Marble tile is a wonderful choice for homeowners
because of the varied designs that come naturally with this kind of
flooring. The earth-tones make it a breeze to coordinate the rest of
the home with the floor, yet the venation is snowflake-like, making no
two floors the same. Not only that, marble is generally hypoallergenic,
it does not trap bacteria.
Now the catch is how to keep your marble tile
floor as beautiful as the day you had it installed. Marble is a natural
stone, thus making it pre-disposed to stains. The homeowner should take
precautionary steps as well as preventive maintenance to keep their
marble floor as it should be.
It would be best not to use marble in high-traffic
areas (e.g. foyer, kitchen). When this is unavoidable, using a glazed
marble tile is a good idea. It still needs regular cleaning, but is
more resistant to staining and damage.
Marble is prone to a number of different kinds of
stains. The most common are stains and discoloration caused by acidic
substances which are the result of little household accidents. Spilled
vinegar and citric juices are common culprits of marble floor stains.
Even leaving spilled water on the marble floor may cause spots if not
attended to because of the porous quality of this natural stone. The
solution is to immediately mop up or wipe away the liquids that come in
contact with the floor, not allowing it any time to settle.
Other common stains come from tannic liquids or
solutions like tea, beer and wine. Like the way they can stain clothes,
or even your teeth, they also create hard-to-remove stains on marble
floors, since marble is very reactive to acidic substances. A good
remover for these sort of stains is Hydrogen Peroxide with a few drops
of Ammonia.
Stains in kitchens with marble floors are
generally from oils. Cooking oil, oily foods and grease may leave drops
on the marble tile, leaving unsightly discoloration, not to mention the
hazard of slippery floors. Applying a mild household detergent and
quickly scrubbing and drying the spots will get your floor spic and
span.
Rust stains may result when you have metallic
items which oxidize because of the damp, leaving a rust stain on your
floor. Think metallic flower and ornamental plant pots. A nice little
household tip to remove rust stains is to use a mixture of lemon juice
and salt. It works especially well on rust stains on colored marble.
The homeowner should watch out though and make sure not to let the
lemon juice stay on the marble floor overlong.
Seeing a discolored marble floor is certainly
disturbing. One good solution is to use Hydrogen Peroxide or bleach to
return it to its original color. To maintain a good shine, using
polishing powder is very effective. A buffing machine is used to apply
the powder to the floor.
Now for those who would like to use a more
permanent method of maintenance, diamond sanding is a good choice. This
is particularly for those homeowners who would like to restore the
shine their marble floor used to have. Make sure to choose a
professional sander because if this method is done wrong, it may leave
circular sanding marks on your floor from the use of uneven diamond
abrasive pads.
Last but not the least, we have the two most
important maintenance methods of all, which are the cheapest and most
effective too. One, clean your marble floor daily with a neutral pH
cleanser and water, making sure to dry quickly after. Two, dirt and
grime tracked in from daily traffic should be cleaned or wiped away
immediately. Doing these two things will definitely sustain the beauty
of your marble floor, letting you and your family enjoy the charm it
brings to your home.
(cn-stonenet.com)