Quorn Stone’s Quick Guide
- Use a cleaner suitable for natural stone
- Vacuum or sweep regularly with soft brush attachments
- Occasional mopping
- Re-seal the tiles when necessary
- Spot clean spillages
- Be prepared with Power Clean
What not to do
- Avoid using harsh cleaners such as bleach and commercial bathroom products
- Avoid leaving spillages on the surface of the stone for long periods of time (especially acidic substances such as red wine, coffee and lemon juice)
- Avoid scrubbing with anything overly abrasive or a detergent that has abrasives in
- Avoid using vacuum cleaners with any rough or broken surfaces on the plastic attachments or wheels
Cleaning Dijon limestone tiles
- Use a cleaner suitable for natural stone
First and foremost, ensure you use a cleaner suitable for natural stone. Natural stone is any stone that is quarried from the earth such as limestone, sandstone and marble. These natural materials should not be cleaned with any harsh or commercial cleaners such as bleach – acidic cleaners will eat away at the sealant and eventually damage the stone. This applies to the Dijon limestone. We recommend finding a pH neutral cleaner, such as Lithofin Wash & Clean, diluted in warm water. This product is made for natural stone and will help clean, enhance, and maintain the natural surface of your Dijon limestone tiles. Some cleaners may say ‘suitable for natural stone’. When trying any new cleaner, we always suggest doing a patch test in an inconspicuous area of the floor to be safe.
- Vacuum or sweep regularly with soft brush attachments
For daily maintenance and cleaning Dijon limestone tiles, we advise sweeping and vacuuming with a soft brush attachment. This is very effective at removing any dirt or dust off the surface of your Dijon limestone floor. It is important to only vacuum or sweep when mud or dirt is dry, doing so on wet or fresh mud runs the risk of spreading the dirt across and into the grout. A wonderful feature of Dijon limestone is its forgiving nature, thanks to natural details, fossils, and variation from tile to tile – so many of our customers are amazed at how great Dijon limestone is at disguising day to day dirt!
- Occasional mopping
Following regular vacuuming and sweeping, we do also recommend a deeper clean with occasional mopping. Ensuring you use a pH neutral floor cleaner made for natural stone (as mentioned above) and that the floor is clear of any excess mud, dirt or dust, will help clean and maintain your natural stone floor over the years. With mopping, less is often more! We recommend keeping this to a minimum. Excessive mopping will wear away at the sealant sooner and is more likely to cause grout to discolour over time. We advise against using a steam cleaner on Dijon limestone as this will affect the longevity of the sealant.
- Re-seal the tiles when necessary
Upon installation, sealing your flooring is a crucial step to help keep Dijon limestone tiles clean and protected. The sealant acts as a protective barrier against water and stains. We recommend Lithofin Stain Stop which is a matte sealant that will not darken the colour of your Dijon. For most indoor spaces such as kitchens, ground floors and hallways, resealing should be done every 4-5 years. For bathrooms or areas with high moisture levels, resealing may be needed more often. A great way to test if your floor needs resealing is to drop a little water onto the surface. If the sealant is still effective, the water will bead on the surface, if water soaks straight into the tiles, this is usually a sign that your natural stone floor needs resealing. Resealing is a very simple job that you can do yourself.
- Spot clean spillages
Whilst sealant can protect Dijon limestone against many day-to-day spills, it cannot protect against harsh chemicals or acidic spills. This includes things like wine, orange juice, lemon, coffee and puppy accidents! The best way to keep your Dijon limestone floor at its best is to spot clean any spillages as soon as they happen, just as you would with any other floor covering. Spot cleaning can be simply done with a cloth and warm water, ensuring all trace of the spillage is gone. Remember, the quicker a spillage is cleaned up, the less likely it is to leave a mark.
- Be prepared for stains with Power Clean
Once Dijon limestone is sealed, it is fairly resistant to staining. With the odd occasion where stains may occur from a mishap, we advise having a bottle of Lithofin Power Clean at the ready in your cupboard. This stone friendly cleaner can be used neat on a stain or diluted in warm water to clean your entire floor and is a great, powerful product to remove those unexpected stains.
FAQs on cleaning Dijon limestone tiles
Are Dijon limestone tiles hard to keep clean?
No! Following our few simple key steps noted above, Dijon limestone tiles are very easy to look after and clean. Many have a misconception of natural stone not being up to the job for kitchens tiles and ground floors, but so many of our customers are always amazed at how hardwearing and forgiving Dijon limestone is with the correct care.
Can I use bleach to clean Dijon limestone tiles?
We strongly advise against using bleach or any harsh chemicals to clean your Dijon limestone floor tiles. Instead, make sure you use a pH neutral cleaner or a stone-friendly cleaner (that says it is suitable for natural stone).
How can I get rid of stains on Dijon limestone tiles?
The best way to avoid staining is to spot clean as soon as a spillage occurs! On the occasion that a stain does occur on your Dijon limestone floor, we recommend trying Lithofin Power Clean. This stone friendly cleaner can be used neat on a stain or diluted in warm water to clean your entire floor and is a great, powerful product to remove those unexpected stains!
How often should I reseal Dijon limestone tiles?
As mentioned in the post, for most indoor spaces such as kitchens, ground floors and hallways, resealing should be done every 4-5 years. For bathrooms or areas with high moisture levels, resealing may be needed more often. A great way to test if your floor needs resealing is to drop a little water onto the surface. If the sealant is still effective, the water will bead on the surface, if water soaks straight into the tiles, this is usually a sign that your natural stone floor needs resealing. Resealing is a very simple job that you can do yourself.
How do I polish Dijon limestone tiles?
Generally, the Dijon limestone tile range consists of tumbled or more rustic and matt finished stone, however polishing the surface of natural stone tiles is something that can be done. You can use a treatment such as Lithofin Multi Seal or Lithofin Cobble Wax to add a sheen to the surface, which will also slightly enrich the colour of your Dijon limestone tiles.
