The weather may have been variable to say the least, but it does seem that spring is at long last with us. And along with (hopefully) blue skies, flowers and Easter eggs, it is, of course, traditionally a season for deep cleaning. Declutter, dust parts of the house you didn’t know gathered dirt, and clean out those cupboards!
Are you lucky enough to have marble countertops or other items in your home? Don’t leave them off your spring cleaning ‘to do’ list. Here are our top tips for spring-cleaning your stone.
Choose your products with care
Give acidic and all-purpose cleaning products a swerve. These may do a great job of shifting grime from other surfaces, but not marble. Anything containing lemon, ammonia or vinegar is a particular no-no. Such products can actively damage your stone. Additionally, they can cause it to lose its natural sheen.
Remember you can DIY
You’re not confined to shop-bought, pre-made cleaning solutions. (Equally, of course, going homemade is usually the cheaper choice.) DIY options can be as simple as a drop of mild washing-up liquid, warm water and a cloth. Another idea could be to use baking soda and water to shift stains. But whatever you go for, don’t forget to dry off your worktops thoroughly after cleaning.
And the first step in cleaning is so basic you won’t even need any product at all – kick off marble cleaning by dusting your surface with a dry, non-abrasive rag.
The importance of drying and sealing your marble
Because marble is porous, it’s never a great idea to leave liquids resting on the surface, even during cleaning. That means you need to be careful to dry marble off entirely after each cleaning session, as mentioned. This will stave off potential damage to your stone. What’s more, sealing marble is also important. There are products you can use at home to do this yourself, or you may prefer to call in a professional marble care expert. Either way, proper sealing will ensure your surface keeps shining.
Spot clean
Hopefully, you will have been diligent with spot removal since your last big clean – if so, that will make the annual spring clean much easier. As with anything else, consistent wiping down of marble will avoid a build-up of dirt and grease which can take off its shine. At the same time, be constantly vigilant for food and other stains and clean them up straight away. We know we always say this, by the way, but it can’t be over-emphasised.
Talk to us
Perhaps the best advice we can give is to spring-clean your surface with care, so that you don’t etch or otherwise damage your stone. If you’re in doubt about something, such as a cleaning product, it’s probably best not to use it. And if you prefer to leave your marble cleaning or restoration in London to the experts, we understand. We bring our expertise, highly trained teams and extensive experience of the industry to spring-cleaning all your marble surfaces. Get in touch today.
