ephas
12 January 2021
Limestone is a popular natural stone added to the interior and exterior of the house to achieve an elegant, alluring and fascinating look. This stone can be attached both inside and outside of the house. The problem arises when the stone loses its shine because of dirty substances like smoke, dust, rain, bad weather conditions, and spillage of food, liquids (such as drinks), and general dirt and dust indoors.
But cleaning it with natural substances like baking soda is not a practical solution. Then what is? Find out from the article below ‘What is the best cleaner for limestone? How does it get dirty and tips to clean it nicely!
How do limestones get dirty?
Limestone is often seen outside. This stone enhances the house’s look , but unwanted air, mould, mildew, moss, stains of dirt, oil, grease and other contaminants ruin the outlook. This stone is also exposed to sunlight and dust that fades the colour of the stone and affects its shine. The stone is damaged by acidic products, which include baking soda, detergents that ruin its shade.
To remove the dirt stuck on the stones, you should use effective solutions that bring back the shine and maintain its beauty for long. Which are as follows:-
Tips for cleaning the limestone retaining walls
To clean the limestone retainer walls, you will need an exterior limestone cleaner. But before you find from google about the best exterior limestone cleaner, consider the tips below before finalising one:-
- Rinse down the limestone with a spray of water from a gentle nozzle attached to a hose, or soak a cloth in the water, and then wipe the dirty wall using the same. This gentle rinsing will remove a lot of dirt and dust.
- Add 2-3 drops of neutral stone cleaner into a bucket of warm water. You can easily get this from a nearby hardware shop, home improvement stores or stone retailers. The only thing you need to make sure about that is it is entirely neutral. Otherwise, it will damage the limestone.
- Clean the entire surface of smooth or polished walls with a soft, lint-free cloth soaked in a cleaning solution, but if the walls are rough, the use of a soft-bristle scrub brush would be better.
- Divide the sections you want to clean with water. Rinsing every section with clean water will make it brighter. Do not let the soap dry on the surface, as it might cause streaks and films on the stone.
- Change the cleaning solution after two or three wipes, as it becomes cloudy after rinsing the rag or brush. Continue washing until the surface looks clean and shiney.
- Dry the smooth limestone surfaces with a lint-free towel or cloth. The cloth will get wet after every wipe, so change it for at least 3 times. Let the rough limestone dry naturally.
- To remove stains that are hard to erase, use an oscillating tool equipped with hook and loop pad accessory fitted with 220-grit sandpaper. This might change the stone’s surface, but it is sometimes the only alternative to remove stains that stone cleaners cannot lift.
Thus, these are some of the tips that will clean your limestone effectively, and bring back the glow it had earlier, before getting dirty. The cleaning of the stone is easy, but you should stay a little careful while doing that. So, before you clean your limestone, take into consideration the factors below:-
- Limestone is porous. It absorbs the liquid easily.
- Limestone is calcium-based. It doesn’t show a good reaction to acidic substances.
The acid-based cleaners contain ammonia, vinegar, or citrus that damage the stone’s surface and outlook. To keep your stone protected, ensure that the cleaner you use is pH neutral.
Other possible ways to clean the limestone
The cleaning of the limestone is like adding a sealer to the particular surface, which will wear away after some time. You can get hold of the limestone sealer from a nearby local store.
Floors
The stone also might accumulate debris, which is easier to remove with mop and broom. The vacuum cleaner can also help here, but be sure to switch off the brush to avoid scratching the surface. Be sure to use the non-acidic cleaner and rinse your tiles with warm water after using the cleanser to remove stickiness.
Rough outdoor walls
The cleaning of stone might accumulate a lot of dirt. To remove the dirt from the walls, it is recommended to use a hose. You can also use a non-acidic, neutral cleaner to wipe the surface area down with a soft-bristle brush.
Polished benchtops
If your house’s benchtops are polished with a limestone, then wipe the surface down with a neutral cleaner using a soft, lint-free cloth that doesn’t scratch the surface. Then wipe the benchtop with a towel or cloth.
Summary
These are some of the natural and friendly ways to clean the limestone without causing any harm to its polish, design, colour, and shine. The use of acidic substances is not appropriate for limestone, which can ruin it completely, while the use of natural substances like water mixed with a cleanser is suitable.
The more often you clean, the longer the stone will maintain its shine. This will not only enhance the glow of your house, but it will also give a charming look to the visitors. Want limestone walls in Perth? Contact Stronglock.com to revamp your premise.
