Updated on Dec. 19, 2023
Don't stress out over the upkeep of your beautiful marble floor. Here are the best solutions on the market for cleaning and sealing marble floors.
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Marble is a classically elegant choice for floors. But keeping this natural stone in top condition requires some special attention. It’s porous and soft, making it vulnerable to stains and scratches if you’re not careful when cleaning it.
To get rid of everyday dust and dirt, it’s best to go low-tech: Use a soft, natural-fiber dust mop. It should be dry and clean each time you use it. Skip the vacuum. Its wheels can drag particles across the surface and scratch it.
When your marble floor needs a more thorough cleaning (or if you want to boost your daily cleaning routine), use these marble floor cleaning products, chosen because they consistently ranked high with reviewers. They’re all free of abrasives and acids, which can damage marble by etching it.
A top-pick with marble floor owners, Black Diamond Marble & Tile Cleaner is an all-purpose choice praised for its effectiveness, ease of use (mix with water and use a mop) and no-streak finish. Other pluses: It’s biodegradable and needs no rinsing.
“Product works great!,” says one Amazon consumer. “We have 4,000 sf of travertine and marble floors…Left no streaks.”
Another well-reviewed all-purpose marble floor cleaner, Granite Gold scores highly for being rinse-free, streak-free and easy to use. Mix with water, then use a string mop, sponge mop or towel to clean the floor.
“I live in a house of granite and marble stone floors everywhere and wanted to make sure they maintain their beauty. This works beautifully,” commented one Amazon customer.
The best way to keep marble from staining is to seal it. Miracle 511 gets high marks for its easy application and durability. Apply to a clean floor with a lint-free cloth, let sit for a few minutes and wipe dry. Be sure to follow the safety precautions, including providing adequate ventilation. Because sealers wear off over time, periodically check to see if the floor is due for resealing. Here’s how: Place a little bit of water in a small area. If it beads up on the surface, the sealant is still good.
Here’s what an Amazon consumer said: “Worked beautifully on our newly installed tumbled marble tile. Used a disposable brush to apply, left on 3-5 min, then wiped off with a white [tshirt] rag. Easy and does the job!”
If you do get a stain on your marble floor, go after it with a poultice, which is a powder that’s mixed with a liquid and applied to the stained area. Cover it in plastic and leave it there for hours to draw the stain out of the stone. The key to success is identifying the source of the stain (oil, grease, etc.) so that you can mix the poultice with the appropriate liquid. No poultice was a solid hit with reviewers but Miracle Sealants Stain Removing Poultice Powder ranked high.
Etching on marble floors occurs when acid and other liquids, such a fruit juice or an acidic cleaning product, sit on a marble floor and leave a dull white mark. To remove etching, you need a polishing compound such as Majestic Etch Remover. It’s a liquid formula so it doesn’t create dust like some other polishing compounds. It will take some elbow grease and works best on shallow etching. For deep etching, call in a pro who specializes in marble restoration.
“I had etched marks from toilet bowl cleaners on the [marble] floor,” says one Amazon consumer. “I followed the instructions and I was amazed… The etched stains are gone, the marble looks great and I am very pleased.”
