Cleaning and Maintaining Marble

Marble is everywhere right now, and it is So Gorgeous, but it is a commitment that should not be taken lightly.

Cotedetexas.blogspot.com for more images of amazing marble kitchen and bathroom inspiration.

Marble is a soft and porous material that easily stains and scratches. Even if your marble is sealed, this sealer should be reapplied every year or so. It is beautiful in the kitchen or the bathroom, but with these being two of the messiest places in our homes, what does it take to keep these surfaces in great shape?

*I am not brave enough personally to have marble in my house, so I  have not tried these   personally. Please clean at your own risk,  using the most gentle method possible. 

• General maintenance: Arm yourself with two soft cloths and spray down the surface with warm water (preferably distilled or filtered). Use one cloth to spread the water, using it like a cleanser, the other to quickly dry it. If you need to go a little deeper, you can add a few drops of a very mild (Ph blanced) dish soap to the water. Hydrogen peroxide mixed with water is another choice for light marble. Use acetone for dark marble. 
• Stains: Acids (lemon juice, wine, tomatoes, soft drinks) will etch your marble so it's important to clean them up as quickly as possible. Start by blotting the stain. Then, using baking soda and mixing it with rubbing alcohol (for water based stains), hydrogen peroxide (for oil based stains on light marble) or acetone (for oil based stains on dark marble), make a soft paste, spread it on the stain, cover it with plastic (to keep it moist) and let it sit overnight. 
• Prevent stains by using coasters: Yes, even for water, which can leave rings.
• Make it shine: Marble Polish, available at your hardware store, should be your first go to to maintain your marbles beauty. If that is not an option, mix a few tablespoons of baking soda into a quart of water, wash your marble with it and let it air dry. Now, dip a clean rag into crushed chalk, wipe down your marble, then rinse and dry with the two cloth method outlined above. 
• Scratches: slight scratches can be CAREFULLY buffed out with fine sandpaper or steel wool (0000)

info from marthastewart.com and apartment therapy.com

House Beautiful

What about in the Bathroom? Where the marble is constantly coming into contact with water and miscellaneous "soap" products. from DIY Queen of Clean, Linda Cobb.

Materials and Ingredients: 1/3 part fabric softener 2/3 parts water Spray bottle Soft cloth Bucket of clean water (optional) Micro-fiber cloth (optional) Clean Shield 1. Pour the mixture of fabric softener and water into a spray bottle. 2. Spray the solution onto the marble and wipe with a soft cloth and buff. Tip: If you have a micro-fiber cloth, simply dip it into a bucket of water and wipe the solution until the marble is clean. A Royal Suggestion: Use a product such as Clean & Shield on your shower. It turns hard-to-clean surfaces into non-stick cookware. Apply with a soft cloth, let dry and buff with a clean cloth.  House Beautiful