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Limestone Selection and Care

Limestone Selection and Care

The castle-like, serene palette limestone offers makes it a popular choice for homeowners in renovation projects or new construction. This article provides valuable information for anyone considering having limestone installed, as well as anyone with an existing installation. Read on to learn where limestone works best, why limestone is not suitable for wet areas, and how to care for limestone.

Limestone: Suitable for Many Applications

Limestone is an organic sedimentary rock that forms from the accumulation of shell, coral, algal, and fecal debris — a stone of choice for many applications such as interior flooring or walls, fireplace surrounds, backsplashes, in living rooms and recreation rooms, and more. There are many different types of limestone. One of the most popular is travertine, which is often used in exterior installations, such as pool decks or hot tub surrounds.

Most types of limestone can safely be used anywhere that it will not be exposed to excessive amounts of water. Certain types of limestone can be used for kitchen countertops or bathroom vanities, but like almost any natural stone, limestone is susceptible to etching, scratching, and staining. With proper care and periodic professional attention, it can stay looking great indefinitely. Reputable suppliers, fabricators, and installers know where various types of limestone have been installed with great success and positive feedback from owners.

About Limestone in Wet Areas

Stone and tile professionals have noticed problems with limestone installations in showers and other areas that get excessive water exposure, such as staining and deterioration, or in some cases, complete disintegration of the stone. Unfortunately, the blame for problems is often misplaced on suppliers, fabricators, or installers, even though the material is sound and has been installed within industry guidelines.

Here are a few reasons why:

  1. Iron. Limestone contains iron and other minerals that can oxidize and cause stains that worsen over time. Since iron is part of the mineral makeup of the stone, these stains can be impossible to remove.
  2. Porosity. Limestone, even when sealed, is typically very porous. Water enters the pores of the stone and reacts with the setting bed, which contains salts. When the limestone dries, the salts recrystallize, causing pressure that can result in the stone spalling, that is, peeling, flaking, or breaking on the surface of the stone. In steam showers, water vapors can enter very tiny pores that liquid water cannot. The steam then condenses in the pores causing the stone to deteriorate.
  3. Solubility. Limestone contains water-soluble materials, such as calcium carbonate and organic matter. When the water-soluble materials in limestone are constantly exposed to water, the stone can dissolve or disintegrate.

The Natural Stone Institute, the leading trade association in the industry, has a system for designating the soundness of a stone. It recommends that only class A and B stones be used in interior wet areas. Limestone falls into a C class, at best. Many stone types fall into the D classification. For more info on this classification system go to The Natural Stone Institutes website at https://www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/.

In a nutshell, it is not a good idea to use limestone in wet areas.

Let’s Look at Water

One may question the idea that limestone is suitable for areas that do not get excessive water exposure given the fact that limestone is often used for exterior installations without having any issues. This is true, but there is a big difference between the amount of water used in a bathroom shower and the amount of rain on an exterior installation. A bathroom shower, on average, produces over 8,000 inches of water per year. To put this in perspective, the rainiest area on earth is in China, which has 321 inches of rain per year. A shower has over 26 times that amount. That is a lot of water!

Don’t Replace Your Limestone!

If your limestone is already installed and you are having problems, don’t replace it! Most limestone problems can be resolved with professional stone restoration and repair. For example, if your limestone has a highly polished finish, you may opt to switch to a honed finish, which requires less maintenance. Limestone can be professionally cleaned for a fresh, clean look, and sealed to inhibit staining. Etches, scratches, and dullness can be virtually erased with professional honing and polishing. For regular day-to-day care, use a stone-safe, neutral cleaner, and follow the care instructions in our free, downloadable Stone and Tile Care Guide. Contact us for answers to your limestone questions and specific recommendations for caring for your limestone.

This article is one of a series of articles written and published on behalf of SurpHaces PRO Partners.

How to Remove Chewing Gum from Carpet

How to Remove Chewing Gum from Carpet

For people who love soft, clean carpets and rugs, removing clingy, sticky chewing gum may seem like a nightmarish and impossible task. Fortunately, in most cases, getting gum out of carpet fibers can be easier than one might imagine. Here are a few methods to try.

Note: It is important to get the gum off of the carpet as soon as possible, otherwise it could be harder to remove later.

Warning: Always test products and cleaning methods in an inconspicuous area first, to see whether they will damage or remove dye from your carpet.

Freeze It

The ice and spoon method is the most common way to remove gum from carpet. Alternatively, if you do an online search for “gum freeze spray” there are many products that you can use instead of ice. Here’s how.

What You’ll Need

  • Ice or gum freeze spray (specifically marked safe for carpets on the label)
  • Spoon or dull utensil
  • Carpet-safe cleaner (specifically marked safe for carpets on the label)
  • White cloth or paper towels

Directions

  1. Place a few ice cubes directly onto gum stain. Allow them to sit long enough to freeze and harden the gum. Or, spray the gum with gum freeze spray until it becomes hard and brittle.
  2. Use a utensil with a dull edge such as a spoon or butter knife to pop the frozen pieces off, or if it doesn’t come off all at once, to remove as much as possible.
  3. Repeat steps one and two, as needed, until most of the gum is removed.
  4. Test carpet-safe cleaner in an inconspicuous area.
  5. Spray the affected area.
  6. Gently rub the area with a dry, clean, white cloth or paper towels.
  7. Repeat steps 5 and 6, as needed.

Rubbing Alcohol or Methyl Salicylate

Rubbing alcohol breaks down the polymers in chewing gum. Methyl Salicylate, aka, wintergreen oil, is actually an ingredient in chewing gum. It can loosen gum from carpet fibers.

What You’ll Need

  • Rubbing alcohol or methyl salicylate
  • White cloth or paper towels

Directions

  1. Apply a few drops of rubbing alcohol or methyl salicylate to the affected area.
  2. Allow the solution to remain for a few minutes.
  3. Remove the solution with a dry, clean, white cloth or paper towels.
  4. Repeat steps 1 through 3, as needed.

WD-40 and Dish Soap

An alternative method, if neither of the above methods have proven successful, involves WD-40 and dish soap. The WD-40 loosens the gum from the carpet fibers. The dish soap gets the WD-40 out of your carpet once all the gum is removed.

What You’ll Need

  • WD-40
  • Soft bristle brush
  • White cloth or paper towels
  • Sponge
  • Dish soap
  • Warm water

Directions

  1. Apply a generous amount of WD-40 to the affected area.
  2. Allow the solution to remain for a few minutes.
  3. Use a soft bristle brush to remove the gum from the carpet fibers.
  4. Wipe the affected area with a dry, clean, white cloth or paper towels.
  5. Repeat steps 1 through 5, as needed.
  6. Once all the gum is removed, remove the WD-40 using a clean, white cloth and warm soap water.
  7. Finish up by cleaning the area with a clean, white cloth and warm water (no soap). This last step is to remove any soap residue, which could attract dirt.
  8. If the area is too wet to quickly air dry, use clean, dry, white cloth or paper towels to soak up excess moisture.

We’re Here to Help

Most of the time, people are able to remove gum from carpet using DIY methods, but for certain types of carpet, particularly clingy gum, or gum that has been on the carpet for a while, these methods may not work. Though you may be tempted to pry out the gum or scrub it out with harsh chemicals, this can result in damage to your carpet or rug fibers, perhaps even spreading the gum to a wider area. Instead, give us a call. With our professional cleaning solutions and specialized equipment, we have great success getting gum out of carpet.


This article is one of a series of articles written and published on behalf of SurpHaces PRO Partners.