We know that marble needs special care to last: using the wrong cleaner or the wrong cleaning methods can actually etch the marble or leave it dull. For safely caring for your marble floors and countertops, heed the following guidelines and warnings. (Just a note: 'Cultured Marble' is not marble. It's a mixture of crushed limestone and fiberglass-resin. Nothing in this article applies to 'Cultured Marble,' as its care is a different animal altogether.)
Safest Marble Cleaners
• Use gentle phosphate-free, eco-friendly dishwashing liquids or powders, suitable detergents (PH-BALANCED), or vegetable oil-based soaps are also alright, provided that you wash the soap off completely and don't leave any residue behind.
• Stay away from using chemical cleaners on marble surfaces. Don't use chemicals or acids like lime juice, grout cleaners, vinegar and tile cleaners on a marble surface. They'll mark, etch or dull the marble stone.
• Don't use hot water to wash stains on marble like spilled beverages: doing so will just deepen the stain and make it worse.
• Do not use floor wax on marble floor since it'll make it slippery. A high quality marble wax ought to be used to reduce water spotting and prevent penetration of stains on marble in areas where marble is installed separate from the flooring (like countertops). A wax also increases the appearance of the marble's natural color and offers a glossy look for the marble. But again, only use wax on marble on places where people won't be walking on it as it could be a potential slipping hazard.
• Don't use acid-based house cleaning products on your own marble. Soapless cleaners and other neutral cleaners such as stone soaps are perfect, because they won't damage the marble surface.
• Inspect any of the outside tiles often for signs of damage on account of weathering, contaminants in the environment, or water damage and clean as frequently as required.
• Like any solid-surface, high-impact blows could damage natural stones. If struck with great power marble may often split. Due to the crystalline structure, granite can chip if its struck with sharp hard objects.
