Cleaning Marble Tile: How Pros Do It

Marble tile adds an artful, elegant atmosphere. While it increases your home’s value and offers visual appeal, you might struggle to clean it properly. Our team at Steam Smart Pro elaborates on our process for cleaning marble tile to a polished shine.

Marble offers a natural yet opulent aesthetic to any home. You can install it in almost any room. But you need the right cleaning solutions and equipment to keep it gleaming like new for years to come.

Discover how our pros perform our tile cleaning services in Tucson, AZ.

#1 Dry Debris Removal

A professional floor cleaner approaches the marble tile gently. This material can easily develop an etch mark when handled carelessly. Professional cleaners prefer a microfiber sweeper rather than a broom.

Brooms can leave tiny grooves that gather dirt more easily and eventually devalue the material. Microfiber floor sweepers effectively push dirt, dust, and other debris into a pile without harming the surface. After sweeping the debris into a pile, the cleaner collects and throws it away. 

#2 Deep-Clean The Grout

Next, the grout needs a deep cleaning to remove stains and substances caught between the tiles. A cleaning expert will use hydrogen peroxide to gently lift stains from the course grout. Next, they use a grout brush to scrub the grout thoroughly.

Grout cleaning requires lots of scrubbing and effort. After scrubbing, the hydrogen peroxide sits on the grout for around 20 minutes. Then, the cleaner rinses the grout with warm water before soaking the solution up with a soft microfiber cloth. 

#3 Mop to Absorb Excess Grime

Professional tile cleaners don’t use a regular mop when cleaning marble tile. Regular mops merely spread dirt around rather than absorbing it. They prefer a microfiber mop that they can easily squeeze and cleanse throughout the process.

They first combine dishwashing liquid with warm water. This creates a soapy mixture that tackles grease and sticky areas without damaging the marble. Then, they move the mop in a figure-eight to swipe dirt and grime off of the floor. 

#4 Steam Cleaning

Many cleaners use a steam cleaner to thoroughly clean the floors after mopping. Mopping can loosen and remove excess grime. But a steam cleaner finishes the job by picking up any debris the mop left behind.

A steam cleaner includes a microfiber mop head. It also has a vacuum attachment that pulls dirty water from the floor as the cleaner mops. The professional cleaner fills the tank with hot water and places a special cleaning product into the soap dispenser. Then, they’ll go over the floor with the steam cleaner. Occasionally, they refill the soap and water tanks and empty the dirty water chamber. This process leaves the floor spotlessly clean. 

#5 Tile Polishing

Your tile floor is nothing if not polished to a perfect gleam. A reputable tile cleaner uses a special polishing cream for this part of the process.

A flat sweeper with a clean, dry microfiber cloth attachment pushes the cream across the floor. After the initial polishing session, the cleaner allows the cream to sit for about ten minutes. Then, they’ll continue polishing, adding just a little moisture into the mix. The moisture breaks down any stubborn balls or clumps of polishing cream.

Once the cream dries completely, the professional uses a mineral spirit to shine each tile by hand. They then leave the floor to dry completely. After this step, ensure you and the other occupants avoid the marble floor for 24 hours. 

#6 Seal the Marble

The final step of the cleaning process involves using a sealant to keep the clean, polished floor smooth and tidy. The cleaner will return after the polish dries. They’ll apply a penetrative sealant to each tile.

The sealant penetrates into any holes, crevices, etches, and other openings, which prevents dirt from getting into the tiny spaces. Stains and dirt won’t stick to the floor as readily as before. It also makes your future maintenance endeavors easier to complete.

After the sealant application, you and your family should avoid walking on the marble floor with shoes for a few days. The cleaning professional in charge of your service can give you a solid timeframe.

Walking on sealant with shoes can make the product less effective and can cause extensive damage to your beautiful marble tiles. This also goes for marble countertops. Though you won’t likely walk on your counters, you should avoid setting hard, heavy items on top of it. 

Maintenance Tips for Cleaning Marble Tile

Professional cleaning services tackle the majority of major cleaning tasks. But you still deal with coffee spills, overturned cups of juice, and family members tracking dirt and mud into your home. Many homeowners are far too busy to schedule cleaning services every week, let alone every day.

How should you maintain marble tile in between professional cleanings? Use the following DIY tile cleaning tips for your marble tile: 

1. Invest in some microfiber cloths. You probably noticed how much microfiber comes up in the professional cleaning process. Purchasing a few can help you avoid etching. 
2. Keep a spray bottle of dishwashing liquid and water on hand. Regular floor cleaners can have caustic, corrosive effects on marble. Reach for dish soap instead. 
3. Clean spills as soon as you notice them. Although marble is durable, its softness makes it more absorbent than other types of stone. 
4. Employ a weekly cleaning routine. Choose a microfiber mop and broom with which you can tidy the floor weekly. Use doormats to prevent occupants and guests from tracking dirt across the floor. 
5. Don’t skip professional cleanings. Schedule deep cleaning services monthly and polishing and sealing services yearly.

Choose Pro Cleaning Services From Steam Smart Pro

Ready to take a proactive approach to cleaning marble tile? We can kick-start the process! Contact us to schedule a complete marble cleaning service from our professionals, learn about DIY tile cleaning, and more.

You can more easily complete maintenance tasks once we finish. Call Steam Smart Pro at (520) 416-4308.

Author Bio:

Eric Bullard

The owner of Steam Smart Pro in Tucson, AZ, brings over 20 years of invaluable experience in the field of carpet, tile, and air duct cleaning. With a strong dedication to quality and a deep understanding of effective cleaning techniques, Eric consistently delivers outstanding results to his satisfied residential and commercial clients.