Travertine is a popular floor material. It is beautiful and versatile. Homeowners in the United States use about .85 million tons each year. This surface weighs about five pounds for each 12? by 12? tile. It is a very versatile surface that is easy to clean and maintain. Cleaning travertine tile floors takes some special care to keep them looking the same way they did when they were installed.
Tips for Protecting and Cleaning Travertine Tile Floors:
- Test your travertine tiles. Before you start cleaning travertine tile floors, test the sealant. You can test your tile by pouring some water on it. If the water stains the tile (not permanently, of course), you need to seal it. If the water beads up, your seal is good to go. You should get a sealer for natural stone. Some people worry that applying a seal will change the look of the travertine tiles but it will not. You will enjoy your tile more if it is properly sealed.
- When spills happen, clean them up as soon as you can. This is especially important for spills like cranberry or tomato juice, wine, coffee and some sodas. Use a cloth with hot water but nothing too harsh like bleach or ammonia. Even lemon juice and vinegar are too harsh for this surface. You can buy special cleaners for stone tiles like travertine. Blot the stains, do not rub them as they may make them set into the tile. Most tile cleaning products are too harsh for travertine tiles so many sure when you buy cleaners you let the salesperson know that is the kind of tile that you have.
- Protect, protect and protect some more. Protect the floor with door mats and carpet runners on high traffic areas. Use coasters and other coverings on any counter surfaces or other areas where you have travertine.
- Use dust mops on your travertine floors. When cleaning travertine tile floors, it is best to avoid vacuums, which can chip the surface. You can use dry mops to dust the floors often. Once a week do the same thing using a mop with a special cleaning agent.
- Set a schedule for cleaning travertine tile floors and stick to it. Travertine tiles have more irregular surfaces making them an ideal place for dust or other grime to settle in. This is especially true of the grout areas which act a lot like dust magnets. If you clean often, keeping the dust and grime at a minimum will be easier to manage.
- Use a special paste on stains you cannot get out. Take some special cleaner with some baking powder to make a paste. Smooth a layer of the paste over the stained area and cover with some plastic wrap. Leave this for a period of time ranging from a few hours to a few days. The paste mixture will draw out the stain. Once the stain is gone, remove the paste with warm water and a cloth.
- Buy a specialized cleaner for really deep stains. If you try the cleaner paste and do not have any luck, talk to an expert about a harsher cleaner that will get out stains that cannot be removed any other way. When cleaning travertine tile floors, this option should be your very last resort. Travertine tile cleaning can be purchased in any store that sells natural stone products.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is a saying that cannot be more true than when dealing with a travertine floors. Talk to the company you have designing and installing your floors and ask about sealing options for the floors and any other surfaces you want to cover with this versatile surface. There are many options for sealers that will make cleaning your travertine floors and surfaces easier.
The problem with travertine tiles is that they are a lot more porous than other tile floor materials. This just means they take a little more care and protection but they do make great additions to any decor.