When homeowners choose natural stone surfaces in their homes and they often make the mistake of thinking it is bulletproof. While it is durable and an excellent choice, natural stone is still susceptible to damage if you aren’t careful. If you have marble in your home, one thing that can cause problems is your water. Many people don’t give much thought to the water in their home, but if you have a water softener, it can cause damage to your marble. Silver State Floor Restoration is here to talk about how water can impact your marble surfaces.

What is the Difference Between Hard Water & Soft Water?

When your water is full of minerals, it is considered ‘hard’. The minerals that are usually the most prevalent are calcium and iron. Many homeowners try to avoid having hard water as it can buildup in your pipes and cause problems with your plumbing. Soft water is a term used to describe water that doesn’t have many minerals in it at all. Some areas have naturally soft water, but many homeowners put a water softening system in their homes to avoid hard water as well.

What Problems Can Soft Water Cause to Marble?

If soft water washes over the top of natural stone like marble, it can leach onto the minerals found in the stone. It can not only compromise the integrity of the stone, but it can also cause discoloring that can range from minimal to severe. If you allow soft water to constantly make contact with marble, it can actually cause etching. When it comes to soft water damaging your marble, it will all depend on where your marble is located. If it is located in a dry space, you won’t see the same problem you would see when marble is located in an area like the bathroom.

How Do You Prevent Water Stains on Marble?

When you purchase a home that has put marble in an area like the bathroom, there may not be much you can do. However, if you are putting the marble in your home, avoid putting it in areas where you see a lot of moisture. If you have a water softener in your home, you can soften your water using potassium chloride rather than sodium chloride as well. The sodium that is used to soften water is one of the main causes for damage to marble. Aside from using the right water softener, you also should be sealing your natural stone. This puts a barrier between your stone and your water to protect it against damage.

Natural Stone Cleaning & Sealing in Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, North LV, Peccole Ranch, Paradise, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada

If your marble or other natural stone flooring or countertop haven’t been sealed in a long time, you can call on the professionals at Silver State Floor Restoration to make sure your floor and countertops are protected against damaging soft water. Not only do we provide natural stone sealing services, but we also offer natural stone cleaning to keep your stone looking like new. Call us today!