The most common impression of a marble floor is, “They are so beautiful and shiny.”

Although after hearing that, a phrase that goes, “How do you maintain a marble floor?” or “Its maintenance is probably too hassle!” comes after.

Keeping the beauty and luster of marble flooring does require effort, but it is not that difficult. Here is the summary of what we would have to do:

• regular cleaning
• deep cleaning
• seldom “polishing” using baking soda

This article also contains information about the durability of marble floors and what can damage them.

Directions in Caring for Marble Floors

Sinodec has been working with marble for more than 10 years. We have already explored the stone enough to know how to make it last and of course, shine.

Marble’s natural gloss is its most special trait, and we provided ways to safely maintain it in this section.

1. Regularly Sweep or Dry-Mop the Marble Floor

When should we do this?: Every day or every other day 

Retaining a marble flooring’s shine starts by realizing that your place accumulates dust every day.

The air outdoors will carry dirt through passages like windows or doors. If you have pets, then you will find fur laying around the floors. You’d also be surprised how much human hair you’ll be able to sweep in one day!

If a building is dusty and musty despite routine maintenance, then check the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system; it is one of the notorious culprits of an unclean space as well.

Any kind of floor will lose its life if we let dust accumulate. That is why we should do light cleaning every day or every other day, depending on our environment.  

For this task, we can use the following tools below.

Soft Broom

A soft broom made of sisal or grasses (e.g. tiger grass) is an excellent material for sweeping marble floors daily.

It effectively gets any dust and even debris off of the floors without scratching them, because it lives up to its name: soft.

Dry Mop

We recommend a non-abrasive material such as a microfiber mop for marble floors to avoid scratching. This also helps us ease the cleaning process since it collects the dirt instead of just pushing them.

In this way, we can remove the dust that dulls the luster of a natural marble stone.

Microfiber Cloth

For cleaning the floor edges—which can be hard to reach using a soft broom or a mop—we can manually wipe the dust and dirt by using a microfiber cloth.

Remember to be gentle and don’t apply too much force when you wipe (if it is difficult to remove, we can address it later on with deep cleaning).

2. Deep Cleaning the Marble Floor

When should we do this?: Once a month

What you will need:

• 2 buckets
• at least 2 buckets of warm water
• marble cleaner or neutral pH 7 liquid soap
• microfiber mop
• cleaning gloves (optional)

Thorough cleaning of the marble floors is necessary because even though we take good care of them, they still receive foot traffic. Marble flooring is also subject to liquid spills, grime, and other nuisance that remove its gloss.

The golden rule is to clean and wipe off any kind of dirt or liquid that will come in contact with the floors (except the cleaning solution, of course).

Steps for Marble Floor Deep Cleaning

• Sweep or dry-mop the marble floor as the first step, so we can remove dust and other possible dirt.

• In a bucket, mix the ph 7 liquid soap with warm water at a ratio of 1:5. If what we are going to remove is a stubborn marble stain, then we can add more amount of neutral cleaner.

If you are using a cleaner specifically for marble, kindly follow the product’s instructions.

• Dip the microfiber mop into the bucket with the cleaning solution, then gently wipe the marble floors. Wipe in one direction only, as much as possible.

• Rinse the mop in another bucket with clean water then squeeze. Remember to check the water in this bucket—if it is dark already, replace it with clean water, so you won’t be taking the dirt back to the marble floor.

• Repeat the process until you cover the entire floor.

• When done, wipe the floor with a chamois cloth to dry the surface. You will see a shine in the marble after finishing the deep cleaning.

3. Baking Soda for Shine Retention

When should we do this?: Only when necessary; once in 6 months is enough

What you will need:

• water
• baking soda
• chamois cloth
• microfiber cloth

Baking soda is one of the popular materials for cleaning marble, giving the floors a shinier and polished look. But as mentioned, we should not do this regularly. While baking soda is safe, it is still a mildly-abrasive alkaline.

Steps for Marble Floor Cleaning with Baking Soda

• Put the baking soda on the marble floor and leave it there for about 5 to 10 minutes.

• Dip the microfiber cloth into the water and lightly squeeze it so it gets damp.

• Gently rub (don’t elbow grease!) the damp microfiber cloth into the floors with baking soda to clean it.

• Once done, rinse the marble floor with warm water to remove the baking soda. Wipe off the water from the floor using the chamois cloth.

What Can Damage My Marble Floors?

Oil and Grease

These two components are usually found in food and touch the marble floor when it accidentally spills.

That is why it is important to wipe them off with a soft cloth so they won’t stain the marble, or we will face a stubborn mark.

Sharp Objects

This is the reason why we recommend gentle cleaning materials like a soft broom, microfiber mop and cloth, and chamois cloth. Because if there is a hard object—like a pebble, for example—we might scratch it on the marble floor instead of cleaning it.

While marble has resistance to scratches, it can still accumulate some. And a scratched floor won’t be shiny.

Acids

Spills such as juice, wine, and coffee should be immediately wiped and cleaned off of the surface because they are acidic.

Too much exposure to acids will cause the marble floors to etch. Etch marks are the dull spots in marble that are difficult to remove and often call for professional help.

We also strongly advise against the use of vinegar to clean the marble floors. While you may come across this as a DIY trick, it will do more harm than good to the stone and remove its luster.

Harsh Cleaning Agents

We always mention this to all our clients after we finish a marble flooring project: do not use cleaning products that are not pH neutral.

It is better to invest in a good cleaner formulated for natural marble. We can also use other materials such as liquid dishwashing soap, but ensure that it has a pH level of 7.

Is Marble Flooring Durable?

Marble has been a top flooring material since the time of the ancient Romans and Greeks. It is a durable stone that can resist damage for an extended period of time. According to research, marble’s strength can reach up to 20,000 psi.

The requirement for concrete walls is only 3,000 to 5,000 psi. For pavements, we need 4,000 to 5,000 psi. With this, we can only imagine how tough marble floors are.

Conclusion

Marble is a sturdy and elegant flooring. In keeping them pristine and glossy, we have to regularly remove the dust that accumulates every day. Since marble floors are delicate, we want to use soft materials, namely soft broom and microfiber cleaning tools.

We should also deep clean with marble solution or neutral cleaners once a month to eliminate stubborn dirt. Baking soda is a cleaner that makes marble floors shiny, but we can only use it once in 6 months.