Natural stone floors — marble, travertine, slate, limestone, and granite — are beautiful but require specific care. The wrong cleaner etches or dulls the surface permanently. The right approach is simple once you know what to avoid.
What Not to Use
- Vinegar, lemon juice, or acidic cleaners — acid etches marble, travertine, and limestone on contact. Even diluted vinegar causes permanent dull spots on polished stone
- Bleach or ammonia-based cleaners — strip sealant and damage grout
- Abrasive scrubbers — scratch polished stone surfaces
- General-purpose floor cleaners — most contain surfactants or acids unsuitable for stone
Routine Cleaning
- Sweep or vacuum daily — grit is the main cause of scratching on stone floors
- Damp mop with warm water and a few drops of pH-neutral dish soap, or a stone-specific floor cleaner
- Wring the mop thoroughly — stone should never be soaking wet
- Buff dry with a clean microfibre cloth to prevent water spots, especially on polished marble
Removing Stains
- Organic stains (coffee, tea, food): diluted hydrogen peroxide (3%) on a cloth, let sit a few minutes, wipe clean — safe for light stone, test in an inconspicuous area first
- Oil stains: a paste of baking soda and water applied to the stain, covered with plastic wrap, left overnight — the baking soda draws oil out of porous stone
- Rust stains: commercial rust remover formulated for stone — standard rust removers contain acid and will etch the stone
Sealing
Most natural stone benefits from periodic sealing to prevent staining. Apply a penetrating stone sealer (available at tile shops and hardware stores) every 1–3 years. Test whether sealing is needed: drop a small amount of water on the stone — if it beads up, the seal is intact; if it absorbs within a few minutes, reseal.
Tips
- Place mats at all entrances — grit tracked in on shoes is the primary cause of dull scratched stone
- Use felt pads under furniture legs to prevent scratching
- For etched (dull) spots on marble or travertine from acid contact, re-polishing is the only fix — this requires a professional with diamond polishing pads