How to keep your limestone floor clean and shiny!

If you’ve landed here today you have probably got a lovely limestone floor and would like to know hot to keep it looking clean and shiny. The section headed “How to maintain Limestone floors, will be the one for you. There is also a short video that shows you how we would get your floor back to its former beauty. 

Limestone floors are often admired for their beauty, unique grain patterns and colours. If you’re lucky, you might even see small fossilised seashells! You might think that since limestone is stone, it must be pretty easy to take care of, but because it is such a soft stone there are a few maintenance rules you should follow.

How to maintain your Limestone Floors:

Home Care Tips

Tip 1

Make sure you always use a floor cleaning solution with a gentle pH balance – typically between 7 and 7.5. It should list the pH balance on the label. The lower the pH number, the more acidic the solution. A harsh acidic cleaning solution will break down the sealers in the floor. Without those protections, the floors start to cling to more dirt even faster!

Tip 2

No need to get on your hands and knees for a heavy-handed scrub with limestone. Typically you’ll use a regular damp mop, followed by a more in-depth cleaning with a pH neutral cleaning solution.

Tip 3

Help protect the base level sealers initially poured on your floor by regularly polishing with a fresh coat of sealer. We like to use Stone Soap!

When should I think about getting a professional cleaning?

1st sign

Over time, no matter how often you keep up regular maintenance cleaning for your lovely limestone floors, they will acquire micro-scratches. These are the first warning signs that your floors are starting to wear out. They catch more dirt and oil over time and generally make it difficult to achieve a gorgeous shine, even after a thorough home cleaning.

2nd sign

Monitor some of your high traffic spots. Oil build up, especially in the grout lines, can be seen more clearly in front of the kitchen stove. Dirt builds up in front of doors, and in spots, we walk to frequently- like around the sofa. If you notice that you have to clean these spots more regularly, it could be time to get a professional clean. Remember that the longer you wait to fix these small problems, the more extensive the restoration work will be in the future. You’ll save time and money by professionally cleaning your floors sooner, rather than later.

3rd sign

Did you know that your pet has natural oils on their paws? Cat and dogs have oil on their paws to mark their territory as they walk around and to help repel water. These natural oils are great for them, but they certainly don’t help keep your floors clean! They attract and hold on to more dirt. The oils can catch and fill into those micro scratches too. Those pet paw oils are more robust to remove with home floor cleaners. Our floor cleaning solution is slightly more acidic, and we also have equipment that heats the water that we bring with us. The acidity and the warm water breaks down those oils, and then we vacuum the dirty water right up.

Below is a short video showing you how we would care for your floor:

Limestone floors can be wonderful for your home. They can be styled in many different ways, and they add charm and beauty. Whether you are looking to install limestone floors, or if you want to protect the beautiful floors you already have- using our tips can keep your floors looking fantastic for many years to come!

We love being a resource for our clients and our community! Please feel free to ask us anything about limestone and how to maintain it.

Check out how we make sure we know what we’re doing:

Stone floor Restoration: How do we know how?  

If you need help deciding what type of floor to clean check out this blog:

What type of tile is best for my kitchen floor?

Edited by Tracey Gilbey, Marketing

For further advice or information on our Carpet and Soft Furnishing care, please do not hesitate to contact the Art of Clean team on 01223 901551 in Cambridge. Our services include Carpet Cleaning, Upholstery Cleaning, oriental and area Rug Cleaning, Curtain Cleaning, Patio, and Driveway Pressure washing, Leather Cleaning, Stone and Tile Floor Cleaning, and Wood Floor Sanding and Restoration. We also supply new flooring and carpets through our sister company Art of Flooring. Our Dry-Cleaning service is provided by Farthings Cambridge