleaning services, such as Absolute Stone Care, are best placed for answering marble maintenance questions from the mundane to the abstract. This will allow marble-owners to more capable of maintaining their marble surfaces.