Cleaning Marble

Can anyone give me advice on cleaning marble?

Thanks,
Edie from Owensboro, KY

Answers:

Cleaning candle wax smears off of cherry and marble

hi,
i need to know if anybody knows the bestw ways to get the candle wax smears off of my cherry wood and marble tables, the wax if up but the marks won't come off, any ideas?

By eileen

Cleaning Marble

This is so ironic as I, too, must clean a piece of marble for the first time. So I've done a GREAT deal of research, including speaking with my Uncle who was a marble sandblaster for 40 years. In any event, here are the suggestions from the "pros" I've gathered"

1. First line of defense: Just like Susan mentioned above, mild liquid soap and warm water - but do not overwater the marble as it is porous. Do only a small section at a time and dry it with a soft cloth after washing.

2. Now, if that doesn't do it, (b)DON'T(/b) be tempted to turn to any acidic prodct (lemon juice, vinegar or Coca-Cola (R) as Susan mentioned first above)

3. However, there may be spots that require a little more action! (b)AVOID(/b) abrasive cleaners (like Comet (R), Soft Scrub(2), salt, scouring pads and ANY SOLVENT PRODUCTS (like paint thinners, gasoline, Carbona(R) carpet cleaners, etc).

But there are some gently-abrasive cleansers that just might do the trick:

a. Find spots that need a little more help and sprinkle a little 20 Mule-Team Borax(R) or baking powder (NOT BAKING SODA!), or cream of tartar (found in the spick rack of the local grocery). Rub with a damp cloth or sponge. DRY THOROUGHLY!

b. If the spots are not too bad, try cleaning them with a mixture of 1 part liquid laundry softener and 2 parts water. Clean thoroughly and BUFF to a wonderful stain.

c. LAST BUT NOT LEAST. (Not sure if this is practical given the job you are undergoing) If you are trying to clean and restore heavily soiled/stained marble here's a recipe the "old timers " still use!

Grate (or put in a food procesor that you will probably not use again for real food(!) 5 bars of IVORY(R) soap. Cook them (I speed up the process in the microwave) with hot water - maybe 6 cups or so until you have a mixture similar to yogurt or heavy syrup Here's the rub - PAINT THE SURFACE AND LET IT SIT FOR ONE WEEK... If it begins to dry out, add more water (via a spray bottle) to keep it in a moist contiion. After the week, wash it all off dry and seal.

WHICHEVER METHOD YOU USE - ALL MY EXPERTS SAY THAT IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO WARM THE MARBLE WITH A BLOW DRYER OR ROOM HEATER SO THE PORES OF THE MARBLE WILL OPEN UP AND MAKE ANY CLEANING MUCH EASIER.

My last 2 cents. I love using Black and Deckers (TM) Scumbuster (C). I really wonder if the white pads (NOT THE BLUE) aren't soft enough to give you some "machine" help to add to your muscle power. Personally, I'm going to try this on pre-warmed marble with a mixture of water and laundry softener. That's my plan. I'll report back TODAY with my results!

Good Luck

Barb from Concord Ohio (I love cleaning almost as much as I love creating clay artwork!) (05/21/2006)

By barbara calfee