Are My Limestone Shower Walls Ruined???

[cstag1]

Hi all. I was referred here from the Bathrooms Forum on GardenWeb and I am keeping my fingers crossed that you guys will stop my bathroom freak out! My new cleaning person used Softscrub Spray Cleaner all over limestone shower walls! When I went to shower this morning I immediately noticed streak marks and blotches all over the place. After showering and drying for a couple of hours the walls now have white blotches and streaks. What, if anything, can I use to clean my stone? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

[david bassler]

Could you please post your name as well as the name of the limestone if you know it and or the color. Pictures sure would help also.

[cstag1]

Hi. My name is Carolyn. The limestone is honed Golden Beach. I am sure it is some made up name from the tile store. It is a light beige with some brown swirls. I will take some pictures now and try my best to post. Thanks for your help.

[cstag1]

OK David. I am attaching one picture of my shower wall and one picture of the shower floor. I hope this helps.

[david bassler]

It appears to be soap residue from the photo of the floor tile and the grout having the same white discoloration.

Try a nylon scrub brush just with water first by scrubbing a test area where the tile and grout meet and towel dry.

We want try simple steps first.

Report back with what you see.

[Davestone]

I would agree, and add that cleaner tends to foam, and helps lift off soap scum, but you still need a littel elbow grease to remove it, that looks like what it is.Now for the discolored floor, the Soft Scrub is bleach based, and may be a littel caustic, so you may very well have some bleaching efect, or some etching, either way a simple honing will remove the etching, but for the bleaching you may try an enhancing sealer, if that doesn't work you may have to replace them.

[dl]

Your cleaning lady might learn to read the label. It is NOT recommended for natural stone, colored grout, copper or brass. Avoid contact with vinyl, painted surfaces and wallpaper. It contains mild abrasives.

But I suspect that there's some way to remove what's been done - I just don't know what btw I keep a pretty good eye on what our cleaning lady uses and tg it's usually just basic safe stuff, but then we don't have any natural stone (yet) either.

- DL

[cstag1]

Ok Guys. I tried plain old water with my nylon scrub brush and unfortunately it did absolutely nothing. I then added a little of SCI Marbalex Stone cleaner and that also did absolutely nothing. Any suggestions on a next step?

Also, to add icing to this cake, she sprayed the same cleaner on my polished nickel Kohler Water Tiles and it ate into the metal finish. On the upside, she followed my cleaning directions for my all white marble guest bathroom and my daughter's Bianco Verde marble bathroom. I have absolutely no idea why she felt compelled to spray my shower walls with this stuff!

I look forward to your replies.

Carolyn

[david bassler]

Carolyn

There must have been a strong acidic or caustic cleaner to etch the tiles as you described. The limestone can be re honed and the nickel may be re polished.

It's time to hire a stone professional to refinish the damage. I was hoping it was just soap residue because of the grout color in the pictures and Soft Scrub being a mild cleaner. Are you sure that was the only cleaner? As that much damage is usually cause by a stronger chemical.

What I tell my customers is "do not have any acidic or caustic cleaners near your sensitive stones (Windex, Tilex, CLR, vinegar, Draino, ect.) because someone may think they are helping in cleaning and be hurting the stone in the process". Have neutral stone cleaners under every sink or cleaning closet.

Please keep us informed.

I'm sorry you have these problems.

[cstag1]

Thanks for your response. I was fairly certain that my next step would be a professional, but I just wanted to make sure you guys didn't have any other tricks up your sleeve.

The cleaner is a new spray foam deep cleaner from SoftScrub. It specifically states that it should not be used on natural stone....and the instructions were in both English and Spanish!

Anyway, any recommendations for a stone professional in New York, specifically the North Shore of Long Island?

As for stone maintenance, are the SCI products OK or should I check out the StoneTech products at the Tile Store? I have a lot of natural stone in my home. I have granite countertops in kitchen and laundry room, walnut travertine on my kitchen floors, durango in my powder room, limestone in my bath and marble in a guest bath and one of my daughter's bathrooms. Are there a couple of products that will take care of them all?

Thanks for your continued help.

Carolyn

[david bassler]

I'm a Stonetech fan. Stone and Tile Cleaner is a non rinse cleaner. Put a spray bottle under every sink and cleaning supply closet. Tell your help "that is the only cleaner to be used on any stone period"!

[timm sowders]

You might try Huligar Restoration. he is in NYC but does travel to surrounding areas with ease. He is a little brash - but he knows his stuff extremely well. You can find his website by a search.

Personally I prefer the Stonetech line.

[organic_donna]

I'm not a professional. I have limestone in my bathroom and use all Stone Care International products and like them very much. I tried the Stonetech line but the sealer didn't work as well.
Donna