Limestone can be a beautiful addition to any home. While Cote D’Azur limestone tiles are gaining popularity as flooring and backsplashes, many people don’t really know how to best clean these tiles. Since limestone is a natural calcium carbonate, it has varying degrees of hardness, and it is highly reactive to acidic cleaners and known to etch when exposed to acids. This can make it tricky to clean Cote D’Azur limestone tile flooring and backsplashes.
5 Steps for Cleaning Limestone Tiles
As stone cleaning experts, at Rock Doctor, we have a little advice for keeping your limestone tiles clean. Here are the steps you should take to clean Cote D’Azur and any other type of limestone:
- Use a vacuum to remove surface dirt and dust from the stone. This will prevent scratching caused by rubbing dirt and grit around on the tile, which can breakdown the sealer that protects the stone from other damage. Daily sweeping and dusting should be performed to ensure that dust and grit build-up doesn’t occur.
- Scrub limestone tiles with Rock Doctor Granite & Quartz Cleaner and a soft cloth or paper towel—we recommend a microfiber cloth. This cleaner is designed specifically for use on natural stone surfaces. Unlike regular soaps, Rock Doctor Granite & Quartz Cleaner won’t create a build-up that makes the stone’s surface look like it is covered in a layer of scum.
- If your limestone tiles are stained, you can use the cleaner and a toothbrush in a circular motion from the outside of the stain to the inside. This should remove the stain, but if it doesn’t, you can try a special limestone-specific stain remover. Hard stains may also require a poultice, which can take up to 48 hours to remove the stain that exists in your tile.
- Rinse clean tiles with soft or distilled water.
- Wipe the tiles dry right away to prevent the water from seeping into the stone.
While these are the basic steps for cleaning limestone tiles, there are a few other things you should know. Here are some tips from our professionals.
- Avoid allowing spills or liquids to sit on your limestone tiles. Liquids like vinegar, juice, wine, soft drinks, and cleaners can cause etching and staining.
- Steaming limestone can help you get the stone super clean. Steaming opens the pores of the stone, which could contain small particles of water and dirt. Additionally, hard water could be what is causing the black spots or other discolorations on your limestone. By steaming your limestone, you should be able to loosen and dissolve many different kinds of stains. Be sure that you dry your limestone tiles well after steaming.
- Like many other types of stone, limestone needs to have a protective seal to prevent damage. If you notice that a droplet of water seeps into the stone instead of sitting on top of the seal, it is time to reseal the tile. Use Rock Doctor’s Granite & Stone Sealer to ensure that your limestone tiles are safely sealed to protect the stone.
- To keep your tiles shiny, you can use a stone polish, like Rock Doctor Granite & Quartz Polish. However, you won’t want to use this on limestone flooring, as it can become slippery and cause accidents.
Keeping Cote D’Azur limestone looking brand new is the best way to ensure that it holds its value over time. If you have any more questions about how you can best care for your limestone tiles, contact Rock Doctor today at 913-894-0288.
