Ask Mrs. Clean: House Cleaning, Stain Removal and Organizing Tips

[DenBoolik]

Hey. I`m working at seattle cleaning service. I have a problem.
I believe they are marble. I have tried to gently brush them clean with light sand paper but they still are yellowed and stained. Is there any way to clean and brighten them up?

[mrscleannw]

Hello DenBoolik,

These are very nice looking pieces and you don’t want to damage them. Are you sure they are marble, they look like they could be a different type of stone? Based on the fact you think they are marble; Do not use sand paper and no vinegar or acidic products!

One option for you is to purchase a PH neutral cleaner. You can search the web for a PH neutral cleaner specifically made for marble. At Mrs. Clean we use ¼ cup Murphy oil soap (Murphy’s soap is PH Neutral) to about 2 gallons water to clean marble. Always wipe dry to keep water spots from forming.

If they are a different type of stone the discoloring could be natural to the stone.

You might want to think about taking these to a professional who can help give you a better idea on what you have and how to clean them. If these are marble a professional will use a special buffer and other products to get back the luster of the marble.

If you do try tackling this yourself, always remember to test anything you do in an inconspicuous spot first.

Mrs. Clean

[cleanway]

Never use acidic products on marble. For regular cleaning purposes, the best to resort to is just plain water with disinfector added and sweep them dry. Never use chemicals that can harm the texture and the overall results. There are also natural products available in the market.

As for marble, in case the shining has been tarnished, you may need to give it a professional touch like polishing. Don't attempt to do this by yourselves, get a professional to do this. They will know all the right things that need to be done for your kind of stone.