Which Is Easier To Clean – Tile Or Marble Flooring?

Both tiles and marble flooring have different finishes which make them suitable for different areas of the home.

The major difference is that marble is far more expensive than tiles that come in a variety of price ranges to suit any budget.

Although both floor surfaces are considered to be easy to keep clean, different cleaning techniques need to be applied for each type of floor surface.

So which is easier to clean – tile or marble flooring? There are a number of different factors to take into consideration:

• Cleaning products or detergents that are safe and recommended for use.
• Sweeping versus vacuuming.
• The cleaning technique.
• Long-term care and maintenance.

1. Cleaning Products

Tiles come in a broad range of different types therefore, the type of cleaning product or detergent that is used should be suitable for the type of tile.

Most types of tile cleaning or common household detergents should be suitable for cleaning tiles effectively without damage them.

However, high sheen tiles may require a streak-free cleaner similar to what would be used on windows or other glass or shiny surfaces in the home.

Marble, on the other hand, should only be cleaned with a pH-neutral detergent.

Dish-washing detergents and window cleaners are mostly suitable for cleaning and maintaining high sheen marble tiles.

Marble tile products are available but are pricier than regular detergents. A high-quality wax is also recommended for marble tiles.

2. Sweeping Or Vacuuming

Both marble and tile flooring surfaces are suitable for sweeping or vacuuming.

Tiles are however better suited to vacuuming as sweeping allows dirt to become swept into and ingrained in the grouting.

Marble on the other should rather be swept than vacuumed as the hard edges of the vacuum can damage the surface.

3. Cleaning Techniques

Sweep, vacuum, wash, rinse and dry is the recommended technique for both marble and tile floors.

However, the rinse and dry steps are not essential when cleaning tiles whereas they are very important on marble floors.

Scrubbing with a brush may be necessary from time to time to remove dirt from grouting with tiles.

It is not recommended to use too much water on marble floors or install marble in wet areas like kitchens and bathrooms as this can lead to calcification or efflorescence over time.

A regular mop is ideal for tiles and a microfiber mop is better for marble floors.

It is essential to ensure that all dust and loose dirt or debris is removed from the marble floor surface before cleaning.

It is recommended to apply a coat of wax to marble floors after cleaning and drying to help protect the delicate surface.

4. Long-term Care And Maintenance

Tiles and marble are both prone to wear and tear over time. Tiles can become scratched, chipped or broken and the grouting can become permanently stained.

Fortunately, chips and cracks can be repaired but scratches on the surface of the tiles may be permanent.

There are also treatments available to recolour or re-scheme grouting that has become discoloured over time.

It is recommended to replace tiles that have largely succumbed to wear and tear or have become damaged beyond repair.

Marble floors will inevitably begin to lose their sheen and shine over time due to regular wear and tear.

Marble can, however, be polished or resurfaced in order to restore it to its former glory.

Polishing may be required regularly depending on the amount of traffic and wear and tear.

Although quality marble flooring should last a lifetime, it is essential to clean and maintain the flooring correctly.

In both the short and long-term, tiles are much easier to clean and maintain whereas marble takes a little more care and attention.

If you have tile or marble flooring and are looking for a professional and highly specialised tile and stone care company, then look no further than us at Slique.

Slique has highly-developed systems and processes, which means we provide a tile cleaning service that is second to none.