I am going to be honest with you, I was very optimistic about using baby oil on marble. From what I had seen in the past, it seemed like a recipe that could work fine. But when my friend offered me some of his daughter’s old baby oil and asked me to try it on my own marble surfaces at home, I decided that I would give it a shot and In this post, I’m ready to share with you all that I found!
So, Can you use baby oil on marble? Here are five reasons why you should not use baby oil to polish, clean, or protect your marble surfaces;
- Baby Oil Can Affect The Actual Integrity Of The Marble
- Using Baby Oil On Marble Surface Could Attract Dust & Debris
- Using Baby Oil On Marble Can Cause Discoloration
- Using Baby Oil Could Dull The Surface Of Your Marble
- Using Baby Oil On Marble Will Make It Very Slippery
To learn the details on how baby oil affects your marble surfaces and types on how to care for your marble surfaces without using baby oil, keep reading this article.
1. Baby Oil Can Affect The Actual Integrity Of The Marble
Marble is a natural type of stone and it is very durable. The way it is formed is by the compression of limestone or calcium carbonate.
This means that it is porous and the pores are exposed to air which can cause them to degrade over time as moisture gets in there.
So when baby oil or any type of oil is used on marble surfaces, it could seep through its pores, and then the baby oil could make it more susceptible to moisture.
This is because oils can penetrate marble and cause the pores of the stone to be filled with an oily substance that will then slow down how quickly water evaporates from the surface, making any type of spills on marble surfaces much more difficult to clean up.
This then causes the marble not to dry which then leads to the stone weakening and then eventually cracking up. So while baby oil might be a great tool to use on skin, it is not recommended for marble surfaces because of the potential negative effects that could cause the actual integrity of the marble to weaken.
So what this means for you is that if you use baby oil or any other type of liquid oil onto your marble surfaces at home, I would recommend using a gentle cleanser instead!
And just like with anything else in life when something new comes along it always pays off to do your research before trying it out. So this was one of my key findings after using baby oil on my marble surfaces for a couple of weeks.
2. Using Baby Oil On Marble Surface Could Attract Dust & Debris
Marble on its own has a unique quality of repelling dirt, debris, or dust when they settle on them because of its typically high level of polish.
If you decide to use baby oil on your marble surfaces at home then this natural repellency won’t be present anymore.
Baby oil will create an oily film on top of marble’s natural shine and make it more susceptible for a lot more dust, dirt, and debris to settle much quicker and remain glued to the marble or natural stone surface.
This can be a problem if you want to keep your marble surfaces as clean and shiny as possible. And if you’re OCD like me, then this can be a problem as you’ll want to spend more time dusting and wiping down your marble surfaces, – which will take away from the convenience of not having to wipe it down as often.
3. Using Baby Oil On Marble Can Cause Discoloration
Baby oil does not contain the ingredient that helps marble become resistant to stains and so it will make your marble more prone to discoloration. Normally, this will be an overall darkening of the marble surface which can happen over time.
Meaning the discoloration will not happen overnight, but it will happen. This is because baby oil contains a high concentration of mineral oils which are known for their heavy staining properties.
Mineral oils can penetrate deep into porous surfaces like most natural stones, even marble or granite, and create lasting marking on the surface if left untreated with cleaners or sealers within 24 hours of contact.
For example, you may notice a bronze-like sheen developing after using any type of petroleum product such as baby oil.
The worse part is the way the marble is going to get darkened by the baby oil is not going to be even for your to play it out if you do not have the means to fix it immediately.
If you’re noticing brown patches in areas where there were none before then this could be due to an accumulation of dirt particles mixed with moisture over time.
This is why it’s important to keep an eye on untreated surfaces and clean them as soon as possible. A professional cleaning company will often use acid-free solutions mixed with a degreaser for treating mineral oil stains.
4. Using Baby Oil Could Dull The Surface Of Your Marble
The oils in baby oil can also cause your marble to become dull and not as shiny, which is a problem. Marble is such a beautiful natural stone so it’s something that shouldn’t be done.
You would want your marble surfaces to remain as shiny and bright as possible so this is why you should never use baby oil on marble.
Is there a way to get the shine back? A professional cleaning company can bring your marble surfaces back to their natural luster by applying specialty treatments that will clean any build-up of oils or dirt and restore the stone’s natural beauty while maintaining a good level of traction.
Simply wiping your marble with a baby oil-coated rag will not only cause the surface to dull but can also remove protective oils that would otherwise keep your marble shiny and clean.
I highly recommend against using baby oil on any type of stone flooring or countertop because the effects could be irreversible.
5. Using Baby Oil On Marble Will Make It Very Slippery
I do not mean to sound captain obvious here but using baby oil on your marble surfaces especially floors will make it extremely slippery. You will not be able to walk on the polished surfaces without risking a major fall.
Do not let the notion that you might have buffed the oil off deceive you into thinking that all is well and good. The baby oil will have seeped deep into the pores of your marble surfaces and it will not just wipe off.
The slippery effect is caused by a chemical reaction, which binds to the surface molecules on marble. The same process occurs with soap scum over time when you use something like dishwashing liquid or any other abrasive cleaners that may contain detergents in them.
You see these types of chemicals are sensitive to pH levels and water temperature and they react accordingly but more importantly, they remove dirt particles from your polished surfaces without harming their appearance as well as leaving behind an invisible layer called a film or residue.
This thin coating on our floors could make all the difference between slipping up versus getting traction.
Tips On How To Polish, Maintain Shine Or Protect Marble Surfaces
- Use only natural or neutral-pH material like baking soda and cream of tartar to cut through grease
- Use warm water to clean marble, and avoid using any type of bleach or products with ammonia in them.
- Avoid scratching the surface by scrubbing it too hard. Use a soft cloth instead.
- Use dishwashing liquid for surfaces in your kitchen such as countertops that have non-polished surfaces.
- Use soft cloths for polishing so you do not scratch the surface too much nor leave behind an abrasive residue on the flooring that can be picked up by shoes later on.
- Avoid abrasive cleaners containing detergents that can strip away any protective coating left by the polisher.
- To polish your marble surfaces, always use a soft cloth and rub in a circular motion.
- You can use waxes meant for natural stone surfaces to polish the marble.
- If you want to use a marble cleaner, make sure it is made specifically for marble surfaces.
- Wipe down all areas of your kitchen countertops after cooking so as to remove any harmful residue from acidic foods like tomatoes, lemon juice or vinegar.
- To maintain the shine on your marble surfaces, you should periodically use a marble polish.
- Regularly vacuum your marble floors to prevent dirt and soil from accumulating.
- To protect your marble surfaces, you should seal them with a marble sealer.
