What damages stone surfaces?

iStock_000002034999XSmallSurfaces like marble, natural stone, limestone and travertine can be damaged by several common household causes.  The damage causes the surfaces to lose their luster and make them look old and dingy.

The leading cause of surface damage is scratches.  Especially on floors, scratches happen normally and gradually erode the shiny surface of marble.  Every time we walk on a floor with shoes, we scratch the surface.  Over time, the finish is scuffed up.

Another cause is stains.  Stone surfaces are porous by nature.  This means they can absorb stains from many different common household items.  Food, rust, ink, oil and others can leave hard to eliminate stains.

Acidic products can do great damage to the beautiful finish of stone, marble, travertine and limestone floors.  Products that contain acid etch the surfaces.  The affected areas look dull and cannot be cleaned.  The surface has been permanently damaged and has to be resurfaced.  Some of the items that can cause this damage to your stone surfaces are some household cleaning products, other chemicals and some acidic foods.