Limestone is a great material for kitchen countertops. It is very similar to granite kitchen countertops and it can last for a long time. Here are some maintenance tips for taking care of your limestone countertops.

Sealing Is A Priority

Limestone is a naturally porous material, so it means that it will draw in water and moisture. This can be damaging to the stone and even though it might not show in the early stages, it will slowly weaken the stone from the inside and the whole stone will be ruined, as time goes by. This is why it is important to seal these countertops.

This is an important step to do because you want to maintain and preserve them for as long as possible. Sealing with varnish will make them waterproof and you won’t have to worry about keeping the countertop safe from water and moisture at all times.

How To Remove Stains?

There are two types of stains that can ruin limestone countertops and they are:

Stains from heat will form black and dark burn-like stains all over the countertop. It’s better to not handle hot pots and pans right on the surface of limestone countertops because this can singe the countertop and the stains are a nightmare to remove. To remove these stains, you can use a scraper or a buffer and remove the burnt stone layer and seal it up with a protective sealant.

Stains from acidic things like cutting fruits and other things. These stains can leave colored blotches all over the countertop and the best way to remove them is to wipe them down with a wet washcloth immediately, while the stain is still wet.

Daily Cleaning

This tip goes without saying. Regular cleaning of limestone countertops will make sure that your kitchen stays spotless and there are no unwanted stains and such on the surface of the countertop. You don’t need any fancy equipment to clean the countertop.

Just use a mixture of dish soap and water and use a wet rag to clean the countertops at the end of the day. You will notice how clean your kitchen looks and there is no effort in cleaning it daily since there are no permanent stains accumulating on the surface of the countertop.

Buff For Removing Scratches

Scratches are common to occur on limestone. This can happen when you use a sharp knife or other things right on top of the surface of the countertop. It’s better to use a cutting board as your cutting station, as this will protect your countertops from scratches. To remove any scratches, you will need to buff off the scratched area and then you will need to fill the gap with a sealant or a polymer-based filler. Make sure that you match the color of the filler before using it on your countertops.

Avoid Harsh Cleaners

The best thing you can use to clean limestone countertops is water and dish soap. The dish soap is gentle and it doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals. It will easily clean the countertop without damaging it. You want to avoid using harsh cleaners that have bleach or citric acid in them, as these things are very abrasive and harsh for this delicate stone. These cleaners are usually what you see in the market and they are also quite expensive, so it’s better to avoid using them on limestone countertops.

Keep The Countertops Dry

Last but not least, you want to keep your countertops dry at all times. Once you clean it with a wet rag, you want to go over the entire damp countertop with a dry cloth and remove any remnants of water or moisture. This will keep the sealant intact and you won’t need to reapply it throughout the year. Sealing a countertop once a year is enough, but if you keep your countertops wet, then the sealant can chip away and get ruined.

Conclusion

There you go! These tips are great for maintaining limestone countertops because these things are going to make your countertops last a lot longer and get less damaged over time. For more limestone and natural stone countertops care recommendations and new countertop installation, connect with a granite company Raleigh NC.