Marble Cleaning Precautions For Bathroom
QUESTION:Do you need to take special marble cleaning precautions for a bathroom countertop?ANSWER:Like any material marble does require a particular type of care, so you do need to know the proper marble cleaning methods, but nothing different than the guidelines detailed on the marble cleaning page.If it's polished, it may be plenty stain resistant and not need a sealer, so be sure to water test it before you go to the trouble of applying a sealer. Remember though that you need to avoid exposing the marble countertops to acidic and/or alkaline products, which includes most typical household cleaners and many normal bath products like some toothpaste, shave cream, perfumes, etc. Such products can etch or dull the shiny polish. Use a stylish tray to store such things or keep in a drawer and use only products safe for marble cleaning. Sounds troublesome, but once you know what to do and (more importantly) what not to do, then it isn't any more difficult than cleaning any other surface. We have white Carrara marble in a guest bath, so we have no control over what happens in there and it still looks great. Just know what you are dealing with and maintain accordingly. Most often damage comes from user error. You wouldn't clean your wood furniture with 409 or bleach would you? Follow our marble cleaning Do's & Don'ts and use recommended products and you'll be fine.  Good Luck,Ryan P.S. Get all the facts and simple step-by-step solutions to any problem with our Granite & Marble Maintenance Manuals. Safely Disinfecting Marble Bathroom Countertops
by Carolyn
QUESTION:How do I disinfect marble bathroom countertops, floor tile and the attached water fixtures without staining the marble? I really like to spray bathroom fixtures with disinfectant. My marble counter top will be sealed before installation. This is supposed to be long-lasting seal.ANSWER:I'd suggest using BLAST Mildew Remover which is made for killing/cleaning mold and mildew (excellent for a marble shower), so it is a very effective disinfectant, but is formulated to be safe for marble cleaning... won't etch it."Staining" is not the concern. Marble is not very porous and does not stain easy especially polished (shiny) marble. In fact, polished marble is near stain-proof and typically does not need nor can it be sealed since the sealer will not absorb. Just perform the "water test" suggested above. If in the rare instance that it does need sealing, we recommend using SenGuard or Stone Sentry Sealers. Nothing on the market will last longer than SenGuard which forms permanent bonds with the stone. And don't apply a sealer "just to be safe" unless you want to strip off the dull hazy film it could leave when it doesn't absorb and a residue dries on the surface. Okay... more on disinfecting... Well, common disinfectants are usually very harsh and most (all) will etch marble. Etching is often confused with staining, but they are two different issues. Etching is corrosion that causes a chemical burn of the marble leaving dull light colored spots. As with anything, the best way to minimize bacteria and stay healthy is simply to keep things clean. I know everyone is sold (good marketing) on the idea of anti-bacterial everything, but it actually is counterproductive. Overuse or even regular use of disinfectants and antibacterials is the major cause of super infections that can't be controlled. Certainly necessary in certain situations, but not as a routine marble cleaning activity. So, use BLAST... it'll do the trick safely, but like most disinfectants you need to leave it on the surface for a few minutes (up to 10) which is something else most people don't know. You can't just spray on and wipe off a disinfectant. It won't kill a thing that way. Maintaining Marble Bathroom Countertops
by Glenda
QUESTION:I am moving into a house with new marble tile bathroom countertops and a marble shower. The homeowner had them installed, but he is quite a do-it-yourselfer and I'm not sure about marble cleaning & maintenance.A well known personality has a book on cleaning everything and she said to not let toothpaste touch it, or makeup or perfume, or... Seems like that would be impossible in a bathroom. The surface is nicely polished, but I don't know how to keep the grout clean. What can I use as a marble cleaner? Is a water glass going to leave rings? There is no medicine chest or shelf for water glasses or toothbrush holders. There is a mirror all the way to the splash guard, so I would have to have it removed to put a shelf in. It's attached with some kind of adhesive, so that would be a lot of work to remove the mirror, replace it with another and build a shelf. I am thinking trays and baskets to protect the surface, but would that even rub the surface finish and leave dull marks? It's beautiful marble, but it seems a wrong material for a bathroom vanity with no shelf or cabinet to keep products from staining the surface. What do you suggest? Thanks Glenda ANSWER:True, things like toothpaste, perfume, mouth wash, etc. can sometimes be acidic enough to etch (dull) polished marble.Also, most common brand-name household cleaners will damage and dull marble. I can tell you that even though there are several types of products that can etch marble, that the occurrence of etching on bathroom countertops is pretty low compared to say a marble kitchen countertop. Most problems occur from using the wrong cleaning products. But, yes... you'll need to get some decorative trays and put the rubber dots (buy at hardware store... don't use the felt ones because they will get wet) on the bottom to diminish scratching. And you can get shelves that simply stand on the countertop. I would not use baskets because they will get wet and although polished marble is not very absorbent and does not stain easy (despite what you read that it does) wicker baskets will tend to stain when in constant contact with the surface in a wet environment. If you do happen to etch the marble and get a dull spot, you can use SCP: Marble Polishing Paste to remove the spot and get the shine back. This product works very well for that. And no, water in a glass will not leave a ring, but you'd be surprised how easy contents inside a cup can get to the outside and form a ring if they are acidic like coffee, soda, alcohol, wine, etc. For general cleaning I recommend Stone PLUS Cleaner. For the grout I'd use INTENSIVE Concentrated Tile & Grout cleaner. Both products (in fact all products we recommend) are made specifically for marble cleaning and stone, are non-damaging and safe for marble maintenance. |
