Photo source: Brendan Adkins
We have a question!
Charise from CPG Interiors asks Schumacher:
“I have a client who has 24″ x 24″ marble tile in their foyer. I guess my question is what is the best way they can keep up on the maintenance on their marble floors with animals in the house? Especially with scratches, wear and tear and lord forbid puppy mishaps? Also, how often should they have it professional buffed and cleaned?”
Jason answers:
“Thanks for your question!
With pets and normal wear and tear caused by our fast-paced lifestyles, it is important to routinely clean and re-seal your natural stone floor. Natural stone, as I’m sure you know, is very porous when not sealed properly.
If you know the surface has not been sealed, it would be wise to have it cleaned thoroughly. After that, it should be sealed. One brand that we recommend and have in stock is Stone Tech.
Once sealed just a mild soap and water mixture should remove and dirt or ‘puppy mishap’ quite easily.
It would also help if the area was kept free of dust and sand that may be brought in from the outdoors, as that would wear and scratch the surface. However, I know we are all busy and not able to vacuum or sweep every day. If you don’t mind covering up part of the marble, a nice area rug would be a great way to add some color and protect that high traffic area.
If there are any other questions, we would love to try and help! Good luck.”
We hope that helps, Charise! Any sealer you use should tell you in the instructions how often it should be applied. The most important thing you can do for the life and beauty of your stone is to remember not to use any acidic or harsh cleaners. Depending on whether the marble is polished or honed (or brushed), you will want to be careful with any buffer or cleaning pad to avoid scratching the polish.
However, with the exception of wet incidents, puppy or otherwise, regular dust mopping or sweeping will keep your floor clean, and you should only need a professional cleaner if you prefer not to mop it yourself when it starts to look dirty.
If you feel that your question needs more specific answers, please let us know with a comment or email. We will do our best to satisfy you.
Heidi Blodgett
Schumacher Tile & Stone
Leave a Reply