Marble Surface Cleaning: It Takes Special Care to Keep It From Becoming Lackluster by:Tara Aronson

If your marble home surfaces are still shiny in some spots

, yet lackluster in others, the solution is the same: polish them. I'd bet those are the areas that get the most foot or counter traffic and have either been neglected - or overzealously cleaned.

How to Restore It

The important thing is this: Follow the polishing product's directions to the letter, using neither too little nor too much of the cleaner.

Or, if you'd like to just get back to square one, call in a professional stone craftsman who can repolish (and reseal if necessary) for you. And in the future, keep these care tips in mind:

-- Keep surfaces clean. Dust or wipe dingy, dirty surfaces with a damp cloth.

-- Don't let spills or food sit on these stone surfaces. Clean up spills as they happen.

-- If the inevitable happens (food sits and dries), tackle the spots by sprinkling a bit of borax or baking powder on them. Rub gently with a damp sponge or cloth. Loosen the food and remove. Wipe clean with a damp, clean cloth.

-- Warm water only should be used on the floor. Vinegar, often added as a cleaning agent, is acidic and will make your floor worse.

-- Always polish-dry your floors and your countertops - as you know, this stone spots quite easily, and requires high maintenance to retain its luster.

About the author

Tara has appeared in numerous magazine, newspaper and online articles featuring her lifestyle, organizing and cleaning expertise in addition to writing her twice-monthly column, Coming Clean in the San Francisco Chronicle. Tara is also regularly a guest expert on news, feature, and talk-show programs across the country. She most recently appeared on the "Rachael Ray" Daytime talk show Feb. 4, 2009, in New York City. Tara appeared as the guest expert on Human Lab: Laundry.In addition, Tara also puts her well-tuned journalistic skills to use on the road, writing travel articles about her as frequent as possible road trips to venues across the United States and abroad. Tara is a proud mom to three who cleans and writes in West Los Angeles.

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