Travertine is a soft, porous stone. Most of the damage we get called about was done by the cleaning products, not by the traffic. Here is what we tell people to do between our visits.
Get the grit off
Sand and grit act like sandpaper on a honed or polished finish. That is where the dull traffic lanes come from.
- Dust mop or vacuum often: Use a dry microfiber dust mop, or a vacuum with the beater bar turned off
- Put mats at the doors: Most grit comes in on shoes
- Wipe spills when they happen: Travertine soaks liquids in, so coffee, wine and oil can leave a mark if they sit
Wash it with a stone cleaner
Use a pH-neutral cleaner made for natural stone, mixed the way the label says, with a damp microfiber mop. Rinse the mop often and change the water when it gets dirty.
Keep these off travertine
Vinegar, lemon, and anything citrus or "natural acid" will etch it. So will most bathroom scale removers and toilet bowl cleaners. Skip dish soap too, since it leaves a film that holds dirt. Bleach and ammonia cleaners can break down the sealer.
Showers
Kansas City water is hard, and scale builds up on shower stone fast. Squeegee the walls after showers and use the same stone cleaner. Do not reach for a lime or scale remover. They are acids, and they etch the stone while they take the scale off.
Know when the sealer is worn
Drip a little water on the stone in a busy spot and wait a few minutes. If the stone turns darker where the water sits, the sealer is worn there and it is time to reseal. Sealing slows staining. It does not stop etching, and nothing you can wipe on will.
What to leave to us
Some things do not come out with a mop:
- Dull traffic lanes or etch marks, which need honing
- Holes opening up where the fill has worked loose
- Scale that has built up on shower walls and floors
- Stains that have soaked into the stone
Please do not try to polish travertine yourself with store products. Most of them are coatings that wear unevenly and have to be stripped off later.
Not sure what your floor needs?
Text photos and a rough size to (913) 269-2103. We will tell you what we see and what it would take.
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