Marble is a lovely looking natural stone that makes a lavish addition to any home or office space. However, since it is extremely porous, it allows stains and dirt to set in and be retained far more quickly than thicker stones. For this reason, marble requires a bit of extra care and maintenance so that it can retain its exquisite look for years to come.

Listed below are some of the easy tips that can be used to keep your marble floor looking shiny and clean:

In order to bring out the extra glossiness and color of the marble and to reduce its absorbency rate; you should polish your marble. Polishing is required from time to time as otherwise it gets stained. In case your marble floor does not have any sealer attached; then as soon as substances like juices, wine, coffee, tea or sodas spill on the floor you must get them cleaned. Otherwise, the surface will absorb the liquid and will make the floor look dull. Instead of using abrasive cloth to clean the surface you can use formulated stone cleaner and hot water. Always dry out the surface using a soft cotton cloth. In case you are using marble counter tops; make sure you are using coasters under the bottles, glasses and cans. Just like the fine wood counter tops, the marble ones can easily get damaged due to water, acidic substances and other liquid items. If your bathroom has marble counter tops; then you can store your soap, shampoo and other toiletries on a decorative tray. This will make your bathroom look attractive and at the same time you can keep your marble surface safe. Instead of using a vacuum cleaner you can use a clean non-treated dust mop to clean the floor. Dust and dirt in the wheels of the vacuum cleaner can scrape the surface of the floor. Always place doormats and rugs so that guests entering your home can wipe their feet. Also the doormats can attract the dust and dirt that are brought by the shoes. As marble easily absorbs liquid and gets stained fast unlike granite's and soapstone; you should apply marble sealers. This sealer creates a solid covering and keeps the stain away from the marble. This allows you to get some extra time to remove the stain from the surface. You can check with the marble supplier company to find out what type of sealers will be ideal for your floor.

Precautions that should be taken to increase the longevity of marble floors and counter tops:

Never use vinegar, lemon or ammonia or cleaners that contain acid, chemicals and alkalis for cleaning marble floor or counter-top as they can damage the floor. Do not sit on the top of marble counter tops and drag anything heavy on the marble floor as they cause scratches. Using the same old mop for cleaning the floor can make it look dirty and dull. Use neutral cleaners that contain pH7.00 as this will increase the longevity of the marble surface.

Cleaning the marble floor or counter tops using the above mentioned steps will ensure that the stone looks great and retains its brightness for the years to come.