How To Clean Marble Tiles
Marble tiles are dense and hardwearing materials, offering an authentic array of shades, patterns and delicate veining that are a timeless and classic addition to any home. Many ask how to clean marble tiles, and so this guide will cover the key steps to ensure your marble tiles are cared for and will look their best for years to come, covering many of the common FAQs around marble tiles.
How to clean marble floor tiles
First and foremost, ensure you use a cleaner suitable for marble. Marble is a naturally occurring material that is quarried from the earth. This natural material should not be cleaned with any harsh or commercial cleaners such as bleach – acidic cleaners will eat away at the sealant and eventually damage the stone. For daily maintenance, we recommend finding a pH neutral cleaner, such as Lithofin Wash & Clean, diluted in warm water. This product is made for natural stone and will help clean, enhance, and maintain the natural surface of your marble tiles. Some cleaners may say ‘suitable for natural stone’. When trying any new cleaner, we always suggest doing a patch test in an inconspicuous area of the floor to be safe. Damage can occur to marble by misuse or incorrect maintenance products.
Direction for use: Always vacuum (brushes down) the area to be cleaned to remove grit and dusting. Dilute Lithofin Wash & Clean into lukewarm water - try to use flat microfibre mops rather than string mops as these will remove and lift more contamination than a standard string type mop. After washing allow the residue to dry naturally on the surface of the stone, do not rinse with clear water.
Parisian Manoir Marble Tiles
Do you need to seal marble tiles?
Marble tiles need sealing upon installation and sealant will help protect the natural surface against water and oil contamination. Subject to the correct maintenance, we recommend resealing internal dry areas, every 3-5 years, bathrooms may need resealing every 1-2 years.
What is the best thing to deep clean marble with?
Marbles may require occasional deeper cleaning if in a high traffic or wet areas. For deeper cleaning of these stone areas, they can be washed down with the diluted product Lithofin MN Power Clean, this will remove greases, dirt and possible efflorescence build up (white chalky dusting). The use of a white emulsifying pad will help with slightly more ingrained contamination.
Parisian Chequerboard Marble Tiles
Carrara Bianco Marble Tiles
What cleaners should you avoid with marble?
Should you use vinegar to clean marble?
You should never use vinegar to clean marble - the acidic content will burn the surface of the marble; this will dull a polished finish and brittle the surface of the stone.
Riviera Emerald & White Marble Tiles
Riviera Black & White Marble Tiles
How to clean soap scum off marble shower tiles
Marble in shower areas may require occasional deeper cleaning to remove soap scum, watermarking and light mineral salts. For deeper cleaning of these areas, they can be washed down with the diluted product Lithofin MN Power Clean, this can remove residues from soaps and hair products and possible efflorescence build up (white chalky dusting). The use of a white emulsifying pad will help remove slightly more ingrained contamination.
The key to keeping marble in showers clean, is to not let this type of contamination layer or form too thickly, when there is a slight sign of this type of contamination, remove to keep on top of it.
Carrara Viola Marble Tiles
Carrara Viola Marble Herringbone Mosaic
Top tips to maintain your marble tiles
1. Use the correct and specific daily and deep cleaners.
2. In wet areas, rinse the surface of the tiles to remove soap residues, squeegee and then towel dry loose water, this will keep your marble residue and limescale free and prolong the sealer and stone finish life.
3. Test if the tiles need resealing with a water droplet test – if water beads on the surface, sealant is still intact, if water soaks into the surface, it is time to reseal.
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Speak to Quorn Stone or the Lithofin technical line if there are any questions you have for the cleaning and maintenance of these areas.
