Ultimate Buyers Guide to the Best Marble Cleaner
After reading through over 100 websites in a search for the best marble cleaner for your everyday use, we could not seem to find a satisfactory guide to the best marble cleaner. Therefore, after many hours of research and testing we have developed the most comprehensive review of marble cleaners on the web.
After over 21 hours of research on the initial 17 selected marble cleaners we down selected 6 specific products to acquire and test. During 9 hours of testing we determined that the best marble cleaner for your everyday use is MarbleLife’s Marble and Travertine Cleaner. This product is made by largest marble restoration company in North America, and has created what we feel like is the best marble cleaner on the market.
Runner Up
MB Stone Care’s MB-5 Marble Spray Cleaner. This is an excellent cleaner made by a company that has a rich and reputable history in the marble industry, that will do a great job on all your marble surfaces.
Our Pick For Best Marble Cleaner
You can’t beat MarbleLife’s Marble and Travertine Cleaner, and its backed by the largest marble restoration and care company in North America.
*At the time of writing this.
More…
Quick NavigationWhy you should take our WordHow we Selected Marble CleanersThe 6 Tested ProductsMB Stone Care’s Spray CleanerGranite Gold’s Daily CleanerMarbleLife Marble CleanerZep Clean Stone Plus409 Stone and SteelBlack Diamond Marble and Tile Concentrated CleanerHow we JudgedRemove Oils and GreasesSafety of UseStreak-FreeHow we tested Does it Remove Oils and Greases?Is it Safe to use?Is it Streak-Free?Results
Why you should take our Word
We spent over 21 hours digging through over 100 websites to find reviews on marble cleaners. We also dived into reviews on products on Amazon and on Industry specific sites like CountertopSpecialty, Marble Life, Granite Gold, Reddit, and other natural stone forums. We then researched each company’s background to determine there depth of experience with marble restoration and care.
After these hours of research we selected 6 products, and conducted testing to determine which product preformed best.
This buying guide strives to answer the question of which marble cleaner is best for everyday use on all forms of marble. We feel this guide is the best and most detailed review of marble cleaners on the web, and we hope that after you read this you feel the same!
“After reading through over 100 websites in a search for the best marble cleaner for your everyday use, we could not seem to find a satisfactory guide to the best marble cleaner.”
How we Selected Marble Cleaners
To find the best marble cleaner, we started with the top listings on Amazon to get and idea of what people were buying. Then we searched the web for reviews on marble cleaners to see what others were talking about. We then searched hundreds of websites where we found products within industry specific sites which we also added to our list. Finally we came up with an initial list of 17 products. They are listed below:
| Marble Cleaner | Company | Company Industry |
|---|---|---|
| Howard GM5012 Natural Granite
and Marble Cleaner |
Howard Products | Producer of Multifunctional Cleaning Products. History in Wooden Cleaners |
| Granite Gold Daily Cleaner | Granite Gold | Stone Company, Been Making Cleaner Products since 2003 |
| Supreme Surface Daily Stone Cleaner | Supreme Surface | Stone Care and Installation Company |
| Black Diamond MTC Marble and Tile Cleaner | Black Diamond | Stone Care Product Manufacturer since 1996 |
| Method Daily Granite and Marble Cleaner | Method | Producer of Multifunctional Cleaning Products. Concentration on Green Products |
| 409 Stone and Steel | 409 | Producer of Multifunctional Cleaning Products. |
| Dupont StoneTech Revitalizer Cleaner | Dupont | Multi-Industry Conglomerate. Produces stone care product line |
| Zep Commercial Marble Cleaner | Zep | Producer of Multifunctional Cleaning Products. |
| Wieman Granite Cleaner and Polish | Wieman | Producer of Multifunctional Cleaning Products. History in Wooden Cleaners |
| MB-5 Marble Spray Cleaner | MB Stone Care | Stone Care and Installation Company since 1989 |
| Lustro Itailiano Cleaner | Lustro Itailiano | Stone Care Product Manufacturer |
| SCI Clean Encounters Countertop cleaner | Stone Care International | Stone Care Product Manufacturer since 1994 |
| Simple Green Stone Cleaner | Simple Green | Producer of Multifunctional Cleaning Products. Concentration on Green Products |
| Seventh Generation Granite and Stone Cleaner | Seventh Generation | Producer of Multifunctional Cleaning Products. |
| MarbleLife Travertine and Marble Cleaner | MarbleLife | One of the Worlds largest Stone Care and Installation Companies |
| Zep Stone Clean Stone Plus | Zep | Producer of Multifunctional Cleaning Products. |
| Supreme Surfaces All in One Stone Care | Supreme Surfaces | Stone Care and Installation Company |
After identifying these products we began reading hundreds of reviews on amazon and on marble industry specific sites. We looked for trends on which products are selling on amazon, which have positive reviews, and which products third party marble ecommerce sites are recommending or selling. We also read about each specific company, what products they make, the companies backgrounds and history, and their specializations.
Our Tested Marble Cleaners
Our goal was to find a product that will work without fail and be completely safe on all different types of marble. Since marble stones can be so different in makeup, color, and porosity we think companies with extensive personal experience with marble care are more likely to produce a product that meet these requirements.
We used this research to narrow our options from 17 products to 6 marble cleaners that we acquired to test. We chose these 6 products based upon consumer reviews, recommendations for other third party vendors, and the companies history and specialization in the marble business.
The 6 Tested Products
MB Stone Care’s Spray Cleaner
This product is manufactured by MB Stone Care who has been in the marble business since 1989. The company has a impressive history in the marble business with marble installation and restoration. Their founder was famous for “Education Before Sale” to ensure his customers knew how to treat and care for marble prior to buying any of his products or services. The company now also manufacturers over 30 Marble care specific products.
This product was chosen to be acquired and tested because of the companies history and reputation in the marble care business. This product also is recommended by several third party websites from the US, Europe, and Australia.
Granite Gold’s Daily Cleaner
This product is manufactured by Granite Gold who has 50 years of experience in the stone installation and restoration business. Since 2003, they have been manufacturing stone care products for do it yourself stone care.
This product was chosen to be tested because of its popularity and positive reviews on Amazon.
Marble and Travertine Cleaner
The MarbleLife Marble Cleaner is made by MarbleLife one of the largest marble restoration services in the world, and is currently the largest provider of marble floor polishing services in the world.
This product was chosen to be tested because of the companies extensive experience in the marble care industry, and the creation of this product to provide marble restoration services all of the world.
Zep Clean Stone Plus
Zep Clean Stone Plus is manufactured by Zep a multifunctional cleaner company that has been producing commercial cleaning products in many industries since 1937.
We chose this marble cleaner because Zep does not have a specific specialization in the marble care industry so we wanted to see if that would effect the performance of the product. We also chose this product because it is a multifunctional product that claims to clean and protect. We wanted to see the performance of this type of product versus a traditional product that is just designed to clean.
409 Stone and Steel
This product is made by 409 a famous multifunctional cleaner company.
We chose this product because 409 makes such a popular multi-surface general cleaner, and we wanted to test another product from a non-marble specific industry company. This cleaner also cost less than most other options.
Marble and Tile Concentrated Cleaner
This marble cleaner is made by Black Diamond, who has been making marble care products since 1997. Black Diamond has developed a solid reputation in the marble care industry for developing quality marble care products, and now produces over 30 marble care products.
We chose this product because Black Diamond has a good reputation in the marble care industry and this product is popular on amazon. We also wanted to test a concentrated cleaner to determine its performance compared to typical marble cleaners. Also, since this product is concentrated it is a more affordable solution relative to the traditional marble cleaners.
Our goal was to find a cleaner that effectively removes oils and grease, is safely useable on any marble surface, and is streak-free. Below is why each of these is important.
Remove Oils and Greases
Ultimately the goal of the cleaner is to keep your marble looking new, and to do this the cleaner must prevent stains.
Stains on marble occur when foreign objects are given time to settle into the pours of marble and create a stain below the marble surface. Therefore, if a cleaner removes these substances before they have time to penetrate the marble surface and become a stain then the cleaner has done its job.
This is where removing oils and greases comes in. Unlike water, oils and other greases will not quickly evaporate from the marble surface. Therefore this extra time the oil has to sit on the marble surface enables the oils to penetrate the stone and leave a stain.
Unfortunately due to chemistry of oil and water using just water to remove oils from your marble surface will not work.
Have you ever tried washing oily dirty dishes in your sink without dish soap. You may be able to remove parts of the grit with the force of spraying water, but you will not be able to complete the job. Cleaning your marble will be the same way.
You may ask, well why not just use soap and water. This will work, and in the short term this method is fine, however we do not recommend this method for the lifetime of your marble.
Here’s why. Have you ever used a dish soap to wash your hands? Do you recall how you had to scrub your hands for 10-15 seconds just to get the soap off your hands. Well when you add soap to your marble, you will have to do the same thing to remove it. Therefore, more often than not you will leave a thin film of soap on your marble when your finished cleaning.
This is ok if you do this a couple of times, but your marble will last forever, so if you do this for years you will begin to create a soapy film over the surface of your marble that will ultimately remove the classic shiny look and thus the beauty of the stone.
Let’s be honest, marble is the best looking stone you can buy for your home. Since you have marble, I’m guessing you agree. So we urge you not to endanger your marble’s awesome look to save 15 dollars on a cleaner every couple of months.
Ok enough harping on why you need a marble cleaner. Now that we have gone over why you need a marble cleaner to remove oils and greases, let’s test and see which one is best!
Safety of Use
Universal pH Indicator paper
The marble cleaner we chose must be able to clean the marble, not destroy it. This may seem a little extreme, but most traditional household cleaners will actually etch the marble surface thus doing more harm than good.
Marble is made of calcium carbonate, and this compound chemically reacts with acid if they encounter one another. The chemical reaction is called etching, and results in a small spot of your marble surface being dissolved leaving behind ugly dull marks on your stone.
To determine if the cleaner is safe for your marble, we need to determine if the marble cleaner is acidic. We will do this with universal pH paper.
You may remember litmus paper from your high school chemistry; it essentially tells you the pH of a liquid. Universal Indicator paper does the same thing, but gives you more specifics on the actual pH of the liquid rather than simply saying acidic, neutral, or basic?
You will see a lot of marble cleaners that say in their sales pitch or introduction, “pH neutral” meaning they have a pH of around 7. Although this is good to prevent etching, you are going to have a hard time effectively removing greases at this pH level. The cleaner will either need to be acidic or alkali to actually remove greases and oils from your marble.
As we have said being acidic is not an option with marble, so your marble cleaner will have to have a pH level of at least 7, and to be an effective cleaner it will need to be alkali (sometimes called basic) which means a pH of greater than 7.
The higher the pH level the better the cleaner will perform against oils, fats, and greases that are left on the surface. Not only will a higher pH preform better, it will deliver results faster.
CleanFax.com recommends a pH level of 8.5-11 to remove oils, 11.5-12.5 to remove oils, fats, and proteins, and finally 12.5-14 to remove heavy greases. This gives us an idea of the pH levels that will effectively remove greases, however, at what point to we begin to damage our stone.
The Marble Institute of America recommends the use of ammonia to remove soap scum, but warns that repeated or frequent use can possibly dull the surface of marble. Ammonia has a pH or roughly 11.5-12, therefore a safe marble cleaner needs to be below a pH of 11.5.
After this research, we determined that for a marble cleaner to be safe it’s pH levels need to be between 7-11.5. The closer the cleaner is to 11.5 the better job it will probably do, however, pH is not the only thing that determines the effectiveness of a cleaner. So we let the tests do the talking!
Streak-Free
Have you ever cleaned windows on a hot day? You spray your window cleaner on the window begin wiping it down and then realize that half the window cleaner has evaporated and left streaks on your windows. Streaks from cleaners are frustrating, and effectively counterproductive and we want to avoid them at all cost.
A lot of commercially available cleaners will say “Cleans and Shines marble” or “Cleans and Protects.” We feel like this is impossible to do both.
A cleaner is designed to remove oils and greases from a surface, yet, at the same time its going to polish or protect it by adding oils to the surface. We think this will be very difficult for a cleaner to achieve, and by trying to accomplish two goals in one bottle, the performance of the cleaner will suffer.
How we tested
Removal of Oils and Greases, Safety of use, and streak-free are our three metrics that we used to objectively determine which marble cleaner preforms best. Below is how we tested each of these:
Does it Remove Oils and Greases?
Oil Removal Test Setup
To run this test we created sections on a mirror with tape and applied a teaspoon of olive oil to each section. We then added approximately 2 teaspoons of each marble cleaner to their respective section. We allowed the cleaner to sit on the oil for approximately five minutes, then we wiped up each section with clean paper towels with as close to identical number of swipes and pressure as possible.
For each test we had a control section where we applied no cleaner. We wiped up the cleaner sections and the control and we then compared the oil removed from the cleaner sections to the control section.
After we finished wiping up the marble cleaner and oil, we evaluated how well the marble was at removing the oil. We measured this in a percentage of oil removed from the surface. 100 % being the best, as all the oil was removed.
The mirror was used rather than marble because it is much easier to see how much oil was left behind after the oil and cleaner was wiped up. The mirror made it much easier to quantify the removal of the oil for each cleaner.
Universal pH Indicator Paper
Is it Safe to use?
The safety of use is an essential requirement to ensure that the marble cleaner does not damage the marble during cleaning. This is tested by determining the pH level of the cleaner.
As we discussed above a safe cleaner is defined by having a pH between 7 and 11.5, this will be determined using universal pH Indicator paper.
Is it Streak-Free?
To determine if the cleaner left the surface streak free we tested the cleaner on a mirror so the streaks would be easily identified.
Streak Free Test Setup
We added two teaspoons of marble cleaner to the mirror and wiped up the surface with a new clean paper towel. We used a repeatable motion to make the test as similar as possible with each cleaning solution. Short of having a cleaning robot, this was the best we could do to design an experiment that was a completely objective judgement for each cleaner.
After the cleaner was wiped off the mirror we recorded any streaks left behind.
Results
The Winner
After running these three test we are able to say that the MarbleLife Marble and Travertine cleaner is the best marble cleaner for all your marble surfaces.
Pros:
- The spray bottle is easy to use and gets great coverage of the marble surface.
- It has a pH level of approximately 10 to 10.5 which is within the zone of an effective safe marble cleaner.
- It was the best performer to remove the olive oil from the surface (95 % removed), and also delivers a streak free clean!
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive than the some of the competition. However, we feel its worth the extra couple of dollars!
Our Pick For Best Marble Cleaner
You can’t beat MarbleLife’s Marble and Travertine Cleaner, and its backed by the largest marble restoration and care company in North America.
The Runner up
Another great product that we recommend is the MB Stone Care MB-5 Marble Cleaning Spray.
Pros:
This cleaner is great.
- The spray bottle is easy to use and gets great coverage of the marble surface.
- It did a great job of removing the oil from the mirror (90% removed), and delivered a streak free shine.
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive than the some of the competition. However, we feel its well worth the extra money!
- pH of approximately 7. So we worry that tougher greases or fats may be more difficult to remove with this cleaner. (The bottle says the pH should be 9, however, we ran 3 separate tests and got an outcome of 7 all three times. )
Runner Up
MB Stone Care’s MB-5 Marble Spray Cleaner. This is an excellent cleaner that will do a great job on all your marble surfaces.
The Competition
Some of the runner ups were not to far behind, the 409 Stone Cleaner had a pH level of 11 so it will be a tough grease fighter, but it left behind a small fraction of streaks and only removed 85-90% of the olive oil from the surface. The 409 is also a very affordable option, so if you are on a tight budget then this one may be for you!
The Granite Gold cleaner also did a solid job of removing oil by removing 85 % of the oil and delivered a completely streak free shine. However, its low pH level of 6.5-7 worried us a little bit. We measured the cleaner to be slightly acidic which could possibly harm the marble, however, this is a very mild acid and should not be a problem.
The Black Diamond Marble and Tile concentrate delivered a streak free shine but did not do a very good job of removing the oil, and with a pH of 7 we worry about its ability to tackle tough greases. We found that once the concentrate was added to water it lost some cleaning power. It removed 65-70% of the oil compared to 50% of the control.
We do not recommend the Zep Cleaner + Protector. The cleaner is designed to clean and protect, and as we expected the cleaning power and streak free look suffered. The cleaner did not really do much better then the control, about 60 % of the oil was removed, and was the worst performer to deliver a streak free shine.
If you have any questions about this article please comment below!
If this article was helpful, then please share below so others can benefit as well!
How To Clean Marble Shower in 4 Easy Steps
Marble showers are a sophisticated, classically beautiful addition to any bathroom. However, if the showers are not cared for correctly, they can become an unfortunate eyesore. This how-to guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to clean a marble shower. By following this guide, you can keep your shower looking new for a lifetime.
What You Will Need
Warm Water
Towel
Marble Cleaner
Chamois or Microfiber towel
Squeegee
Marble Cleaner Bathroom Set
Our Recommended Marble Shower Cleaners
The Best Way to Clean Your Marble Shower
It’s important to be diligent and regularly follow these steps. By doing so, you’ll prevent any serious marble problems and preserve your investment for the future.
1
Spray or wipe marble cleaner on the shower marble
Spray the marble surface down thoroughly with a marble cleaner.
If you have a concentrated solution of marble cleaner, add the recommended amount to a clean bucket of water. Then, wet a clean towel with the marble clean and rub the marble surface completely.
After conducting an extensive study to determine the best performing marble shower cleaner, we recommend using MarbleLife’s Marble Cleaner. Check out our buyer’s guide on marble shower cleaners.
2
Wipe the entire surface down with a clean cloth
Wipe the entire surface, including the marble shower walls, marble seats, and marble shower floors, with a clean cloth. Be sure to cover the entire surface with the microfiber cloth and marble cleaner.
3
Spray or wipe the surface down with clean water
Spray or wipe down the surface with clean water. Be sure to remove the marble cleaner from the surface completely. Do this with a clean towel and clean water.
4
Dry the surface
Once you’ve finished cleaning the marble surface, wipe the surface down with the dry chamois, microfiber towel, or squeegee. Be sure the marble shower is completely dry. Water left standing on the marble surface can cause water marks.
If you’ve conducted these steps and there are still lingering stains left on the marble shower, you may have permanent stains that cannot be removed with ordinary marble cleaner. If foreign substances are not removed from your marble surfaces quickly, these substances, especially liquids, will enter the pores of the marble surface and create a permanent stain. See our 6 steps to marble stain removal.
Marble stains are relatively uncommon in showers since users don’t typically use many products that could stain marble while showering. For example, you’re unlikely to be drinking coffee while taking a shower.
However, common marble shower stains happen because of shampoos, soap scum, and even rust.
Rust stains are common when you have white Carrara marble in your shower. Carrara marble contains metallic particles inside the stone, and over time water from the shower will penetrate the marble surface and rust the metallic components of the stone. For Carrara marble shower care, we’ve created a specialized article about Carrara marble in the shower.
Below we address removing stains from shampoo and soap scum.
Removing Soap Scum from a Marble Shower
Unfortunately, soap scum is inevitable in a shower, and marble showers are no different. But there are steps you can take to keep your marble pristine. Follow these steps to easily remove soap scum and keep your marble looking fresh and sparkly.
Check out this simple video that details this process.
What you will need
Clean Towel
Soft Bristle Brush
Sqeegee
Marble Cleaner
Our Recommended Marble Soap Scum Remover
Steps to Soap Scum Removal
When you’ve gathered your supplies, follow these steps:
1
Add marble soap scum remover to towel
Add Soap Scum Remover to your microfiber towel
Add the soap scum remover to the towel or spray soap scum remover over the soap scum on the marble. Be sure to completely cover the stain.
If you would prefer, make your own homemade soap scum remover by combining 1/2 cup of ammonia to one gallon of clean water. This mixture is recommended by the Marble Institute of America if you choose not to use a marble soap scum remover.
After conducting an extensive study to determine the best performing marble shower cleaner, we recommend using MarbleLife’s Marble Soap Scum Remover. Check out our buyers guide on marble shower cleaners.
2
Clean the surface with soap scum remover
With a clean towel, wipe the soap scum remover over the soap scum stain until it is gone. You can use a small, soft-bristle brush to aid in the removal of the soap scum. Do not apply too much pressure since it can scratch the marble. However, scrubbing quickly in a circular motion at high frequency will be most effective in removing the soap scum.
3
Rub the soap scum away
Wipe up the soap scum remover and dry the surface
Completely remove all the soap scum remover with a clean towel and water.
After the soap scum remover is wiped away, spray a marble cleaner over the area and re-clean the area with the marble cleaner.
After the area is clean, dry the surface with a clean white towel or use a squeegee.
Pro Tip:
To prevent Soap scum, use a squeegee after you use your shower. This small extra step will save you a lot of trouble later, and will eradicate the need to remove soap scum.
Check out this excellent video from the Marble Institute of America. It details these easy methods to marble shower cleaning and care.
Removing Mold and Mildew from your Marble Shower
Mold and mildew are also a very common problem with marble showers. Follow the steps below and your mold will be gone in no time.
Check out this video that details this simple process.
What you will need
White Towel
Soft Bristle Brush or Old Toothbrush
Squeegee
Marble Cleaner
Our Recommended Marble Mold and Mildew Remover
Spray marble mold and mildew remover over the stain
Completely cover the mold stain with the marble mildew remover.
Don’t be scared to apply a lot of mildew remover! This will only help the mildew remover do the work for you.
If you don’t have a marble mildew remover, you can use bleach to try and remove the mold or mildew. In our experience, bleach is not quite as effective; however, oftentimes homemade marble cleaner can be made with items from around the house.
Add 2 quarts of bleach to one gallon of water and follow the steps just as if you had the marble mildew remover product.
Be very careful with the use of bleach! It’s a very powerful chemical. We recommend first trying the bleach in an inconspicuous area to ensure it will not damage your marble. If you’re concerned, we suggest making the investment on a marble mildew removal since it is a cost-effective investment toward protecting your pricier marble investment.
2
Let the mildew remover sit for 5-10 minutes
Let the marble mildew remover soak into the stain. You should begin to see the mildew stain start to wash away.
3
rub softly with an old toothbrush
Remove the rest of the mildew
If there’s still mold and mildew left over after the 5-10 minutes of the mildew removal soak, softly brush the mildew stain with a soft-bristle brush.
Brush the stain softly until the stain is gone.
4
Clean up
After the mildew is gone, wipe away the excess mildew remover. Then, spray a marble cleaner over the area and re-clean the area with the marble cleaner.
After the area is clean, dry the surface with a clean towel or use a squeegee.
Pro Tip:
Mold and mildew are common in showers because there is always moisture left over after use. Mold needs these wet areas to grow, so help prevent mold by using a squeegee to wipe up the water after you use your shower. This little amount of work will save you a lot of trouble later.
Removing Shampoo Stains From Marble Shower
Shampoo stains in a marble shower occur when a shampoo is spilled and left to sit on the surface for an extended period of time. The oils in the shampoo will evaporate and leave behind the dyes in the shampoo as a stain.
These stains are very difficult to remove with an ordinary marble cleaner. However, a marble poultice will do the trick.
We have a special article for stain removal. This article tells you everything you need to know to remove all kinds of stains. For your shampoo stain, follow the instructions for ink-based stains.
If you’re looking to learn about how to care for your marble floors in your bathroom, please see our article on the ultimate guide to how to clean marble floors in bathrooms.
If the steps above didn’t answer your questions, please add a comment below. We respond to all comments.
If this article was helpful, please share it below so others can benefit as well!
Ultimate Guide to How To Clean Marble Floors in Bathrooms
Marble floors are the ideal touch of beauty and sophistication for any bathroom. However, if not cared for properly, they can go from aesthetic to eyesore. We’ve put together everything you need to know to clean, maintain, and preserve your bathroom marble floors to maintain their timeless beauty. Your marble is an investment in your home’s value; our ultimate guide to how to clean marble floors in your bathroom will help protect it.
What you will need
Broom
Water Bucket
Clean Water
Marble Floor Cleaner
Untreated Mop
White Towel
Marble Floor Cleaner
Easy Steps to Cleaning Marble Floors
There are just 4 easy steps to cleaning your marble bathroom floors. Let’s get started!
1
Sweep and dust the floor
Thoroughly sweep and dust the floor. Be sure to remove all grit and dirt prior to moving on to step 2. Leftover grit and dirt might act as an abrasive when mopping, which could scratch the surface of your marble.
2
Add marble cleaner to bucket
Follow the instructions on your marble cleaner. You should add approximately 1-4 fluid ounces of marble cleaner for every 1 gallon of water.
3
Mop the marble floor
Mop the marble floors using an untreated mop. Be sure to keep the mop and water clean during use. This is important because sediment on your mop can scratch the marble, and a dirty mop can create unwanted streak marks. The Marble Institute of America recommends you mop in short, overlapping sweeps.
4
Dry the marble surface completely
Once you have finished cleaning the marble floor, either dry the surface with a towel or let the surface air dry. It is important to let the surface dry to achieve a streak-free shine!
After you’re finished cleaning the marble floors, be sure to check and see if there are lingering stains. If there are still stains on your marble tile floor, you may need a more robust method of removal. Consult our 6 Easy Steps to Marble Stain Removal. This how-to guide will help you identify what type of stain you have and how to tackle it!
Pro Tip
To prevent marble tile floor stains, we recommend cleaning up spills on your floor as soon as possible. If given enough, time spills can penetrate the pores in your marble and leave permanent stains.
Below is a great video from Granite Warehouse illustrating these simple steps.
Cleaning Up Urine Stains On Your Marble Bathroom Floors
An unfortunate consequence of having marble in your bathroom is experiencing problems with urine stains on your marble floor around the toilet.
If, like us, you don’t want to cover your beautiful bathroom marble with a rug that wraps around your toilet, you may have urine stains around your toilet. Fortunately, these are easily removed, and we’ve broken down the steps below.
Urine can create etch marks, stains, or both on your marble surface. A stain will look more like a dark, shadowy mark, while an etch mark will look more like a light, dull spot on your marble. To remove etch marks on polished marble, follow the steps outlined in our guide to marble etch removal.
If the spots around your toilet are dark, shadowy marks on your marble, you can use a Marble Poultice to remove the stain as recommended by the US government’s organization General Services Administration (GSA).
What you will need
Baking Soda or White Flour
Glass/ Ceramic Bowl
Wooden Spoon
Plastic Wrap
Plastic/ Wooden Spatula
Mineral Water
Hydrogen Peroxide
Masking Tape
Below is a video courtesy of The Marble Institute of America. This video details the marble poultice application process. The steps for making and applying the marble poultice are detailed below.
Steps To Make and Apply Marble Poultice
1
Mix up the poultice
Add one cup of hydrogen Peroxide into the mixing bowl. (Note: you may require more than a cup if your stain is large, and that’s okay. This mixture is scalable.)
Mix the baking soda or white flour into the bowl with the solvent. About 1 lb. of solid absorbent material is needed for every square foot of stain.
When finished, the marble poultice should be thick, similar in consistency to peanut butter or cake icing.
2
Clean and wet the stained area
Wipe the stained area clean of any loose girt or dirt. (Any leftover dirt or grit could scratched your marble.) Then, wet the marble surface with the mineral water. Be sure the urine stain is covered in a small amount of water. The water will allow for the poultice to penetrate the pores of marble and remove the stain.
3
Apply the poultice
Apply the poultice to the entire stain and add an extra inch of poultice around the stain. It should be about ¼ to ½ inches high off the surface of the marble.
4
Check and prep the poultice
Ensure there are no air pockets left in the poultice. Then, completely cover the poultice with plastic wrap and secure the edges of the plastic wrap down with the masking tape.
5
Wait 48 hours
Let the poultice completely harden and dry. This should take approximately 48 hours.
6
Remove the poultice
Remove the masking tape and plastic wrap. Then, dampen the poultice by adding about ¼ of a cup of water over the poultice. Remove the moistened poultice with a plastic or wooden spatula. Clean the surface with warm water and dry completely.
During this process, the poultice will penetrate the pores in your marble where the urine has stained it and pull the stain out of the marble. In most cases, the marble poultice is a very effective stain removal tactic against marble stains.
It is possible that once the stain as been removed an etch mark will linger. The urine could have both stained and etched the marble during its exposure to the marble surface. Once the stain is removed, an etch mark will look like a light dull mark compared to its surroundings.
To remove the etch mark, follow the guide to remove etching if your marble surface is polished. If your marble bathroom floor is honed, it can be more difficult and we recommend contacting your local marble professional.
Tips for Keeping Your Bathroom Marble Floor Looking Great
Marble bathroom floors are beautiful when they’re new and shiny. Make sure you take care of them or they might lose their luster.
Contrary to what most people say, marble floors are not hard to keep clean and beautiful. You just need to protect them from marble etching and follow a few basic steps on a regular basis and you’ll have beautiful marble floors for a lifetime.
Follow the steps below and your marble will always be good as new.
Example of a Household Bathroom Cleaner that contains Acids
- When cleaning your toilet, shower, and tub, be careful not to spray or spill cleaners on the marble surface. Most of these are very acidic or alkaline-based and will quickly etch your marble. If dull spots show up after cleaning these areas, we recommend following our etch removal guide.
- In bathrooms, water can often sit on the floor for extended periods of time. We recommend wiping the water off your marble floor as quickly as possible. This will prevent problems down the road and help prevent hard water spots.
- Regularly clean your marble floors with a mild detergent or marble floor cleaner. Do not use ordinary household cleaning products as they may etch your marble and remove its shine!
- Use runners and mats at the entrance and exits of your rooms with marble floors.
- Be diligent about regularly cleaning your marble floors. Diligence is key to preventing problems down the road!
- Apply a marble sealer to your marble floor if it does not already have one. This will help prevent stains in the future. If you don’t know if you currently have a marble sealer on your marble, the water test will tell you!
- If your entire marble floor has been dulled, we recommend you contact your local marble professional. They can re-finish the surface for you. We recommend getting a honed surface finish for your marble floors.
If you have a marble shower in your bathroom, check out our how-to guide to clean and maintain marble showers.
If you still have questions, let us know! We read and answer every single comment, and believe no concern is too small.
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