Marble Floor Care
Maintaining Highly Visible Surfaces
How do you maintain these highly visible and beautiful stone surfaces? We recommend sensible routine maintenance over the years, and most all marble floors will provide historic continuity and lasting service. Some specifics may apply depending on the types of marble and stone used, and for questions please give us a call at 972-463-6604.
We believe that the easiest and least expensive way to maintain a marble floor is through daily housekeeping. Several steps may apply here. First, to catch dirt, water, and ice-melting salts at the door by placing large mats with waterproof backings at all entrances. The salt fluids dissolve and pit marble, so this is a preventative measure. Second, keep the floor clean of superficial dirt by using a minimum amount of plain water (warm is always best) and a cotton string mop. By this light frequent mopping, you will help prevent any soil from penetrating the surface. Whenever possible, quickly blot spills, especially oil and grease, to minimize their absorption into the stone.
Most reputable marble dealers tell us that the use of detergents for routine cleaning is not recommended as they tend to dull these beautiful polished stone stairs and floors. They may also contain chemicals that are usually better to avoid. For general grime, add a very small amount of ammonia to the water -- so little that no odor should be present when diluted (less than 0.005 percent by volume). You could also use an extremely diluted solution of a mild, neutral pH detergent such as dishwashing liquid. We recommend that the first testing needs to be on a small area of the marble to be cleaned. Then proceed with care.
Keith Clay Floors recommends a "Periodic Professional Care Plan" be in place, one that offers procedures not easily completed without time, equipment and skill. Periodic honing and polishing by a floor helps to maintain the luster and more importantly, one that significantly inhibits resoiling and deterioration. Mechanical honing with fine screens creates a smooth surface, followed by buffing to a polished finish with slightly abrasive putty and synthetic felt or wool pads. Choosing a plan that works well for you, Keith Clay Floors may provide this service for you monthly or quarterly, depending on the wear the floor receives and the quality of finish the congregation desires.
Daily in-house maintenance is crucial to the durability of the polished finish and saves money by reducing deterioration and the need for more extensive professional treatment. Call us today to provide a bid on taking care of your marble and stone surfaces.
If you believe that you have a candidate for a floor restoration, Keith Clay Floors may help with that as well. Please call us to come out and evaluate your exact needs. If a marble floor is scratched, deeply soiled, or has a build-up of yellowed wax or discolored sealers, the luster and natural color can be restored by wet sanding and chemical stripping. This messy, noisy process does require protection of workers with proper gear and temporary protection of adjacent surfaces, such as pews, doors, base moldings, and floor-mounted fixtures. This procedure of sanding is followed by honing and polishing. Repeated heavy sanding can noticeably wear down a floor, which may be producing visible depressions; thus it is best to avoid the need (and the expense) of this procedure by maintaining the polished finish.
If you have particular questions about the use of a sealer maybe we can provide some additional information about that for you. The application of floor sealers intended to protect stone is controversial. Certain features are attractive, such as slip resistance and their ability to inhibit penetration of dirt, food, and beverage stains. the flip side is that it can be a major disadvantage for surface abrasion, expense, and nuisance of wet sanding and chemical stripping required to remove sealers when their appearance becomes undesirable. Discoloration, spotting, and uneven wear are a natural part of the life of your stone. A common complaint about floor sealers is spotting from water and salts during wet weather, and the tendency to darken white marble. Many professional cleaning contractors and building conservators recommend leaving marble floors in their natural state without coatings for that reason alone. If floor sealers are being considered, evaluate the long-term maintenance costs and make sure to test the product during the winter on a small area near a door entrance. Keith Clay Floors is happy to evaluate your stone and offer insight for each setting.
If you are experiencing specific cleaning problems with your stone, you may want to give us a call. All marble floors are frequently stained by iron, bronze, copper, oil and grease, ink, tobacco, and smoke. Keith Clay Floors recommends the gentlest means possible to clean marble. We usually do not attempt to remove stains or deposits by scraping, scouring, or indiscriminately applying bleaching agents, liquid marble cleaners, or other harsh chemicals. Damage such as rust stains may not appear until months later. In addition, all acids are potentially harmful to marble surfaces. As experienced marble cleaning contractors, we can select appropriate poultices (smooth pastes applied to the marble which dissolves the staining matter) for specific stains. For large-scale cleaning and stain removal on floors and walls, we can consult with you to determine the appropriate test procedure and to develop specifications that can be used for your location.
Keith Clay has been in business for almost 28 years serving Dallas, Frisco, Plano, Richardson and all Dallas Metroplex suburbs. We know wood floors and can answer any questions you may have. If you want the best job from a company of professionals, call us today. 972-463-6604. World Class Craftsmanship. Reasonable Prices.
