Travertine Steam Cleaning & Sealing

One of the more frequent questions we are asked is how do we maintain our travertine tile floors (or other surfaces). There is a great deal of misinformation on the Internet, that given at Floor Stores, Home Repair Box Stores, installers and even so-called stone restoration companies etc. A few tips for the day:

1) When cleaning your travertine tile floors vacuum (without the beater bar) or sweep first then damp mop (please damp mop – you’re not watering your lawn)  with a mild stone soap (rated for natural stone). Do NOT use vinegar, bleach, ammonia or other harsh cleansers even if diluted with water! In fact, I have been advocating for awhile to use steamers, they use less water, clean very well and dry faster.

2) There are several ways to check your counters and grout. With a slightly damp sponge, squeeze out some water drops on your stone counters or floors. If the water beads up, your seal is holding, if the water is absorbed into your stone it’s time to re-seal. In the shower or tile counters if the water darkens the grout, it’s time to re-seal.