Can I use baking soda to clean marble?

Marble Cleaning Restoration Repair London

What is baking soda?

You’ll almost certainly have heard of it, but could you define it exactly? Baking soda is the common name for sodium bicarbonate. It’s a salt and a white solid that often appears as a fine powder. However, it’s actually crystalline.

It’s also multi-purpose, with uses ranging from tooth whitening to sunburn relief and stain removal.

Can I use it on marble?

The short answer is yes, you can use baking soda to clean marble countertops, flooring, fireplaces and similar pieces. And it can be more effective than warm water and a soft cloth alone. But it’s a mildly abrasive alkaline. So it needs using gently, and with caution given that marble can be quite a vulnerable stone and is prone to staining and scratching. So go easy on the elbow grease! Don’t use this product to clean your marble every day. Equally, make sure the stuff doesn’t remain on the surface for more than a few seconds. If you use it too often, your marble could end up looking rather dull. Even light abrasives like baking soda can still damage stone surfaces.

What are the benefits of using baking soda on marble?

As well as being affordable and effective as a stain remover and sanitiser, baking soda can help remove any unpleasant odours and contains no harsh chemicals. It’s also a natural disinfectant – and less likely to ‘etch’ your marble than products like vinegar, some detergents, ammonia or washing-up liquid.

Tips for cleaning marble with baking soda

You’ll need water and a soft, damp cloth (never a scrubber) as well as, obviously, some baking soda.

After sprinkling some of the baking soda on to the marble, gently rub it with your cloth, but don’t scrub.

Rinse afterwards with water to neutralise the pH, and be sure to dry completely to minimise how long the baking soda is in contact with your marble.

How we can help

At Royal Stone Care, we’re marble cleaning and marble repair specialists in London. Cleaning your marble yourself with baking soda is perfectly possible, but it still needs doing extremely carefully. So if you feel it’s a job for the professionals, we understand. And we’re here to help with the right expertise and equipment. Call the friendly team today for a no-obligation quote, whether you want marble chip repair, a one-off deep clean or anything else.