Keeping That Marble Tile Floor Looking Like New

You've invested a lot of time and money into the new marble tile floor in your home. It'll give you years of service, but only if you know how to take care of it, and know what not to do. Here are some tips for keeping your investment looking great for years.

1. Seal your marble flooring every year.

Marble is very dense and if highly polished, is not very porous. However, the surface can be scratched by sharp objects and etched by acidic materials, such as tomato juice. Sealing the marble will protect it against being damaged.

2. Make it a habit to blot up any spills immediately.

Several substances can cause damage to the marble surface by eating away the limestone (etching) leaving behind a rough area that is more vulnerable to staining. These include

• coffee
• wine
• fruit juices
• tomato sauce
• carbonated beverages

3. Use only a soft cloth, sponge, and some warm water to clean the marble tile.

A polished and sealed marble surface will not let dirt and spills into the stone so a sponge with warm water should be sufficient to clean up any mess. If you do use some type of cleaner, use a product that is neutral pH. An acidic or alkaline product can hurt the marble finish.

4. Protect the floor from table and chair legs.

Place rubber or cloth pads on the bottoms of table and chair legs. The leg itself may not harm the tile, but should sand or grit get between the leg and floor, it could be ground into the surface and scratch the tile.

5. Use a broom or mop instead of a vacuum on the floor.

The vacuum can get sharp or gritty items stuck in the wheels or brushes and scratch the marble surface. Sweep or use a dust mop followed by a damp sponge for any dirt that won't come up.

6. Use doormats at all exterior doors.

Mats and shoe brushes at the door will remove sand and grit from shoes that could be tracked in and scratch the marble.

7. Be careful not to splash countertop cleaning products that contain ammonia, vinegar, or citrus on the floor.

These products will etch the surface. Clean up any splashes immediately with a sponge and warm water.

8. If you spot a stain, you can try to remove it yourself.

1. If the spot is still wet, blot as much of the substance up as you can.
2. Spray water on the spot.
3. Mix baking soda and water together to make a paste.
4. Cover the stain with this mixture.
5. Let this sit for a day then clean the paste off.

The baking soda will pick up all or part of the stain on the marble floor.