Travertine stones come with a lot of benefits for your spaces, especially when installed indoors. No wonders it has been in use for several ancient architectures. Its beautiful creamy, silver grey, light brown natural shades and load bearing capacity make it an obvious choice for interior designing and outdoor landscaping.
Travertine is a natural stone known for its durability and ability to resist wear and tear. However, the stone has holes on its surface. These tiny pores are what make it susceptible to chemical reaction or dust absorption if not maintained well. Here are five useful tips to maintain your travertine floor, at home or commercial space.
Are Travertine Floors Difficult to Maintain?
Because they are prone to wear and tear, Travertine floor tiles require regular maintenance to remain spotless. Because Travertine has pores—which are essentially microscopic carbon dioxide bubbles left behind during the stone's setting—it is susceptible to certain chemicals used in cleaning solutions. This is due to the stone's porous surface, which facilitates cleaning solutions' simple absorption and internalisation.
In spite of the difficulties, be calm. If the proper equipment and cleaning supplies are used, cleaning travertine is rather easy. As much as possible of the tiles' flawless beauty may be preserved with proper cleaning.
Here are five useful tips to maintain your Travertine floor, at home or commercial space.
Keep Travertine clean
You would agree cleanliness is a part of maintenance, especially outdoors. To make your Travertine floor last longer, practice a regular cleaning routine. Grime or dirt build-up quickly cascades into slippery or aging stones. Make sure you regularly clean your Travertine floor. Using a sponge or mop that has been almost completely wrung dry, lightly mist the Travertine surface with a tiny amount of warm, ordinary water. Avoid soaking Travertine tiles in water since this can seep past sealants or into grout lines, resulting in deterioration, discolouration, and the development of mould and mildew.
Avoid Citrus Or Vinegar Cleaning Agents
Both these elements will cause the Travertine surface to dull. Acidic substances like lemon, orange peels, baking soda, vinegar slowly may penetrate the surface to cause irreparable damage.
Caution While Mopping
Often while cleaning our floors, we use a mop soaked in water. Though the Travertine surface is sealed when used on indoor and outdoor floors, it is prone to damage by water. Soaked mop or cloth might cause water infiltration and the surface will gradually get dented before you know it. Hence it is advisable to use a damp cloth. Wring it as much as you can.
Choose Neutral Stain Remover
If you dropped coffee, red wine, or chocolate on your beautiful beige travertine floor, don't rush to scrub or rinse it with stain remover. Bleach, dish soap, or ammonia are alkaline in nature with high pH. These stain removers typically abrasive causing damage to the layers of Travertine. It is advisable to pick a neutral stain remover.
Clean Grout Lines
With the change of temperature and season, the grout lines in Travertine floors let each tile shrink or expand. This helps in preventing tile friction and subsequently cracking. The protective grout is prone to water damage, stain, or losing color. To clean the grout line, mix equal parts of water and baking soda. Scrub the paste into the line with a brush, away from the tile to prevent damage.
When Necessary, Disinfect
Chemicals like vinegar or bleach are commonly used to disinfect floors, but Travertine should never be exposed to these kinds of agents as already mentioned in the above pointers. Simply mix one tablespoon of non-acidic dish soap with a pail of water, wash your floors well, rinse, and then wipe up any remaining residue with a towel.
Why Should You Seal Travertine Floors?
Once more, let us remind you that Travertine is a naturally occurring stone with surface pores and cracks. Just think of the harm that these exposed pores may do to your stone. The damages include, but are not limited to, dust collection, water absorption, bacterial development, mildew and permanent stains. By sealing the stone, you may close its pores and put up a shield against any potential stains. This is true for all natural stones. In outdoor settings such as patios, alfresco dining areas, stairwells, or pool areas, sealing is very important to avoid stains and moisture damage to the natural stone. This also holds true for indoor Travertine flooring as well.
To Sum Up
Travertine tile floors are classy and add to the aesthetic value of your space. With regular maintenance and the choice of your cleaners, you can increase the shelf life of the Travertine floor. Important actions include utilising neutral stain removers, avoiding acidic cleaners like vinegar or lemon and routinely cleaning with a moist mop. When grout lines are cleaned properly, Travertine tile damage may be avoided.
Occasionally, non-acidic dish detergent can be used to cleanse the area and maintain cleanliness without damaging the stone. In order to prolong the life and improve the beauty of Travertine flooring, sealing it is essential to prevent dust, water absorption, and stains. Travertine floors are a wise investment for both indoor and outdoor areas as you can prolong their life and keep them looking great by using these recommendations. Maintaining the beauty and durability of your travertine flooring in your house or place of business requires regular cleaning and upkeep. Check out our range of Travertine tiles to find the best option for your space. From Silver Travertine to Classic Travertine we have many different options for your flooring.
FAQs
- How Do You Protect Travertine Floors?
- What Not To Use On Travertine Floors?
- How Do You Refresh Travertine Floors?
- Is It A Good Idea To Seal Travertine?
- How Often Should Travertine Be Sealed?
You can protect Travertine floors by regularly cleaning them of any strains so that they do not get absorbed by the stone and result in fading or discolouration.
Any product that has acidic properties shouldn’t be used on Travertine floors.
If you're deep cleaning Travertine, use a powerful alkali cleanser, but make sure to thoroughly rinse the floor to eliminate any signs of the cleaner. If you are performing routine maintenance cleaning, use a pH Neutral cleanser with a little bit of stone soap or linseed oil.
Yes, it is definitely a good idea to seal Travertine to protect them from stains and moisture.
We recommend re-sealing Travertine every 2-3 years for longevity of the stones.
*Disclaimer: All information and advice given above in the blog are to the best of our knowledge. Please reconfirm at your end before execution.
