Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
Etch marks on limestone are surface damage from acid, so cleaning will never remove them. On honed limestone, etches are evened out by re-honing the area with fine diamond pads, which is best done by a stone restorer. Once repaired, a protection film stops acids reaching the stone again.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Dull, pale or cloudy mark, often in the shape of a glass, drip or lemon wedge: an etch.
- Darker patch with no change in shine: a stain instead. See the stain guides.
- Slight roughness you can feel: a deeper etch that needs honing.
What you need
- A stone restorer
- pH-neutral cleaner for aftercare
Step by step
Confirm it is an etch
Look at the mark at a low angle to the light. Etches change the texture or sheen; stains change the colour.
Stop using acidic products
Switch to a pH-neutral cleaner so the etching does not spread while you wait for repair.
Book a restorer
A restorer can re-hone limestone and repair chipped edges with colour-matched filler.
Protect the result
Have protection film applied once the surface is even again, so the next spill cannot etch it.
What not to use on limestone
- Sandpaper or abrasive pads from the hardware store.
- Polishing powder on honed limestone, which leaves a shiny patch.
- More acidic cleaners in the hope of "evening it out".
When to call a professional
Call a restorer for etches you can feel, etching across large areas, bookmatched or feature slabs, and anything on onyx. A restorer can re-hone limestone and repair chipped edges with colour-matched filler.
Understanding etch marks on limestone
Limestone is sedimentary calcium carbonate, softer and more reactive than most marbles, so acids etch it very quickly.
Limestone is almost always honed, so marks show as darker patches, halos and uneven, slightly smoother areas.
A restorer can re-hone limestone and repair chipped edges with colour-matched filler.
Good to know
Limestone etches faster than most marble, and because it is honed, the marks show as uneven, slightly smoother or lighter patches.
Stop it happening again
Whether yours is French, Portuguese (Moleanos, Moca Creme) and Australian limestones, repairing it fixes today's mark; protecting it stops the next one. Our clear Stone Protection Film sits over the surface, so acids cannot etch it and liquids cannot soak in. Most limestone is honed, so the Matte/Satin film is the usual match: it keeps the natural, low-sheen look. It is installed across Sydney with a 10-year written warranty.
How we protect limestone · Fixing etch marks · Etch marks on every surface