Cleaning Dingy Marble Shower

by Betty Enriquez
(Bakersfield, CA)

QUESTION:

I need to know what's the best product to use on my marble shower? It looks a bit pale/dingy. I guess it like water stain? And what can I use on my marble floors to take that pale look? I want it to shine.

ANSWER:

Most likely your marble shower has a build-up of soap scum. Try a mild solution of 1/2 cup ammonia in one gallon of water and a soft bristle brush. If your marble is honed (non-shiny surface) then using the mild ammonia solution on a regular basis (once a month) will not be an issue, but ammonia will etch the surface and take away the shine on a polished (shiny) surface.

Another, better option that you can use regularly on any stone surface is MB-3 Soap Scum spray for marble and granite. It won't etch polished marble.

If it still looks pale/dingy after removing the soap scum, then you can try a color enhancer spray like MB-6 Stone Color Enhancer or StoneTech Enhancer (see products page). It will make the stone look "wet."

Or... have the stone professionally re-polished, which is done with tools and not chemicals or sprays.

Dull Marble Floor

A shiny polished marble floor requires a lot of maintenance to keep it shiny. The shiny polish is the result of grinding and sanding with specialized machines and not by application of a spray or chemical. So, to keep them shiny you'll need to have a professional re-polish your marble floor on a regular basis. Foot traffic will constantly wear away the shine. And if your marble floors were not polished to begin with, they will never shine... they were not meant to since it is such a pain to keep them shiny.

Yes, I know you see shiny marble floors in malls and office buildings, but they require and get regular professional maintenance to keep them that way.

It is possible that you have a soapy build-up on the floors depending on what has been used to clean them. Again, mop with the mild ammonia solution to clean and apply a color enhancer to bring out the color more dramatically if that is what you are looking for.

Good Luck,
Ryan