Is Your Marble Shower Losing Its Charm? Here's How a Stone Cleaning Job Solved the Problem in Gladwyne, PA

October 28, 2016

With the fast pace of modern life, it's difficult sometimes to find the time to keep our houses clean and in good condition. There just seems to be a lot to do and very little time. Now, imagine this homeowner's distress when she found out that her mother-in-law would be visiting her soon. At first, she panicked. She remembered that the bathroom was not fit to receive a guest, let alone her mother-in-law! She didn't want her mother-in-law's first-impression of her home to be a grubby shower. The shower had white marble tiles, but they looked yellowish from the soap-scum that was covering them. The grout lines were very discolored and mold had started to grow on them. To make things worse, the caulking was chipped and cracked.


The homeowner was racing against the clock, since she had just one week to fix the bathroom before her mother-in-law arrived. So, she took matters into her own hands and decided to clean the shower. But there was little she could do, and after all her efforts, the shower still looked the same. She was lucky that one of her best friends showed her a post of one of our stone cleaning jobs in Gladwyne. She went to our website and scheduled an appointment for the nearest date.

Luckily, our team was able to make it to the Gladwyne home the next day to inspect the marble shower. The homeowner's biggest concern was that our specialists wouldn't be able to finish the job before her mother-in-law arrived. However, after inspecting the shower, the team assured her that it was nothing that a thorough cleaning and sealing service couldn't fix. They also mentioned that they would regrout the shower's expansion joints to prevent water leaks in the future. The team told her not to worry, since the job would be done before her mother-in-law's arrival, which made the homeowner sigh in relief.

Cleaning showers isn't an easy task, and many homeowners are unaware that there are certain cleaning products that can damage stone surfaces and grout, such as acidic agents that are found in vinegar, which is a common household cleaning product, and other store-bought cleaners. This leads to the stone becoming damaged and dull, and the grout can become discolored and deteriorated. Furthermore, showers are inherently susceptible to the effects of humidity, hard water, soap, and other components, leading to problems such as soap-scum buildup, mold and mildew growth, and dirty grout lines. This can be prevented by using the correct cleaning products and performing proper maintenance.

To make the shower look fresh and new, our team began to clean it by combining a soap-less, neutral cleaner with a high-speed scrubber. This left the marble tiles looking brighter, but there was still some soap-scum left, so our specialists used vapor steam cleaning to melt away the remaining residue. Once this was done, they applied Tile Armor, a clear sealer that protects both tile and grout. Our specialists also regrouted the shower's cracked joints with Stainmaster Epoxy Grout and sealed the grout lines with our proprietary ColorSeal. The former protected the shower enclosure from water leaks, and the latter restored the grout lines' spotless appearance.

Our team was eager to show the customer the results since they knew how much stress the whole situation was causing her. When she took a look at the shower, she felt relieved and happy. Now, the shower was fit for a queen, or a mother-in-law in this case. She thanked the team for a flawless job and said she knew who to call if she ever needed help with her surfaces.

The team gave her a few tips before they left so she could keep her shower looking beautiful up until her mother-in-law's next visit. They told her that the best way to prevent soap-scum buildup is by replacing soap bars with body wash. This doesn't leave any residue behind and makes cleaning much easier. They also reminded her to stick to a pH-neutral cleaner for regular maintenance, as this would not damage the grout or the marble.

If your marble shower looks like the one in the picture above, it might benefit from a professional stone cleaning service. To request more information about our services, you can call us at (215) 609-4868 or fill out the form below. To see more of our work, join our newsletter. Our specialists look forward to helping you!

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