About Marble Floor Urine Stains and How to Prevent Them
How to Prevent Urine Stains on Marble Floors
In men’s restrooms with marble floors, urine stains and odors can be a real problem. Since marble is porous, marble floors in men’s restrooms should be sealed to inhibit staining. The sealer will buy some time for cleaning and janitorial services to clean up urine before spills and spots become stubborn stains, but even this may not be enough to prevent unsightly marble.
Fred Hueston, Chief Technical Director of Surface Care Pros and Owner of Stone Forensics explains, “There are numerous products on the market that will repel water and oil. Unfortunately, urine is acidic and currently, there is no product on the market that will repel acid. This can be a real problem, for example, if you have a maintenance account that has twelve men's restrooms that all contain white Italian marble. Constant problems with urine stains at the base of all the urinals will be an issue.”
Acidic substances can cause etch damage to the surface of marble. Cleaning and janitorial services must be diligent about cleaning around urinals often enough to prevent urine stains.
Hueston asks (and answers), “What can be applied to the marble to keep it from staining? Try applying a good quality oil-repellent impregnator and thoroughly clean the area on a daily basis with a solution of ammonia and water.”
If consistent cleaning fails to prevent stains on marble, poultices can be used to remove stains. If the acids in marble cause etching, then honing and polishing can restore the finish. Hueston adds, “Stay tuned. The talk through the grapevine is that there are several companies working on an acid-resistant sealer for marble.”
Learn More
For more information, register to earn a Stone Restoration Master Course Certificate. You'll learn how to restore natural stone floors, countertops, and walls, engineered stone, and granite floors, using the most efficient and effective restoration procedures. Also included in this program is the Stain Care Pro course with a one-year subscription to the Stain Care Pro app and Understanding Sealers.