marble Shower maintenance and general care
Overview
Natural stone showers can be such a beautiful surface for your bathroom. It does however sustain some of the most use and abuse simply due to the constant water and hygiene products that are used in this area. Etching and/or soap scum build-up are not uncommon even if you work hard to keep your shower clean. This is normal. We recommend the following maintenance if possible:
Basic Guidelines
- Water alone can over time begin to etch or discolor your marble. This is usually more evident with polished showers than honed or satin finishes. We recommend utilizing a squeegee, the same as you would use for glass, to remove water from the walls. This goes a long way by itself in preserving your investment.
- If your shower has built-in marble inserts for hygiene products, be sure to wipe dry after each use. This includes the container and the ledge. Otherwise this can lead to deep etches that may be difficult to remove. A clean microfiber is a good option.
- Often you will not notice in a short period of time that your shower is sustaining damage or building up residue. We recommend at least every week or two a deeper clean with the correct cleaning products. Follow the instructions on your product of choice and towel dry for best results.
- Just as with floors, grout lines in showers can quickly discolor too. It takes work but if you will include grout line cleaning in your periodic deep clean you can avoid discoloration and lack of uniformity in the grout.
- Corners around the floor and walls are usually caulked because this is a better seal than grout and it is slightly flexible. Keep an eye out that your caulking remains in tacked and patch or replace as needed.
- Sealing is an easy process and something you can do yourself. If you are following the above recommendations and keeping the shower in good condition, consider once or twice a year applying a fully penetrating sealant to maintain your moisture barrier. Marble and other natural stone is very porous and impregnating sealants wear more quickly in showers due to the use and cleaning needs.
Safe products for shower care & maintenance
Our Expertise
- Bath & Shower Cleaner is a blend of non-acid surfactants and water conditioning agents that are formulated to remove soap scum, hard water deposits and other soils from stone, tile and grouted surfaces. It is safe and highly effective on most natural stone surfaces such as marble, travertine, terrazzo, onyx, granite, limestone and ceramic tile. Bath & Shower Cleaner is designed for use on shower walls, floors, glass and plastic shower doors, wash basins and countertops. It is a highly concentrated product and is designed to be diluted. Bath & Shower Cleaner is intended for a spray-on or wipe-on application. A water rinse is always suggested for optimal results.
Heavy Duty Cleaner
- Non-toxic, pH neutral, and easy to use by pros and homeowners alike, Heavy Duty Soap Film Remover is uniquely formulated with finely milled marble to create an abrasive safe for all natural stone and tile. It is safe and gentle on your stone, yet ruthless on soap film and hard water deposits. It also works great on cleaning grout lines.
Impregnating Sealer
- These are the instructions on the label: Apply Impregnating Sealer with a soft white terry cloth. Apply sealer to cloth and spread evenly over the surface. DO NOT ALLOW TO PUDDLE OR SET ON SURFACE. Allow to penetrate for 45 minutes to 1 hour. To assure surface has been adequately sealed place a few drops of water on the stone. If the water beads, the stone is adequately sealed. If absorption occurs apply an additional application of sealer.
- As a professional installer with 25 years experience, I recommend a simpler approach. Uniformly apply the sealer using a spray bottle and microfiber rag. Once applied, wipe dry with a clean microfiber. The product penetrates immediately and you will struggle less with residue installing it this way while still getting the benefit of a full seal. If your stone is very porous, repeat the process.
Enhancing Impregnating Sealer
- Enhancing sealers work the same as your regular impregnating sealer only it can aid to enrich the color on many stone types.
- My installation recommendations are the same as listed above or you can follow manufacturer instructions listed on the product label.