Marble and granite care

Marble as well as granite is one of the most beautiful natural stones and can often be found in numerous residential buildings. However, natural stones are in need of care and, above all, extremely sensitive to numerous substances. Therefore marble and granite floors are much easier to care for if contamination is avoided in advance. The following measures can be taken to prevent too much dirt from getting onto the floors or other damages such as scratches. Lay out a doormat at the entrance. Dirt, dust and small stones sticking to the soles of the shoe will stick to such a mat and can not do any damage to the floor.

Place everything you want to place on the floor, such as flowerpots, on a rubber mat so that the marble or granite floor does not come into contact with hard materials that could provoke scratches or leave marks. You can also apply some special wax or a special impregnation agent on the marble or granite. This acts as a dirt barrier and offers some protection against damage.

Tip! If you spill something on granite or marble floors, you have to wipe it away immediately, as these floors can become dirty incredibly fast. Acidic liquids like orange juice or vinegar cause a lot of damage. Dab (do not wipe!) spilled liquids with a cloth or a PVA sponge Mop and clean the area with plenty of water and some light dish soapy detergent as soon as possible.

How to clean granite and marble gently

Granite as wells as marble has special requirements. How best to clean and care for this natural stones depends on the surface. Polished granite or marble is more sensitive to scratches than natural stone. Marble and Granite should not be treated with conventional detergents. Most contain acids that attack the stone quickly. Especially polished granite loses its shine and becomes dull. Also soap-based cleaners are not really suitable. They gonna dry out the surface in the long term. Special granite and marble cleaners not only take care of the dirt gently, but also provide additional care and protect against drying out. Granite as well as marble is a natural product and does not like hot water. Use only lukewarm water for cleaning and not too much of it: The pores of the stone should be able to dry out again.
The surfaces are often impregnated. Using of surfactant-containing cleaning agents will destroy this impregnation. Taboo with polished granite or marble are also steam cleaner or pressure washers.

Be sure to use neutral or alcoholic cleaners. Clear water with methylated spirit would be well suited. Rinse the spirit-diluted water as quickly as possible. Under no circumstances should you use a special cleanser for removing cement veils, even if there is a clearance for marble. Be careful!

Most self-evident household cleaners are not for the use of marble. Also be careful when implementing so-called home remedies. Many dangers lurk here and you might damage your marble sustainably massively. The following substances are to be avoided in any case:

limescaling agents
strong alkaline cleaner
acids and alkalis
surfactant-containing cleaners in general
fruit acids
vinegar, wine, oil, fat

Alkaline cleaners and marble
Limescaling agents are specifically designed to decompose lime. Marble is made of limestone, so it absolutely must be avoided. Strong alkaline cleaners should also be avoided during regular cleaning. For basic cleaning, you can use cleaners with a maximum pH of 11 to 12 if you rinse them quickly with clean water.

Acids and marble
Acids decompose marble. These include classic self-assembled cleansers containing vinegar, apple cider vinegar, citric acid, etc. Soaps and alkalis contain surfactants. These are deposited in open-pored marble. Here they attract dust and dirt particles formally, the marble stains clearly within a few years.

Oils and fats with marble
The situation is similar with oils and fats. Time and again on the Internet alleged insider tips are read, after which marble surfaces should be rubbed with oil. In fact, you get a nice, silky shine. However, much of the oil absorbs and binds dirt there. Its marble surface quickly becomes unsightly with regular use.

Fresh shine for dull marble and granite

If your granite or marble has already become a bit dull, you can pimp it up with this home remedy:
Rub the cleaned stone with some methylated spirit water solution. Then polish the stone with floor wax. The result justifies the effort in any case.

Granite and marble cleaning products you should NOT use!

Each cleaning product you are going to use for your floors comes  with an application and safety instructions on the packaging, which you should read before getting started. Test each cleaning agent first in a small, inconspicuous area. Granite and marble are natural materials. Therefore, there are a number of cleaning products you cannot use.

For granite or marble cleaning you should never use the following agents or tools:
Any floor cleaner unless specified for natural stone
Any home remedy except a methylated spirit water solution
Abrasives and scouring pads
Steam cleaner
Pressure Washer