Tips for cleaning limestone fire mantleplace?

[FaffTastic]

First time posting in Good Housekeeping .... Have finally overcome my slattern ways and am having a cleaning and DIY frenzy. Hope you can help ....

Have a cream coloured limestone mantleplace (mantleplace or mantlepiece? Never quite sure!) which has gradually become less cream coloured. It has dust marks on it and a smoke stain up one side where a candle was burning too close to it. Have tried using a blue j-cloth in past but the blue bits just got stuck in the stone. Sigh.

Was just thinking warm water, fairy liquid and white cotton cloth (old pillowcase cut into rags)

Anyone any better ideas/tips?

TIA

Feeling v sad at answering this ... but salt on damp cloth and a bit of elbow grease. Comes up a treat.

Feel even sadder for saying this - but thanks v much, will give it a go. Shoot me now as am actually feeling excited about it looking clean again