Limestone Floor Cleaning and Maintenance
Limestone Floor Cleaning
Limestone flooring complements any room; it is fresh, natural and adds a touch of class to wherever it is laid.
When highly polished, the stone's detail is truly amazing. Not only does it ooze a sense of grandeur from its rich depth, but it also connects the surrounding environment to the natural world.
Spaces with a beautiful limestone floor somehow evoke a sense of relaxation and peace. It is no surprise, then, that some of the most renowned hotels, banks and private residences have polished Limestone lavishly laid in their reception areas.
Once laid, Limestone, like all stone used in flooring, will require some maintenance. Stone is a natural product, and although extremely hard-wearing, it is prone to wear and tear.
The best way to minimise wear on Limestone is to establish a regular cleaning schedule for the floor.
Simply Floor Cleaning - Limestone Restoration Work
The first task in regular maintenance is to minimise the transfer of tiny particles of grit tracked in from outside on shoes or pets' paws. Placing a good-quality doormat at all points of entry into the room goes a long way toward reducing transfer from outside.
Regular sweeping with a soft broom or a kex mop, or vacuuming, will remove the surface dust through which microscopic grit travels.
Damp mopping with either a very mild detergent or stone floor soap will lift surface soiling and remove fine grit.
For large areas, a floor buffing machine can be used to maintain the stone's shine while removing light surface soiling.
By implementing the above procedure and ensuring it is consistently followed, a Limestone floor in either a domestic home or a commercial environment can remain clean and fresh-looking for years.
Dirty Limestone Floor
If your Limestone floor is no longer looking its best. The colour and beauty can be restored by deep cleaning.
It is advisable at this point to engage a specialist floor-cleaning company for assistance. Stone can be mechanically cleaned and even resurfaced, but it isn’t a task you would wish to entrust to a general cleaning company that lacks the expertise and understanding required.
Although tough, Limestone flooring can be damaged by improper procedures or materials.
As Limestone wears, its surface pores open, allowing soiling to get trapped. It can be removed by deep cleaning or lightly resurfacing the stone. As demonstrated in our photo below.
This doesn’t, in most cases, have to be an invasive grinding back of the floor.
Limestone Floor Deep Cleaned
We have found that unless the limestone has been very badly mistreated or is very old and has not had much regular maintenance. In most case the floor can be revived with a deep cleaning process that in most cases can be completed within a day.
Limestone floor, deep cleaned and polished.
Once the Limestone floor has undergone cleaning, it will require sealing.
Sealing Limestone after deep cleaning is essential to provide ongoing protection from staining. The best type of seal to use on Limestone is an impregnating seal, which absorbs into the stone. It forms a barrier just below the surface to stop any spillages from penetrating the stone. The surface appearance remains unchanged, and the excess will either evaporate or can be removed with a cloth.
To restore the natural shine of the Limestone and harden the surface while closing the open pores, a natural polishing process can then be used.
On completion of deep-cleaning, sealing, and, if appropriate, polishing. Maintain the initial steps explained earlier, and the floor will require very little maintenance.