How to Clean and Maintain a Travertine Floor

Properly cleaning your travertine floor is necessary to protect your investment as well as the floor itself. Travertine is stone that is a naturally occurring sediment from the limestone family of rock. It is also referred to by other names such as Mexican onyx, Oriental alabaster, onyx marble, and Egyptian alabaster. A travertine floor offers diverse styles, simple installation, and durability. The following article will properly show you how to clean a travertine floor.

Sealing Travertine Floor

Travertine floors, like all other stone floors, have to be sealed. This is a job to be done after they have been installed and is rarely done by the installation company. After the floor has been installed you should do an aggressive sweeping of the floor with a soft push broom. Do not need to use a lot of force or pressure on the travertine floor. Mop it down with some warm water and dab it up with a dry towel. Pour the stone sealer onto the travertine floor and rub it into the stone with some rags and then wipe it off. Allow the sealer to dry before trying to clean the floor further.

Initial Cleaning

Once the floor is sealed you can now clean it. Before applying any type of cleaner to the floor you need to first remove any dust or dirt that is present. Use a push broom with soft bristles to brush the dirt away. If you use a dustpan, use one with a soft rubber edge. A vacuum cleaner can also be used as long as it has a glide attachment.

Scrubbing Travertine Floor

You cannot scrub travertine floors too hard or you will damage them. If you need to physically scrub an area of the floor, do so using a terrycloth towel in place of a scrubbing brush or scouring pad. Mix dishwashing detergent with warm water until it is soapy. Dip the mop into the solution and thoroughly wring it out and then wipe down the travertine floor with smooth, even strokes. Use a dry mop to remove the water from the floor. If there is a pooling of water, dab it up with a terrycloth towel or a chamois.

Polishing

This is a delicate procedure to remove surface scratches and to polish the travertine floor. Scrub the scratch with a diamond polishing pad. Begin with a 120-grit pad and feel the scratch. If you can still see it or feel it, switch to the next highest grit of diamond polishing pad. Continue in this manner until the scratch is removed. Brush away the dirt as you would any other way. Now, mix 1/4 cup of dishwasher detergent with water until it is soapy. Wipe the area down with a sponge and use a terrycloth towel to wipe up the water. Rinse the area with clean warm water and then dab up with another clean towel.