I had a flash back from my early days in cleaning. A wonderful client and now friend of mine had a beautiful house built. This place was stunning and I had the privilege of cleaning it. Strange as this sounds, but I really enjoyed being in this elegant palatial environment. It was an inspiration for me. Every time I came to clean she had bought something new, or had tradesmen in to complete the custom made filigree wrought iron bannisters, custom made oak doors for the wine cellar and front foyer, gymnasium with glass walls, light fixtures that a Hollywood home would host, and the list could go on - it was an evolving master piece. My friend and her husband were adding to it day by day.
I remember the master bathroom - painted in a soft hue of baby blue with chocolate brown decorative accents, a luxurious claw foot jacuzzi tub with polished brass fixtures, Louis XIVth type vanity with ornately carved cabinetry and matching vanity mirrors, double sized shower with marble walls and sprayers to that could pulse out a spa like massage, polished marble floors, and ornate chandeliers - this bath had a look that sung "dreams really do come true". If I were Cinderella, I would have had my pumpkin turned into this master bath and not a coach. The Ball and Prince Charming I'd pass on, if I had the choice.
When I first started cleaning it, I would always vacuum first - then clean all the surfaces. When it came to mopping, my friend had given me a natural cleanser to use - I can't remember the name of it, but it did the trick. It was very gentle without any corrosive ingredients in it. The floor always gleamed after I mopped it. There was a week when I had to cancel, so my friend kept up with the routine and cleaned the house herself. She had been using a mixture of water and vinegar on her ceramic floors and had run out of the cleaner for her master bath. I don't think she felt it would be a problem if she used the vinegar mix on her shiny polished marble floors too. All I can tell, you is THANK GOD I didn't do the cleaning that week.
When I first started cleaning it, I would always vacuum first - then clean all the surfaces. When it came to mopping, my friend had given me a natural cleanser to use - I can't remember the name of it, but it did the trick. It was very gentle without any corrosive ingredients in it. The floor always gleamed after I mopped it. There was a week when I had to cancel, so my friend kept up with the routine and cleaned the house herself. She had been using a mixture of water and vinegar on her ceramic floors and had run out of the cleaner for her master bath. I don't think she felt it would be a problem if she used the vinegar mix on her shiny polished marble floors too. All I can tell, you is THANK GOD I didn't do the cleaning that week.
When I returned, I noticed a mottled splotchy look all over the floor. Hmmm, I wondered what had gone on in there? Did they have Hair Spray Party or something? My friend and her husband are immaculate people and I couldn't imagine she would let her floor get to a point of looking like that. I bent down to try and wipe the spots up. They did NOT come up: not with the new bottle of natural cleaner, not with a soft abrasive cleanser, not with anything! I asked my friend what she had used. She told me regrettably, that she had used the vinegar and water mixture - I could tell she was a little upset but fortunately she is a positive person and hadn't let it get under her skin. The cleaning mix was in a spray bottle - the spots now made sense, and they were all over the floor. This bathroom was the size of one of my kid's bedrooms and the larger one at that! She had commented to her husband, that after she had cleaned, she wondered why it didn't look the same as when, "Amanda did it".
For my sake, this was incredibly good for me because had I been responsible - I would be replacing an expensive marble floor - an exorbitant cost I simply could not afford. But a lesson the two of us would never forget - VINEGAR on POLISHED MARBLE DO NOT mix! The damage was so irrrversible that even with products that my friend purchased for polishing, the floor never could be restored. We tried several polishing products and to no avail. (I am guessing with sandblasting and an industrial polishing treatment it could be - but in a residential home I am not sure if that is even a service that is offered; I think having the floor ripped up and re-tiled may have been the only option.)
In a positives light, she had sprayed water and vinegar all over so you could almost assume the floor was meant to look this way and no one would be the wiser if they were seeing it for the first time. When she sold the house, the buyers hadn't any questions or concerns. Lucky for her! But again, I re-iterate - no vinegar on polished marble - it is simply a marble no-no!
