Marble Tile Bathroom
I understood that marble wasn’t the most practical material to choose from when I first started thinking about remodeling my master bathroom
However, I went ahead anyway, knowing that there would be a little more maintenance required because it was exactly the look I wanted
Despite the fact that marble tiles demand extra maintenance, I adore them and am pleased with my selections
Therefore, let me address some concerns for you based on my personal experience if you’re considering using marble tiles but are concerned about cleaning, staining, etching, etc
One thing to note is that the countertops in my master bathroom are quartz, not marble
Quartz was a more practical choice for me than marble because I anticipated more makeup spills, heat styling tools, toothpaste blobs, etc
, on the countertops
I have marble tile on my flooring, shower walls, and shower floors, and I’ve had them there for a little over two years
The marble shower walls and floors in my downstairs bathroom have been there for just over six years
The marble that has been polished has a surface that gleams like glass
For kitchen and bathroom surfaces, polished marble is frequently utilized because of its highly traditional, ageless appearance
As opposed to polished marble, which is reflective, honed marble has a matte appearance
Because the surface of honed marble is already dull, scratches and etches are less noticeable
Additionally, because it is inherently less slippery, it makes for a better flooring option
I have experience with both because I have polished marble in my downstairs bathroom and honed marble in my upstairs bathroom
Marble does indeed stain
Because marble is so porous, spills can easily penetrate the surface and sink far down into the stone
Make cautious about sealing any natural material after installation
Even though sealing doesn’t stop stains from occurring, it does slow the absorption, giving you more time to clean up before a stain happens
I am delighted to report that neither of my bathrooms has any stains, which is a blessing
We haven’t had any issues with stains on the floors or in the shower, despite the fact that I spilled makeup and my dog had an accident
That equates to two years of consistent use in the upstairs bathroom and six years of infrequent use in the lower level bathroom
Indeed, marble may etch since it is a soft stone
A stain and an etch are not the same thing
Etching happens when an acidic substance interacts with the stone and essentially eats away at its surface
This will be easier to see if your marble is polished because an etch mark looks dull
The stone restoration business I recently contracted with to clean the marble claims that my marble bathroom floor does have a few etch marks
Are you able to see them? Yes, I don’t either
So happy I decided on polished marble tile
Marble etching can be repaired using one of two methods
The first is to get it polished
Buffing is similar to sanding the top layer down to reveal a new layer—like it’s starting over! Using honed marble is the other approach to reduce etching
Is marble easy to chip or scratch? Marble can scratch or chip because it is a soft stone
Unfortunately, I’ve done both
I have dropped my hairdryer a few times and a styling wand
On all but one of the events, I avoided getting chipped
This is the nick my hairdryer made
Fortunately, as you can see, it blends in with some of the other marble’s inherent flaws
My marble tile’s biggest issue is a series of scratches I got when the felt pad on one chair leg broke, and I failed to notice it
I pulled my chair in and out of my makeup vanity, scratching the marble as I did so
I’m sorry, but I can’t get these scratches fixed
Although superficial scuffs can be removed by buffing, in my case, the marble sort of cracked deeper into the stone
Nearly all tiles in a bathroom, especially those near a shower, will exhibit water spots to some extent (depending on how hard your water is)
I have polished marble on the lower level and honed marble on the upper level, and I can definitely say that the latter exhibits fewer water spots
But in all honesty, I have to really look to see water stains in either bathroom because the marble makes them hard to see
I don’t have particularly hard water, you’ll note
To prevent scratches, marble should ideally be kept clean and clear of debris
I regularly sweep the floors using my cordless Dyson vacuum with a soft dusting head
I spray and wipe the floors with Aqua Mix Aquashield Cleaner and Resealer to clean them
Every day, the shower is washed with soap and water since, well, it’s a shower! But to remove any mildew or mold that builds around the caulking on a weekly basis, I use Stonetech Mold and Mildew Stain Remover
It IS REQUIRED that any chemical used around marble be safe for natural stone
Check twice to be sure that any cleaning you use is permitted for use on marble because many cleaners include acid, which can damage the marble
Yes, but isn’t cleaning grout generally challenging? Choosing a cleaner for marble that can be used safely around the stone is crucial
The Black Diamond Grout Cleaner is good
I spritz it on, let it sit, give it a brush scrub, then wipe the dirt off
The grout now looks virtually brand new again after I had it professionally steam cleaned and resealed recently
Bright White Bostik grout is what I’m using
White grout is challenging to keep spotless
Therefore, it’s not at all a practical choice for my house
If the thought of cleaning the grout intimidates you, a soft gray grout would be a more sensible choice
So far, I’ve had no problems with my bathroom’s marble tile, other than one chip and a few scratches
There haven’t been any surprises because I truly adored the appearance and was ready for the additional care before installation
