Practical Tips for Long-Lasting Travertine Floors
Travertine floors not only add a touch of elegance to any home but are also known for their durability and timeless beauty. With proper care, they can maintain their stunning appearance for decades. Let’s look at some practical tips for ensuring your travertine floors remain appealing and long-lasting.
Maintenance Basics
Daily Care Tips
As with any flooring, you need to keep up with daily cleaning so that it remains clean and pristine. Sweep or vacuum your travertine floors daily to remove dirt and debris. Be sure to use a soft-bristled broom or vacuum with a soft brush attachment to avoid scratching the surface.
At least once a week, mop your floor with a pH-neutral cleaner made specifically for natural stone. Remember to avoid any acidic or abrasive cleaners that can damage travertine.
To keep your floors relatively clean, you can place mats at the entrance to catch dirt and grime. Another step to protect your floor is to use felt pads under furniture legs to prevent scratches when moving them.
Dealing with Spills and Stains
Travertine is porous, which means it can quickly absorb any stains. If you spill anything, blot it immediately with a clean, dry cloth. Don’t wipe, as you can accidentally spread the spill and push it deeper into the stone.
For stubborn stains, make a poultice with baking soda and water. Apply to the stain, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit overnight before rinsing thoroughly.
If you’re dealing with an oil-based stain, you may require a commercial poultice or stone cleaner. Before you use it, though, remember to test in an inconspicuous area first.
Advanced Care Techniques
Sealing for Protection
Applying a high-quality sealer is crucial for travertine floors, as it creates a barrier against stains and moisture. Homeowners should hire professionals like us as we have the knowledge and expertise to seal your travertine floor without damaging it.
Before applying the sealing, we thoroughly clean and dry the floor first. We believe that multiple thin coats often yield better results than one thick layer, and we’ll always allow each coat to dry completely before adding the next. Keep in mind that you should avoid placing rubber backed mats, or anything that stops vapor transmission, on the floor for 24-48 hours to ensure proper curing.
Fixing Scratches and Cracks
As professionals, we use the proper techniques and equipment to ensure your travertine gets restored safely and effectively. We often deal with deep and minor scratches in travertine with either epoxy color matched resins or a diamond honing process to effectively restore the area.
Cracks require more attention. First, we clean the area thoroughly and let it dry. Then we prepare the crack by using a tiny diamond Dremel bit, typically 1/16”, to make sure there is no stained material that may transluce through the colored epoxy resin repair. Then, we fill small cracks with a color-matched epoxy or travertine filler. For larger cracks, we may need to inject an epoxy resin.
For Best results, after filling, the area is diamond honed to achieve a smooth surface before we polish the repaired spot to match the surrounding floor.
Enhancing Longevity
Proper maintenance and a proactive approach are crucial if you want to extend the lifespan of your travertine floors and get the most out of your investment.
This is where our professional travertine deep cleaning and sealing services come in. Our experts use specialized equipment and products to deep clean and protect the stone. With our potent and unbeatable strategy of using the correct detergents and agitation, followed by the Turbo Hybrid System, we can remove stubborn stains and restore the floor’s original luster.
Scheduling annual or bi-annual professional treatments with us will certainly help maintain your floor’s appearance. Our services also address issues like etching or minor damage before they worsen.
Protect and Preserve the Beauty of Your Travertine Floor
Your travertine floor may look elegant and flawless now, but you need to proactively maintain it to keep it stunning for years to come. Follow these practical tips and hire our professional travertine deep cleaning and restoration services to keep your floor in optimal condition so you can enjoy it for a long time.