Proven Methods Of Restoring Marble Floors

Are your marble floors getting dull or they’re not looking as appealing as they did when you had them installed? Well, this is not a strange phenomenon when dealing with natural stone floors. In the past year especially, you may have been forced to spend a lot more time at home due to lockdowns, which means you and your loved ones were pretty much walking endlessly, day and night, across those same floors. Dulling, stains and scratches are bound to form when such exquisite floors are exposed to such heavy foot traffic.

So what can you do to clean and restore your blemished marble floors? Natural stone restoration is the answer. Let’s discuss some proven methods on how to clean, polish, and restore your marble, as well as some recommendations on what not to do.

Can I Use Regular Household Cleaners?

The first question that might come to mind is, “Can’t I simply use my regular household cleansers and detergents to clean and polish my marble?” Well, you may quickly come to the conclusion that there is nothing wrong with using what’s readily available, but there are a few things that professionals strongly recommend not to use on marble surfaces, such as:

• Lemon juice, vinegar or any acidic cleanser can damage your marble surfaces and cause etching and other negative consequences.

• Strong alkali cleansers, like ammonia or hydrogen peroxide, can bleach marble surfaces. You should always test such cleansers on inconspicuous or hidden spots before using them on larger marble surfaces.

• Scourers and brushes. You should never use scourers or brushes to clean marble floors, as they can cause more damage than the dirt you are trying to remove.

Type Of Finish

When considering restoring your marble floors, it’s important to think about the type of finish on the marble flooring. There are 2 main types of finishes that influence the overall texture and appearance of the floors;

Polished Marble

This is the shiniest of the two finishes and is better suited for table inlays and kitchen countertops. Polished marble is less susceptible to staining and dulling.

Honed Marble

Honed marble has been ground to create a smooth matte finish that is less slippery than polished marble, making it excellent for flooring. Honed marble is also more resistant to scratches.

Proven Techniques

Depending on the type of finish, there are various methods you can use to restore your marble floors to their former glory. It is important that you use the right tools and supplies when cleaning and polishing marble floors.

1. Dry Polishing

For this method, you’ll need an electric drill or stone grinder, as well as breathing and eye protection due to the dust produced. Use progressively finer-grit sandpaper to gradually polish the grooves and etch out of your marble surfaces. It is important that you remove even the tiniest of grooves if you want to get a perfect polish.

2. Wet Polishing

The wet polishing method is slightly messier and takes up more time. For this method, you will need a floor polishing machine, polishing pad, marble polishing powder, a sprinkler, vacuum and a floor squeegee. First, sprinkle some water over the surfaces as you use progressively finer pads to polish the floor. You should make multiple passes with different pads and vacuum up excess water between passes.

Before the last pass, sprinkle some marble polishing powder and water on the floor, then wipe down the floor with a microfiber or soft cloth for a perfect finish.

These methods take time and practice to effectively master. Achieving perfect results on the first try is not a guarantee. If you are looking for perfect results, your best bet is working with a professional marble cleaning, polishing and restoration company.

If you’d like to learn more about how to keep your marble clean, please feel free to call SLIQUE for your marble cleaning needs. We are Sydney’s number one authority in all things marble.

For all your marble floor cleaning and polishing needs in Sydney, please call SLIQUE today on 02 9648 0395, or you can leave an inquiry on our contact page.