How to Clean Soot From Limestone
- 1). Place a plastic tarp on the floor around the fireplace to catch any falling soot.
- 2). Run the nozzle of a vacuum over the soot on the limestone to remove any loose soot. Alternatively, brush the soot with a dust rag.
- 3). Wipe the soot clinging to the limestone with a dry-cleaning soot sponge. Start at the top of the soot damage and work your way down. Wipe with long, horizontal strokes. When the surface of the sponge becomes covered in soot, cut the top layer of the sponge away with a razor blade. Keep wiping until you have removed as much soot as possible.
- 4). Mix a solution of water and a pH neutral liquid soap in a bucket. Follow the label's dilution instructions or mix one tsp. of soap per quart of water.
- 5). Soak a sponge in the solution and wash the limestone to remove the rest of the soot residue. Wash the limestone from the bottom up; this will prevent streaks of sooty water from washing down the clean surface.
- 6). Soak a clean sponge in fresh water and wipe the limestone to remove all soap residue.
- 7). Wipe the limestone dry with a towel.
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