Limestone is a porous, acid-sensitive sedimentary stone. As such, it is not recommended for use in wet areas like bathrooms, showers, or near swimming pools, as even mildly acidic soaps, shampoos, and body washes can damage it. The advice below will help you maintain limestone surfaces to a good standard.

To restore the honed finish of your Limestone tiles, use a 150 RPM (or slightly higher) buffing machine. First, attach a 400 grit burnishing pad and go over the floor 3-4 times to remove the old sealer and ground-in dirt. Add water to the area as you work. Then, use a wet vac to remove the dirty water and rinse the floor.

Next, replace the coarse pad with an 800 grit burnishing pad and repeat the process. Follow this by using a 1500 grit burnishing pad. Again, remove the water with a wet vac.

Finally, scrub the grout joints with a 1:5 dilution of Pro-Clean and water. Allow the floor to fully dry. Complete the process by applying a 3000 grit burnishing pad, polishing with a light spray of water.

If the grout requires attention, you can clean it using Tile Doctors Duo Clean, an effective grout cleaner that also treats mold. After using Duo Clean, thoroughly rinse the tiles to remove any chemical residue, as this could interfere with the sealer when it is later applied.

Once fully polished, protect the tiles by applying a sealer as per the instructions below.

Once the tiles are fully dry (let them dry for 24 hours), apply one coat of Tile Doctors Colour Grow to enhance the natural colors of darker limestone. However, if you are sealing a white or off-white limestone and do not want to darken the stone, apply a single coat of Tile Doctors Ultra-Seal, which provides a natural-looking finish. Note that a second coat of sealer may be required if the stone is highly porous. For architecturally specified sealers, we recommend Tile Doctors Pro-Seal, a water-based impregnating sealer suitable for all types of honed stone, including limestone.