If you want to learn how to polish marble with baking soda you’ve come to the right place.
Baking soda can be applied as a solution in water onto marble to polish and clean it. This is a great natural alternative to the various chemical cleaners that are available today, as well as being cheaper.
Let’s first address a few things you need to know about marble and baking soda before we jump straight into the step by step method.
Baking Soda And Marble
There are a few things that you need to understand before jumping straight into using baking soda on a marble surface, including the properties of baking soda, marble and how the two interact.
Marble is made from calcium carbonate, which makes it vulnerable to acids and also strong alkalines. Baking soda is alkaline, and for this reason, it is recommended to not let the baking soda sit on the marble for too long.
This is also the reason why we recommend only using baking soda on your marble surface once per month at most, as it can cause the color to fade over time if you repeat this cleaning process too often.
Another problem is that marble is very soft as a surface and can be scratched easily, unlike other surfaces like epoxy. Baking soda is naturally abrasive, which means it needs to be prepared as a solution in water and applied gently with a cloth rather than a scrubber.
How To Polish Marble With Baking Soda: Step By Step
Now that you understand how baking soda and marble interact, it’s time to learn how to apply it to marble in the most efficient way.
Create The Solution
To create the baking soda solution, simply mix 4 tbsp baking soda with 4 cups of water and mix thoroughly using a stirrer. We recommend doing this step in a container that is easy to access with a cloth, such as a small bowl.
Ensure the solution is thoroughly mixed and move on to the next step.
Remove Any Debris
Before applying the solution you’ll want to remove any particles that are in the way.
You can do this by wiping with a clean cloth, or using a vacuum with a soft surface attachment, but either way this step needs to be done before you proceed with applying the solution.
Apply With A Clean Cloth – Not A Scrubber!
Use a clean and soft cloth to apply the solution. This is crucial as any abrasive tool such as a scrubber can cause damage to the marble, so make sure that you choose the right cloth for the job.
Dip the cloth into the solution and begin rubbing the marble. Use as little pressure as possible, but work quickly and in small areas so that the baking soda doesn’t sit on the surface for too long. Once you have wiped an area, jump to the next step to rinse and dry and then repeat these two steps as you move along the surface.
Rinse With Water and Dry
Once you have rubbed an area with the solution, rinse it completely with water. We recommend allowing the baking soda to be in contact with the marble for no more than ten seconds, so try to work as quickly as possible.
Once rinsed dry the area with a clean towel or rag and move on to the next area to clean. The whole process should only take a couple of minutes depending on the size of the area you are cleaning.
Benefits of Baking Soda For Marble
Baking soda has a lot of benefits in general, but it also is great for cleaning marble for a few more reasons than you would expect.
Cost
Baking soda is very cheap, and the chances are that you will already have some at home due to how many useful applications it has.
This makes baking soda a much more convenient and affordable alternative to some other marble polish or cleaning products on the market. We still highly recommend using a neutral ph cleaner for regular cleaning of any marble surface, however.
This baking soda solution should only be used once per month or less to prevent discoloration over the long run.
Easy To Use
Baking soda is incredibly easy to use, all you need is baking soda and water and you can make the solution up right away.
It also doesn’t require any special tools or techniques to apply and takes only a matter of minutes to use.
Removes Odors and Stains
Baking soda is an odor-neutralizing and stain removing compound that makes it ideal for marble surfaces. It can tackle just about any stains that you can throw at it while sanitizing the surface and removing any nasty smells that might be present.
This is why we have recommended baking soda several times before, especially for use on carpets where you can leave it overnight.
Final Thoughts
We hope you have a good understanding of how to polish marble with baking soda from reading this article, if you have any other tips or tricks then don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Don’t forget that while baking soda is highly effective at cleaning marble, it needs to be used properly to prevent damage. You should also use it once per month at most to prevent any potential long term damage.