RenewSealing and protection
Water- and oil-repellent impregnation reapplied at regular intervals.
Les Traitements du Sud · Geneva
Marble maintenance in Geneva
Maintenance contracts for property managers, PPE, hotels, banks and boutiques: periodic buffing, pH-neutral products and a winter programme.
Marble maintenance
Keeping marble immaculate, year after year
Restoration brings marble back to life; maintenance keeps it that way. In a building lobby, a hotel foyer, a bank reception or a boutique on the rue du Rhône, the stone takes hundreds of footsteps every day, along with grit, rainwater and, once winter arrives, de-icing salt. Without regular care, the shine dulls along the walkways and the contrast with the untouched edges grows.
The marble maintenance in Geneva offered by Les Traitements du Sud · Geneva rests on a simple idea: step in before wear becomes visible. Scheduled visits for buffing, technical cleaning and renewing the protection keep the surface in a consistent condition, at a far lower cost than a full restoration every five years.
We build these contracts with property managers, PPE co-ownership committees, hotels, banks and retailers across the canton of Geneva and the Vaud shore. Every programme starts from an assessment of the stone and of the actual footfall.
Who is it for?
Contracts designed for each type of venue
01
Property managers and PPE
Entrance halls, landings and marble staircases in buildings along the nineteenth-century ring boulevards, in Champel or Eaux-Vives. We coordinate visits with the caretaker, work zone by zone to keep the way clear, and send a report to the property manager or PPE committee after each visit.
02
Hotels and palaces
Lobbies, corridors, guest bathrooms and suites. Work is carried out at night or floor by floor depending on occupancy, with quiet machines. The programme follows the seasons and Geneva’s major events. See our hotels page.
03
Private banks and offices
Reception areas, client lounges, grand staircases: the image of the premises is carried by the stone. We work outside office hours, with a regular team and full respect for access procedures. More on our private banks and offices page.
04
Luxury boutiques and watchmakers
Window and sales-floor surfaces where every reflection counts. Frequent buffing before opening keeps the shine perfectly even. Discover our approach for luxury boutiques.
The heart of maintenance
Periodic buffing
Buffing means going over the surface with a single-disc machine fitted with very fine pads, sometimes with a polishing powder or finishing product. It erases the micro-scratches left by grit and heels and tightens the polish before the stone turns dull.
It is a light operation, with no grinding and no significant removal of material. It is quick, often a few hours for a lobby, and the floor can be walked on again very soon. Repeated at the right rhythm, it postpones the need for a new full polish by several years.
Frequency
A rhythm matched to footfall
There is no universal frequency. We set it with you according to footfall, exposure to the outdoors and the level of finish expected. As a guide, these are the rhythms we most often propose.
- Very heavy traffic (hotel lobby, street-front boutique): monthly to bi-monthly buffing
- Sustained traffic (large building lobby, bank reception): quarterly buffing
- Moderate traffic (small building, offices): twice-yearly buffing
- Private use (villa, apartment): annual visit
- Protection renewed once or twice a year depending on exposure
- An extra visit at the end of winter to remove salt residue
Winter season
De-icing salt, the quiet enemy of Geneva lobbies
From December to March, Geneva’s pavements are regularly treated with salt and grit. Shoes carry them right into entrance halls. Salt dissolved in snowmelt soaks into the stone, then recrystallises as it dries, leaving white rings and weakening the surface. Grit, meanwhile, acts like sandpaper underfoot.
Our winter programme includes a water-repellent impregnation renewed in autumn, entrance mats long enough to catch most of the residue, technical cleaning with clean, pH-neutral water to dissolve the salt before it becomes ingrained, and restorative buffing at the end of the season.
This preventive approach avoids heavy restoration work in spring and keeps the lobby looking well cared for throughout the cold months.
Day to day
The right products: pH-neutral above all
Between our visits, routine cleaning is handled by the caretaker, the housekeeping staff or yourself. It is this daily routine that makes the difference. We recommend a pH-neutral soap designed for natural stone, diluted in lukewarm water, and a well-wrung microfibre mop.
Multi-surface cleaners, often slightly acidic or alkaline, clog or attack the stone over time. Vinegar and descalers should be banned. At each visit we check the products being used on site and, if you wish, train the cleaning staff in the right routine: sweeping first, correct dilution, rinsing and drying.
- 1
Assessment
A free visit, survey of the surfaces, evaluation of wear and traffic areas, and review of the cleaning products in use.
- 2
Bringing it up to standard
If needed, an initial polishing or crystallisation job establishes an even baseline.
- 3
Tailored programme
Visit schedule, the nature of each intervention and working hours, set out in a free quote in Swiss francs.
- 4
Scheduled visits
Buffing, technical cleaning, spot stain treatment and protection renewal according to the agreed calendar.
- 5
Follow-up and adjustment
A report after each visit, and the rhythm adjusted if footfall or expectations change.
4types of venue covered by our contracts
5set-up steps
17service areas
Related services
What a maintenance contract also covers
Renew
Act fastMarble stain removal
Spot stains treated at the next visit, before they set.
SurfaceBuilding lobbies
The place where regular maintenance makes the greatest difference.
Frequently asked questions
Marble maintenance in Geneva: your questions
What is the difference between maintenance buffing and polishing?
Polishing is restoration: it works through several abrasive grits to remove scratches and wear, taking off a little material. Maintenance buffing is far lighter: it tightens the existing polish with very fine pads. It is quick and causes little disruption, and its regularity is what allows full polishing jobs to be spaced out.
Does a maintenance contract tie the property manager in for several years?
The contract is defined with the property manager or the PPE committee according to their needs: duration, number of visits and included services are set out in the free quote in Swiss francs. The programme can be adjusted along the way if the building’s footfall or budget changes.
Can you work at night in a hotel or boutique?
Yes. For hotels, boutiques and banks, we work outside opening hours or peak occupancy, at night or early in the morning. Equipment is chosen for its low noise and the premises are handed back clean and dry before business resumes.
How can a marble lobby be protected from salt in winter?
Three combined measures: a water-repellent impregnation renewed in autumn, entrance mats long enough to catch salt and grit, and frequent cleaning with clean, pH-neutral water to dissolve the salt before it recrystallises. Buffing at the end of winter then erases the accumulated micro-scratches.
Which product should be used daily on a marble floor?
A pH-neutral soap designed for natural stone, diluted in lukewarm water, with a well-wrung microfibre mop. Vinegar, descalers, bleach and multi-surface cleaners should be avoided. We can train the caretaker or cleaning staff in the right routine during our visits.
Is maintenance also suitable for a villa or apartment?
Absolutely. For private use, an annual visit is often enough: buffing the walkways, checking the protection on worktops and in bathrooms, and treating small stains. It is a popular formula for villas in Cologny, Vandœuvres or along the Vaud shore.
Service areas
Marble maintenance across Geneva and the Vaud shore
See the full list of our service areas, from the Old Town to Nyon.
Geneva
Geneva communes
Terre Sainte & Nyon
Set up a maintenance contract
Property manager, PPE, hotel, bank or boutique: tell us about your premises via our contact page for a visit and a free quote in Swiss francs.