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Cleaning best practice
The short answer
Natural stone needs neutral cleaners, prompt spill removal and periodic sealing; acids and generic bathroom sprays etch it permanently.
Marble floors are everywhere in Gulf villas, and they are softer and more reactive than they look. Most of the damage we are called to restore was done by a cleaning product.
How it is done
- Neutral pH cleaners only, and never an acidic descaler.
- Blot spills; wiping spreads an acidic spill across more stone.
- Grit is abrasive, so mats at entrances do more than any product.
- Re-seal on a schedule; a sealed floor buys time when something is spilled.
Why it matters
Etching is physical damage to the stone surface, not a stain. It is corrected by honing and re-polishing, which is skilled work — considerably more involved than the clean that caused it.
questions
Asked about this
Light etching usually responds to honing and re-polishing. Deep etching may need grinding, which removes a layer of stone.
It depends on traffic and the stone, but an annual check is sensible in a busy villa. A water-drop test shows whether the seal is still working.
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