If after cleaning the marble is dull I would suggest that you call us to professionally re-polish your floors then follow with an application of a good quality penetrating sealer (impregnator). It may be necessary to repeat this procedure several times to remove all the imbedded dirt. Apply the cleaner to the marble and scrub with a soft brush. Be sure the stone cleaner you buy needs to be alkaline and not an acid since acid cleaners will dull the polish. I would suggest a heavy duty stone cleaner. Floors are mopped with strong cleaners or wax cleaner combinations or with no cleaners at all.Ĭure: If you suspect yellowing due to improper maintenance the marble tile will have to be cleaned with an alkaline marble cleaner. Mops used to clean the restrooms and/or kitchens were also used to clean the marble floors. Upon investigation in these cases I have often found dirty mops being used. It is surprising how often I have seen this condition on marble. If improper cleaners are used, this dirt begins to accumulate in the pores of the stone can will turn yellow. The wearing of this polish causes the surface to become rough and become a magnet for dirt. Improper MaintenanceĪs marble wears, the highly polished surface begins to become scratched and worn. Although flooding is a common cause there are several other reasons this color change will occur.
All over the United States I have encountered marble that has turned yellow, and even brown. The problem of yellowed white marble is not uncommon. Meanwhile, the homeowner was getting more and more irate and was threatening a lawsuit. At first he thought it might be some type of residue so they tried cleaning the marble with some bleach and water but the yellowing was still there. After several weeks the replacement of warped wood and drywall was completed, but he noticed the white marble had turned yellow in many areas. Beside warped wood, soaked drywall and an irate homeowner, the marble tile seemed fine except for some minor water spotting. They managed to vacuum all the water and started to assess the damages. Over the weekend one of the water pipes broke in a bathroom and completely flooded the home. He told me he was building a two million-dollar home and had installed nearly 3500 square feet of a white statuary marble tile. Sitting in my office one morning I received a call from a very upset homebuilder. Why does white marble turn yellow? Causes and cures (and why we recommend white or very light marble never be used in a shower)