How to Clean and Polish Marble

Cleaning marble is a task that is moderately easy as long as their is no staining or heavy soiling.

Things You'll Need

• Dish Washing Liquid
• Chamois skin of Microfiber cloth
• Elbow grease

Instructions

1. There are primarily two stones that are mined for construction and decorating collectively we know them as dimension stone, they are granite and marble. They differ greatly in composition and hardness. In this article we are going to deal with marble. Marble is metamorphosed limestone that was originally laid down as the shells of trillions of sea creatures. Before this assemblage is metamorphosed one can easily see the remains of the sea creatures that it is made from. Some marble becomes so metamorphosed that all signs of the creatures composing the marble is obliterated. Then marble becomes a rock that is entirely crystalline in nature with additional components added to the original rock. One of these is magnesium carbonate that changes the marble from pure calcium carbonate to a mixture of the two compounds that then is called dolostone.

   Most marble is composed of this mixture, an additional compound that is added to the marble is silica as silicon dioxide, common quartz, that infuses the marble making it harder then ordinary marble. Remember its origin is the skeletons of sea creatures, this makes the marble porous which makes marble tough to keep clean. It is especially prone to staining. The worst staining comes from iron compounds that will leave permanent stains that are extremely difficult to remove.

   One type of stone that is sold as marble, but isn't is Verde Antique, this is the result of metamorphism changing of a piece of oceanic crust that was caught up in a collision of landmasses resulting in the building of a mountain range. In the process this was changed by the process into a mineral called serpentine. Geologists have a special name for this kind of rock, "Ophiolite." Because it contains swirls of calcite in its composition it has to be treated like marble in the cleaning process. Like its sister mineral asbestos, however it is highly heat resistant. One of its uses is too make skillets for frying pancakes.

2. Marble is not only soft but it is porous as well making it very prone to staining. There are a number of do's and do-not's that have to be remembered in the use of this material. Whenever you spill something onto its surface immediately wipe it off so it doesn't have time to sink into the marble. If you are serving drinks place a coaster under the glass of cup you are using. Absolutely do not let any acids come into contact with the marble, this includes chemical bleaches like Chlorox. Also, do not use any abrasive cleaners or steel wool.

   Abrasives will remove the shine from the surface of marble. Steel wool will not only scratch and roughen the surface, but increase the danger of iron staining. Something that can be safe if used in moderation is tooth paste as long as it is rubbed gently.

   The best way to prevent a lot of staining is to have the dealer treat your marble or other stone with a coating of sealent. This will prevent most of the staining that may occur, but you should observe the other safeguards.

   One of the most effective cleaners for marble is dishwashing liquid that is gentle on the hands. There are also commercial cleaners available from your local stone dealer. The thing to do however is to avoid getting stains on your marble through diligence. The best part of diligence is to avoid using marble in an environment where it is apt to be stained or marred. Fit the stone to the job in hand, and don't use marble for kitchen countertops.
   Finish your cleaning efforts by wiping the surface of the marble off with chamois skin or microfiber cloth. Either of them will leave your marble surface spotless and clean.

3. If your marble becomes seriously stained or dirty to the point that it is difficult to clean using the mild methods described above it is time to call for a professional stone cleaner. There are special polishing tools that are made to clean and polish stone, they should be used. Most of these tools are diamond charged buffing pads that are used with a hand held buffing machine, or for large applications like floors are large machines that resemble floor buffers. The diamond charged buffing pads come as a set of several different pads that have to be used in sequence for the best job. If you are really handy this is a job that you can do yourself, but by the time you have bought the pads, and the necessary machinery you might as well consider becoming a professional stone cleaner.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use any harsh chemicals or cleaning compounds on marble.

• If the marble is too dirty call in a professional stone cleaner.