Marble Damage From Acidic Fluid Cleaners

Marble surfaces need special care.

Marble flooring, tile and vanities create a look of luxury and elegance to home décor. Marble surfaces require special care, however, and ordinary cleaning compounds can ruin the natural shine. Acidic cleaners in particular can dull and damage marble tiles, countertops and vanities. To keep marble surfaces looking lustrous and bright, follow your stone manufacturer's instructions for cleaning, polishing and removing stains.

Basics of Stone Care

Natural stone for home interiors come in two types, the siliceous type and the calcareous type, according to the Marble Institute of America website. The type you have in your home will determine what kinds of cleaning products you can use on it. Siliceous stone, such as granite, slate, sandstone and quartzite, contain silica, a very hard substance that you can be clean with mild acidic cleaning solutions such as vinegar and citrus products. Calcareous stone, such as marble, travertine and limestone are made of calcium carbonate, a much softer, alkaline substance. Using acidic substances on these types of stone will cause pitting and dulling of the surface.

Marble Cleaners

Marble is a popular material for many home surfaces in the kitchen, bath and other areas. Many commercial marble cleaners are available for maintaining these materials. The manufacturer of your marble surface may recommended a particular cleaner for your stone, and you should follow their recommendations whenever possible on matters of cleaning, sealing and stain removal. When in doubt about the ingredients in a cleaner, don't use it. It can do more harm than good for your marble surface.

Acidic Liquid Cleaners

Though cleaners containing vinegar or lemon juice do a good job on many types of household surfaces, you should never use them on marble. The calcium carbonate in the marble is an alkaline substance that reacts with the acid. This creates dull marks or etching on the surface. Acidic cleaners can also eat away the grout between the marble tiles, according to TheTileDoctor website.

Repairing Damage From Acidic Cleaners

You can remove small areas of etching left by acids left on the marble surface with marble polishing powder. Wet the surface with a small amount of water and sprinkle on the marble polishing powder. This polish is available at hardware stores or at marble and stone suppliers. A low-speed power drill with a buffing pad on it will also work for this task. Continue buffing until the etched marks are gone. Rub the powder into the marble surface gently with a damp cloth. Rinse the surface and dry thoroughly. If a large area is damaged, contact your local professional stone restorer.

References

• The Marble Institute: Natural Stone Care & Cleaning
• The Tile Doctor: If In Doubt, Don't Apply Any Cleaner or Cleaning Technique
• North American Tile Cleaning Association: Proper Tile Shower & Grout Cleaning Procedures