Marble Tile Dilemma

[Sue]

My master bathroom is finished with marble tiles. Sometime last year I believed my housekeeper had use some caustic cleaner that took the shine off the tiles and left a dull surface on the floor and the step into the roman tub/shower, a bench in the shower area, and about a foot up from the tub floor along the wall opposite the step into the tub. I had the tiles polished ($450.00) and took all the 'caustic' cleaners and put them in cabinets she would not access to. The only cleaners my housekeeper then had available to her were 'Method' products, Softscrub and Windex. Method is a brand name of a environmentally friendly line of household cleaners that clearly states they are safe for granite and marble. And which I have used in the master bathroom for years with great success. Several months have passed and the tiles have been damaged in the exact areas in the exact way they were previously. And I believe by something the housekeeper is using because I noticed it a day after she had last been here. It was not immediately visually noticeable -the damage is more noticeable when I squeegee the area after showering. The squeegee drags on the dull, damaged area where it glides over the shinny, polished, undamaged area. In an effort to determine what was going on I used an extra tile that I had and poured Tilex, chlorine bleach, Windex, Method Bathroom & Tile Cleaner, ammonia full strength onto the extra tile. And I left the agents on the tile far longer than my housekeeper would in the process of normal cleaning - the only agent that did damage was the Tilex (which remember she doesn't have access to) and it didn't leave a dull finish as I have described. It simply left the outline of the 'puddle' of the product that was placed on the tile. Any suggestions as to what is happening here?

[marks542004]

I suspect you are on the right track , something is attacking the marble.

I would find out if it is possible to get the marble sealed in some way. I seem to remember an option for kitchen countertops where marble was an option but sealed in some way to protect it.

Perhaps ask the housekeeper just what she is using , and maybe have her leave the area alone for a few weeks. Clean it yourself and see if any damage occurs.

[Bob F]

Is the damage everywhere she cleans, or just where you walk?

Bob

[Not]

Marble is porous and must be sealed to give a lasting shiny surface.

You don't say if the tile was resealed when you had it polished, but it sounds like, even if it was resealed, the resealing was ineffective, which is not uncommon as there are often compatibility problems between the original sealer, some of which often remains, and the resealer.

My suggesti> My master bathroom is finished with marble tiles. Sometime last year I

[smontague]