A Stone Cleaning in Watchung, NJ Was All These Marble Floors Needed to Regain Their Former Appearance

February 14, 2019

Marble is an elegant natural stone that can look great on any surface. Because of its beautiful patterns and many available finishes, marble is a popular choice for flooring. Most people believe that since it's a stone, marble is naturally resistant to damage. Unfortunately, it's not always the case. For example, marble is very susceptible to acidic substances. Acids can stain and etch the stone, ruining its appearance. A homeowner in Watchung, NJ soon found this out. Since she had a full-time job, she hired a housekeeper to help her keep the house in good shape. Upon arriving at her home one day, the homeowner noticed the marble floors in the guest bathroom and the living area looked strange.


The floors were heavily scratched and stained. After browsing several websites and reading some accounts of people with similar issues, she learned that the floor's current state was likely the result of it coming into contact with acidic substances. Concerned, she called the housekeeper and asked her if she had tried something different. The housekeeper explained she cleaned the floors using the store-bought products that were on the counter. The homeowner checked the products and found that most of them contained acidic agents. She went online once again to search for possible solutions. Most websites suggested hiring professional stone cleaners to clean the stone, so she searched for stone cleaning experts in Watchung, NJ and found our website. After seeing some of the testimonials from satisfied customers, she called to schedule a free in-home consultation.

Marble is a soft stone. In some cases, soft stones can scratch and etch easily when they meet acidic fluids such as harsh cleaners, citrus juices, coffee, pet urine, and other acidic liquids. What makes acidic cleaners particularly dangerous is that most homeowners use them without knowing they can harm natural stone.

The day of the consultation came, and our experts visited the customer's home to assess the marble floors. After they inspected both surfaces, our techs determined that the etches and stains on the floors were most likely a byproduct of chemical damage. The only way to keep soft stones like marble protected from acidic substances is to keep them sealed. When our crew asked the homeowner when was the last time she had her floors sealed, she replied she couldn't remember. Because they weren't sealed, the floors had been fully exposed to the acids in these cleaning products, causing them to scratch and etch.

The client asked our team why the stains on the floor were difficult to remove. They explained that despite looking like stains, etch marks are much more problematic. Etches are the result of the acids eating away at the stone. To remove them, it's necessary to hone the stone until they disappear. After the brief explanation, the customer understood why her efforts to remove the etch marks had not worked.

To restore the floors, our techs suggested a three-step procedure. First, they would thoroughly clean the stone floors. Second, they would hone the surfaces to get rid of the scratches and the etch marks. Third, they would seal both floors with our proprietary sealant, Stone Armor. The customer agreed to the service and scheduled another appointment to get the job done.

A few days later, our crew went back to the client's home to perform the service. They started by soaking the marble floors with a pH-neutral cleaner to loosen the dirt that had accumulated on the stone. This cleaner has been enhanced with an ingredient that can help inhibit the growth of bacteria, fungi, mold and microorganisms. Next, they rinsed both floors with a high-speed scrubber.

Once they finished cleaning the floors, they honed both surfaces with low and mid grit diamond pads to remove all the etches and scratches. For the final step, they completely dried the surface to apply our premium sealant, Stone Armor. Not only will this sealant keep the marble protected against external agents, it also will make it easier to clean.

When they finished, our experts let the client see the results. They managed to remove the etches and the scratches from the marble floors, giving them a brand-new appearance. The homeowner was thrilled and thanked our specialists for a job well done. She also promised to call back for maintenance.

Before leaving, our experts gave the homeowner some care tips to keep both marble floors in good condition. First, they recommended cleaning once a week with a pH-neutral, soap-less cleaner like Sir Grout's Natural Hard Surface Cleaner. This cleaner doesn't leave any residue behind and adds an additional layer of protection against harmful microorganisms. It's also stone-safe, which means it will not etch or scratch natural stone. Second, they suggested wiping away any spills as soon as they happened. As their final tip, our team reminded the client of the importance of scheduling regular maintenance and sealing sessions to keep the floors looking great.

Are your marble surfaces in dire need of maintenance? Here at Sir Grout Western New Jersey, we have everything we need to preserve the beauty and elegance of your natural stone surfaces. Call us at (732) 392-7323 or fill out the "Request a Quote" form on this website to schedule a free, in-home evaluation today. Also, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with our latest news and promotions.

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