The dos and don'ts of cleaning your marble stone floors and benchtops

If you’ve got any marble in your house, you’ll know how easily it can stain or scratch.

That’s why it’s important to make sure you clean and look after it properly.

But what if it was the way you’re cleaning your marble that could be damaging and staining it?

Here are a few dos and don’ts for cleaning marble and stone floors and benchtops.

Dos

1. Wipe down with a soft sponge

Forget the endless supply of cleaning sprays and wipes you have in your cupboard. Apparently all you need is some warm water, a soft sponge or cloth and if you can find it, a spray or cleaner designed specially for stone such as marble.

2. Clean spills as soon as they happen

Liquids such as wine, coffee, fruit juice, soda and tomato sauce can dull your marble and stone and stain it. That’s why it’s important to clean up any stains as soon as they happen, otherwise they can damage your marble and stone.

3. Clean your floors with a dust mop

While it’s easy to just get out the vacuum and run it over your marble and stone floors, you should avoid doing so. Grit in the wheels can scratch your marble or stone, which is why you should clean your floors with a dust mop and a cleaning product designed for stone or marble floors.

4. Catch dirt with doormats, runners or rugs

Any sand, dirt or grit can actually scratch your marble or stone floors, especially if you drag it in on your shoes. That’s why it wouldn’t hurt to lay a doormat, runner or rug to catch the dirt before it scratches your floor.

Don’ts

1. Put your toiletries directly on your benchtop/vanity

Have you got rings appearing on your marble benchtop or vanity? Then chances are you’ve been leaving your toiletries directly on the marble surface. It turns out this is a big no-no. All your lotions and potions such as hair products, cologne, toothpaste and creams can actually damage and stain your marble surface. Try putting your toiletries on something, like a fancy tray or decorative holder, instead.

2. Use anything acidic such as vinegar, ammonia, lemon or orange for cleaning

While these natural products might be good for cleaning normal tiles or benchtops, they actually damage and stain your marble or stone. All you need is warm water and a sponge to clean your marble.

3. Use store bought cleaners such as grout, bathroom or tile cleaners

Unfortunately most of the cleaners in your local supermarket have acids and other chemicals that can damage your marble or stone, weaken the sealant and put your surfaces at risk of staining. Even grout and tile creams and abrasives can scratch and dull your marble or stone. A little bit of warm soapy water and a sponge will do the trick!

This article originally appeared on StartsatSixty.com