Marble has been used for thousands of years, including of course, by Romans and Greeks in some of their most famous monuments and works of art. And not only is it a truly beautiful material, but it’s also heat-resistant, meaning a fireplace has long been one of the most obvious places to use this substance in the home.
Marble is certainly very hardwearing, but because it is also quite porous, it can be susceptible to staining from some things, such as acid-based solutions and certain foods. So deal with stains promptly – they’ll only seep deeper into the stone the longer they’re left.
Luckily marble fireplace cleaning is pretty straightforward if you follow some basic guidelines as given below. And, of course, you can help by getting into good habits early on – such as not leaving red wine glasses on the mantelpiece!
Cleaning tips
Superficial dust and dirt on your fireplace is best removed with a super-soft cloth. Try removing any stains with a clean, soft microfibre cloth dipped in warm (but not hot) distilled water. Make sure the cloth is thoroughly wrung out first, and wipe with a dry cloth afterwards. Leaving it to air dry can cause water marks.
Rinse your cloth often so you’re not left with a grimy film.
If water alone hasn’t worked, try a specialist marble cleaner, but with caution – test first on a small, inconspicuous part of the fireplace. And remember to read the instructions.
Among the products you should never use on a marble fireplace are those containing baking soda, vinegar and limescale removers.
With a high-quality marble wax, you can then buff up the surface of your fireplace until it shines.
Stain removal
Specific stains need specific action. While grease and oil-based marks require a soft liquid cleanser, a more organic stain, perhaps caused by something like tea or coffee, can be cleaned with a 12% hydrogen and peroxide poultice mix.
For accidental pen and ink marks, use acetone for darker stone, hydrogen peroxide for lighter marble.
Finally, with water spots and rings, you can use steel wool. As ever, be gentle and proceed with caution.
Professional natural stone fireplace cleaning
Sometimes, the things you can do yourself aren’t enough to get your marble fireplace looking its best. That’s when you need to call in professional fireplace restoration specialists. At Royal Stone Care, we’re experts in fireplace restoration and cleaning and can help with regular and one-off maintenance jobs. Call us and learn more now.
