Best Way to Clean Marble Floors: Essential Dos and Don’ts

Marble floors are a popular choice in high-end offices in Singapore because they look elegant and professional. You’ll often see them in lobbies and boardrooms where they help create a strong first impression of your company or business. So you may be wondering about the best way to clean marble floors.

But marble isn’t like other flooring options. It needs special care. Without the right cleaning methods, it can lose its shine or even get damaged. This is true in our humid climate, where changes in temperature between air-conditioned offices and outdoor heat can speed up wear and tear.

Learn about the dos and don’ts of cleaning marble floors.

Why Offices Need Specialised Marble Care

The Challenges Contributed by the Climate

With the humidity reaching 80% to 90% all year, the weather just makes marble floors harder to maintain. Moisture encourages the growth of mould, leaves mineral deposits, and weakens the protective seal on marble. The constant shift between outdoor heat and air-conditioned offices adds even more stress.

Office Factors

Busy offices also take a toll. Heavy foot traffic wears down the surface of the marble flooring; other food spills can stain or damage your marble floors.

And since first impressions matter, poorly maintained floors can make your office space look unprofessional, no matter how polished or professional-looking the rest of the space is.

The Cost of Poor Maintenance

The cost of marble care neglect is expensive. Restoring already-damaged marble can cost you your savings. So maintain your office floors as this option is far more affordable than total replacement.

Not only that, but you can also pose safety risks to your clients and employees. In short, clean marble floors protect your company’s reputation and workplace safety.

Why Marble Proper Care Matters

What Makes this Material Vulnerable?

Marble is formed from calcium carbonate which gives it its shine and beautiful veining. But this also makes it delicate at the same time. Acids like those found in citrus juices can react with the stone and leave dull spots/rings that never go away.

Marble is also porous, meaning it absorbs liquids easily. So if spills are left uncleaned quickly, they can seep in and cause permanent stains.

Common Office Marble Damage

Coffee and tea stains are some of the most common causes of marble damage. Not only do they discolour the marble, but their acidity can also etch the surface. Food and citrus-based drinks carry similar risks.

Physical wear is another cause of concern. For example, women’s high heels can chip the stone, office chairs with wheels can scratch it, and mineral-rich tap water often leaves cloudy spots.

Over time, these small damages can add up and result in a dulled look of your floors.

The Essential DOs for Office Marble Cleaning

Here, we have provided the best ways to clean marble floors daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly when you’re doing the floor maintenance yourselves.

Daily

1. Always remove the dirt and grit before mopping. If you don’t do this, they will act like sandpaper, scratching the marble. Use microfiber mops or soft brooms, especially in busy areas like lobbies—several times a day if needed.
2. Teach your staff to blot spills (not wipe because wiping spreads acids and possibly worsens the damage). Keep spill kits with pH-neutral handy since acidic drinks can etch marble in under a minute.
3. Always use products made for stone care and dilute as directed.

Weekly

1. Use distilled or filtered water to avoid leaving mineral spots and keep the shine of the marble floors.
2. Mop the right way. Use the two-bucket system (one for the solution, and one for rinsing). Stick to microfiber mops, wring them well, and change mop heads often. Work section by section, rinsing and drying as you go.
3. Clean in sections. Divide large spaces into smaller areas (about 10 sqm each). Doing this prevents solutions from drying on the floor and leaving residue. Move faster in air-conditioned rooms because the floors here dry more quickly.

Monthly & Quarterly

1. Reseal regularly as sealers wear out faster in a humid climate. Do a simple water-drop test monthly. If water doesn’t bead, resealing is needed. Most offices reseal every 6 to 8 months; high-traffic areas may need it quarterly.
2. Have marble experts check every three months. They can identify if there are cracks or if the sealers are worn that need immediate attention.
3. Use mats at all entrances, at least six feet inside, to catch all dirt and moisture. Also add furniture pads and remind staff to lift the chairs and tables instead of dragging them.

The DON’Ts of Marble Floor Care

Chemical Hazards

1. Avoid using vinegar, lemon juice, or generic all-purpose cleaners. Even small amounts of acids cause permanent dull spots. Train staff never to use them.
2. Ammonia, bleach, and hydrogen peroxide may look effective at first but they slowly break down marble sealers. So again, it’s a no-no.
3. It’s also a no for DIY mixes, such as baking soda, essential oils and citrus-based “home remedies.” Always stick to professional marble-safe products.

Tools & Techniques to Avoid

1. Abrasives like steel wool, scouring pads, and stiff brushes all leave scratches. Use only microfiber cloths and soft mops.
2. Steam cleaning can crack marble and damage sealers.
3. Leaving water sitting causes stains, weakens sealers, and encourages the growth of mould. What should you do? Always dry the floors post-cleaning.

Common Cleaning Errors

1. Putting floor wax and generic shiners. They make the floors slippery and the substances can trap dirt.
2. Skipping testing. Always try new products in a hidden spot first. Marble types vary and what works in one type may have an adverse effect on another.

Marble Cleaning Schedule You Can Follow

One of the best ways to clean marble floors is to have a cleaning schedule that provides structure and organisation to the cleaning process.

For High-traffic Areas

• Dry mop in the morning, lunch and evening
• Clean spills as soon as they happen
• Wet mop with pH-neutral cleaner after business hours, but make sure the floors are dry before next day’s working hours
• Deep clean edges and corners weekly using a marble-safe cleaner
• Inspect for wear, reseal worn areas, and apply protective treatments monthly

For Moderate-traffic Areas like Conference Rooms and Executive Offices

• Dust mop two to three times, scheduled around meetings (weekly)
• Wet mop with marble-safe cleaner; focus on entrances (bi-weekly)
• Have professionals check sealer strength and fix minor issues before they worsen (quarterly)

Seasonal Care

• Around monsoon season, increase the cleaning frequency. If possible, add more entrance mats and use fans to speed up drying.
• In months of peak humidity, watch for mould and mineral spots from condensation. Improve ventilation and then dehumidify the space.
• During holidays and big events, schedule deep cleaning and resealing before they happen.

Professional vs. In-House Cleaning

You might have thought that doing the cleaning yourselves is the best way to clean marble floors. But this is false economy. Here’s the reason why.

Why Professional Cleaning Services Are Better

Professional marble cleaners have the right skills and equipment like diamond polishing pads and advanced machines to tackle stubborn stains and floor damage. Service providers like the Avalon Services are fully knowledgeable of all marble types and the different ways in cleaning them.

Plus, we offer consistency in results. With our scheduled treatments, we ensure that your marble floors last for as long as possible. Best of all is that we can work with minimal disruption to your operations.

Avalon Services’ Expertise

Avalon Services has numerous years of marble care experience in Singapore. Our technicians are trained to perform only the best ways to clean marble floors whatever commercial space needs our quality cleaning.

We carefully consider the foot traffic, the type of marble, and your business operations. Our integrated approach in cleaning marble floors mean they stay polished and looking clean for many more years to come.

Conclusion

Marble floors are beautiful and delicate. So the best way to clean marble floors is to engage the services of those who best knows their nature and what kind of cleaning they require.

Contact us at Avalon Services to book your appointment today, for your office cleaning needs that fully takes care of your workplace’s sanitation and cleanliness.