My Report

1. CLEANING OF LIMESTONE
Limestone is a natural calcium carbonate
(CaCO3), a sedimentary stone with a
smooth, granular appearance and varying
degrees of hardness. It is highly reactive to
acids, so acidic cleaners like citrus cleaners
can easily etch or interact with the calcium
carbonate in ways that damage the
limestone. Limestone tile comes in three
basic finishes: honed, semi-polished and
highly polished. However, unless it is a
hardened grade of limestone, it will never
polish to the degree of granites or marbles.
Cleaning limestone tile starts with
understanding what makes it dirty.
Limestone is soft, porous and stains easily;
it is also sensitive to hard water. Limestone
should be treated with a limestone-specific
penetrating sealer to reduce the potential
for staining.
STEP 1
Remove all grit and surface dirt using a
canister vacuum cleaner. Grit is the primary
abrasive that breaks down the sealer on
natural tiles. When the sealer breaks down,
its protective quality is compromised,
allowing stains and marks to occur more
quickly. Daily floor cleaning should include
using an untreated dust mop as well as
mats to trap dirt at entryways.
STEP 2
Scrub your tiles with a pH-neutral stone
cleanser that is specifically approved for
Limestone. Typically, these are sprays, but if
you have a large area, there are products
that can be mopped on and rinsed off. You
will need to dry the floor with towels, as
you go, to remove the dirt from your floor.
Do not wash limestone with household
soap and water. Soaps will build up and
make the surface look scummy.
STEP 3
Use your toothbrush to remove stains.
Work in a circle from outside to inside,
mopping up with a clean rag. If the stain
persists, there are special stone and grout
cleaners for limestone that may be stronger
than the cleanser or designed for specific
stains like oil and grease stains. There are
also poultice products available for hard
stains. These work by a capillary action and
take as much as 48 hours to draw a stain
out.
STEP 4
Rinse your scrubbed tiles with soft or
distilled water and immediately wipe dry.
Do not leave water or fluids to sit on your
tiles. Soft drinks, vinegar, fruit juices and
wine, as well as many bathroom products,
are just some of the liquids that etch and
stain limestone.
STEP 5
Consider steaming the tile. Because
limestone is porous, even if it is sealed
properly there are often indentations or
pockets where water and dirt can
accumulate. Hard water in small pockets
can cause black spots or discoloration. You
can often rent steamers from rental
companies or home improvement stores.
Many steamers come with interchangeable
heads and disposable towel attachments.
The heat and intensity of the steam,
coupled with the moisture and absorption

9. Aspects of the towel should loosen and
dissolve many types of soils or stains. Dry
your limestone tiles thoroughly after
steaming.
STEP 6
Reseal your tile if a water drop, sitting on
the tile for five minutes, leaves a dark spot
or appears to be absorbed into the tile.
Don't wax your stone floor with the waxes
found in most supermarkets. Buy the type
of polish or wax product recommended for
your tile and sealer.
A raised bed provides a limited amount of
growing space if, but you can add more by
building a trellis for your climbing plants.
You can, of course, simply buy a trellis and
affix it to the sides of the bed, but building
your own is simple, and the flexibility of this
approach allows you to adapt the design to
fit your bed and overall design of your
garden. A trellis doesn't have to splay
upward like a wooden replica of a fountain -
- although it can. A rectangular one works
just as well.
CONSIDERING MATERIALS
Make the trellis out of the same or similar
materials as the bed's frame. For example,
if the frame of your bed is meticulously
constructed out of redwood lumber, two-
by-four or two-by-two redwood would
make a sturdy trellis frame. If the
construction of the bed frame is more
utilitarian than aesthetic, you may
appreciate the simplicity of making the
frame from PVC pipes. Either way, you'll
need lattice -- consider using jute twine for
this; it's easier to install than wood, and it's
adjustable. If you need more strength, then
upgrade to one-by-two-inch lumber for the
lattice.

10. Limestone is a sedimentary rock and is most
commonly used for flooring, wall tiles,
counters, shower surfaces and outdoor
paving. Whatever their purpose in your
home the maintenance and cleaning of your
limestone tiles will determine how well
they’ll serve you. Typically, limestone is very
durable and can last a long time, as it is a
fairly soft stone, it can scratch, be damaged
by heat and etched by acidic
substances. Below is a simple guide to
cleaning your tiles and keeping them in tip-
top condition.
CORRECT LIMESTONE CLEANING
SUPPLIES:
 Vacuum
 Broom
 Dry mop
 Sponge mop (washing-up liquid is fine but
specific limestone cleaning products are
preferred – ensure they are always pH
neutral)
 Sealant (if necessary)
 For stains on your limestone, use white
flour and hydrogen peroxide
SWEEP, DRY WIPE OR VACUUM THE
TILES
If you choose to vacuum, be sure to turn off
the spinning brush. This process removes
sand and bits of dirt from cracks and
crevices. If you’re wary about using a
vacuum cleaner, you can also use a dry mop
or broom to get rid of excess dirt. It’s
important to get rid of this dirt before wet
cleaning as bits will be dragged across the
tiles and then potentially scratch the stone.
WET CLEANING
Wet cleaning limestone tiles are easy. Use a
bucket of warm water with a small amount
of soap (nonacidic) or, use one of our
recommended limestone cleaning products.
Mop the floor/wipe the surface with the
cleaner and then allow some time for it to
start to break down the dirt.
GETTING RID OF THE STAINS
For any reason your limestone tiles pick up
any stains, you can use a poultice or a
recommended stain-removal product. Make
your own poultice by mixing up ¾ of a mug
of flour and a small amount of hydrogen
peroxide until it becomes a paste. Leave it
to dry (it may take a day or two).
RINSE THE TILES
it’s important to rinse your tiles after
cleaning not only because the stickiness will
attract dirt, but the film it creates will make
it look dull. Use a mop and bucket for this
filled with warm water. Repeat until all
residues have disappeared.
STEAM (OPTIONAL)
Limestone is porous and will collect dirt in
small pockets of the stone which can be
hard to lift with standard limestone
cleaning products and methods. You can
either buy or rent a steamer with
interchangeable heads and disposable
towel attachments. The heat from the
steamer, along with the moisture and
absorption, will loosen and dissolve stain
causers and other dirt.
Stains on limestone are challenging because
limestone is porous and absorbent.
Limestone looks great, but you’ll have to
put in the work to keep your surface clean.
You must take precautionary cleaning
measures to avoid damaging your limestone
when removing the stains.
CLEANING THE LIMESTONE SURFACE

11. VACUUM THE LIMESTONE.
Vacuum can be utilized to care for your
limestone, especially if you can turn off the
spinning brush. If you can’t turn off the
brush, you can still do a quick vacuum of
the dust and dirt of the affected area. The
vacuum removes and dislodges dirt and
dust in between cracks of the limestone.
 If you have a limestone table or other
surface that isn’t flooring, use a handheld
vacuum if available. Some vacuums come
equipped with an attachment hose. This will
also work for an elevated surface like a
kitchen counter.
USE A DRY MOP OR BROOM.
After removing or dislodging some of the
grime off the floors, mop the area. Do not
wet your mop, but instead use it dry to
sweep the area of unwanted dust or dirt.
You can also use a broom for this.
 There are several “dust mops” available
that would work efficiently for the
limestone.
WET THE AREA WITH A DAMP RAG.
It’s important to remove any dirt particles
before using liquids because they can
scratch the surface. Fill a bucket of warm
water and add a couple tablespoons (14
mL) of mild soap. You can use common
hand soap or use a smaller proportion of
dish soap. Dampen a rag by submerging it
into the mixture and remove as much water
as you can. Gently wipe down the area with
the rag.
 Take your time and don’t hesitate to spend
extra time going over the stain with the rag.
Soak the rag as many times as you need to.
USE A COMMERCIAL POULTICE.
A poultice is a mixture of ground chalk
(whiting) and hydrogen peroxide. Some
versions will use a different chemical from
hydrogen peroxide. Follow the instructions
provided with the product but as a general
guide:
 Wet the poultice with distilled water.
 Apply the poultice to the stain or stained
area.
 Leave it in place for 48 hours. During this
time it will dry. The drying process enables
it to absorb into the limestone.
 Rinse it off. The stain should have
disappeared.
CARING FOR YOUR LIMESTONE
CLEAN SPILLS IMMEDIATELY.
Rub off stains immediately either with a
damp cloth and gentle soap or brush off (if
it's soot, dirt, etc.). Some stains can be
removed using a bristle brush, especially
when they're new. The sooner the item is
attended to, the better. If not, proceed with
deeper cleaning techniques.
DO A REGULAR CLEANING.
Every two weeks, you should dry mop your
limestone floors. If you have limestone
countertops, you should also clean them
with a dust absorbent fabric every other
week. There are plenty of cleaning supplies
that specialize in efficient, dry cleaning.
 You could use a dust mop on a table or
countertop as long as the mop is clean.
USE DOORMATS AND RUNNERS. For
areas around the house that get heavy foot
traffic, use rugs, mats, or runners. Consider
spots near doorways or hallways leading to

12. a door. Most stains occur from dirt and mud
tracked onto the floor.
 You should also have outdoor mats to wipe
your feet off before entering your house.
USE COASTERS AND PADS.
For the limestone table and countertop
users, use coasters! Limestone is
susceptible to ring stains and watermarks.
Prevent any damage by having plenty of
coasters available for you or your guests.
 Place hot cooking supplies on protective
mats. Similar to the condensation cups, the
heat produced off hot plates can stain and
damage your surfaces too.
REMOVE URINE STAINS FROM
LIMESTONE FLOORS
Use one of those limestone floor cleaners
Limestone is a sensitive surface that needs
specific limestone cleaning solution. You
can clean without using any commercial
solutions.
REMOVE ACIDIC MARKS FROM MY
LIMESTONE TILES
Buff the stone with a series of fine sanding
pads (600 to 3000 grit, depending on how
much reflection you want). Once you have
the stains off.
CLEAN A LIMESTONE FOUNTAIN
 REMOVE BLACKBERRY STAIN FROM
LIMESTONE FLOOR
 REMOVE STAINS FROM UNSEALED
LIMESTONE
 CLEAN LIMESTONE THAT HAS WATER
SPOTS
 REMOVE DIRT WHICH HAS GONE INTO
CRACKS
TIPS
 A STEAMER MIGHT WORK; READ THE
INSTRUCTIONS ACCOMPANYING IT.
 YOU MAY HAVE TO TRY SEVERAL TIMES TO
GET THE STAIN OUT.
 FOR OUTDOOR LIMESTONE, CONSIDER
USING A HIGH PRESSURE WASHER.
NOTE.
 Limestone contains calcium carbonate. This
reacts poorly with acidic solutions or
substances, which can erode it over time.
Don't use any acidic cleaning agents on
limestone. If you do, it's likely your
limestone will deteriorate and appear pock-
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BEST REGARDS
FAISAL FAROOQ