Do you have brownish stains on your limestone? Tried everything to clean it and they won’t go away?? Don’t panic…these are alkaline stains and as much as you want to clean, bleach and strip it to try to make them go away…DON’T!! The more you “clean” and wet the stone, the longer the stains will remain.
Limestone is a sponge. It, along with the mortar and sub-base that the stone is set in, absorbs any and all moisture around it. That moisture must work its way up and out of the stone before any discoloration will go away. Washing the stone only prolongs that process and makes things worse.
So resist that urge to clean and clean and just let time (and evaporation) do it’s thing. The stains will disappear over time and once they are completely gone and totally dry (sometimes taking a few months!) then you can seal the stone so that no more moisture gets into it. Also remember to reseal your stone every few years. Sealers can be pricey, but you get what you pay for! Come in and see our supply of sealers and we can get the right one for you and your stone!