Routine Cleaning of Marble, Granite and Acid Sensitive Stone

Check out the section “Tile and Stone Lingo” for a brief explanation of each stone and Agglomerates. Even though Granite is usually acid resistant, except for Hydrochloric acid (HCL), I would stick with this cleaning program for Granite as well.

I will start out with a brief explanation of what makes a polished floor such as marble shine. The basic principle, getting away from the actual minerals that make up each different type of marble, is how flat the surface is polished. The key to keeping Marble shiny is keeping the surface clean and flat. Let’s look at a couple of factors that may compromise the flatness of marble. Marble contains calcium carbonate, which is extremely acid sensitive. Whenever the surface comes in contact with an acid such as vinegar, lemon juice, urine, wine, soda, etc., the acids cause the surface to etch and become rough. This is what takes the shine away. Another way stones become dull is by dirt that is being ground into the floor when people walk on a dirty surface.

It always amazes me how many products there are on the market to clean stone floors that are only cleaning out your wallet. Maintaining a stone floor is very simple and cheap to do. The most important step in keeping your stone floor looking good is a lot of sweeping. I suggest getting a sweeper that looks like a flat mop that is made primarily for wood floors. Do not put too much downward pressure or it may grind the dirt into the floor removing the finish. Sweep very often, daily in high traffic areas.

Clean cool or warm water is the best way to wash your floor. If you do choose to add a cleaning detergent, make sure it is pH neutral. I suggest Aqua Mix™ Stone cleaner, but anything pH neutral will suffice. Some cleaners are not actually pH neutral until you add the water, so make sure you don’t use it straight.

Another option is using a stone soap such as Murphy’s Oil Soap. Use Murphy’s at half the recommended dosage as listed on the label. Stone soaps contain a vegetable oil based surfactant that actually conditions the stone and with continued use will act as a sealer. I strongly suggest trying the stone soap on an inconspicuous area to see how your stone reacts. Make sure you test to ensure it does not make your stone slippery and dangerous when it is wet. Over use of stone soap could cause stickiness and would need to be stripped using an alkaline cleaner.

If you have heavy build up or previous wax build-up, Aqua Mix™ Heavy Duty Stone Deep clean works well to loosen dirt, remove most sealers and bring the floor back to its original condition. Try Aqua Mix™ Stone Deep Clean on a test area. Mix according to directions.