How to Make Matte Marble Tiles More Polished Looking

Clean the surface of the marble tiles of dirt and oil stains using a household detergent and water mix. Add water to the detergent slowly until you have a thick paste. Spread the paste over the marble surface, creating a layer about 1/4-inch thick. Dampen a drop cloth and lay it over the paste-covered tiles, and then cover the cloth with a plastic sheet. Wait 24 hours to allow the mix to soak the marble. Remove both the plastic sheet and the drop cloth and allow the paste to dry in place for an additional 24 hours. Remove the paste with a plastic putty knife, and then rinse the floor clean with water.

Place a facial tissue saturated in 20-percent hydrogen peroxide solution over organic stains in the marble. Cover with a damp cloth and plastic sheet and allow the covering to sit for 48 hours. Remove the sheet, cloth and tissue after the waiting period, and then rinse with clean water.

Cover the tiles with a light layer of polishing powder.

Attach a medium-hard felt pad to the bottom of a sanding block. Dip the pad into water to dampen it. Use the damp pad to polish the marble, going over the surface with the felt using a circular motion until the tile is covered in a thick slurry. Continue to work the slurry into the tiles until it dries to a greyish haze. Continue to dip the pad into the water to keep it damp as you work new sections of the tiled surface.

Buff the dried polish with a dried felt pad, using the same circular motions to bring the stone to a glossy shine. Repeat the powering and polishing process if the first pass over the tile isn’t up to the polished appearance you’re looking for.

Spray the tiles with a marble wax and then spread the wax over the surface with a squeegee to add a protective wear layer to the newly polished surface. Allow the wax to dry for the length of time directed by the wax manufacturer before walking over the tiles.