Firstly, let’s remember travertine is a soft stone within the limestone family which is characterized by naturally occurring holes and troughs on the surface.
Travertine is also quite porous. It should be properly sealed to prevent water and oil liquids from being absorbed into the stone and either staining or distorting the appearance. Proper sealing allows for quick and easy cleaning, ensuring your floor always looks as good as when it was originally installed.
If has not been properly sealed you should consider hiring a professional to do the job right as sealing isn’t necessarily a cut and dry process.
For the purposes of this tip sheet, let’s assume your floor has been properly sealed.
Start With a Good Vacuuming
Most often heavy dust and or dirt can be readily removed with a good vacuuming.
Make sure your floor attachment has a good floor brush tool with adequate bristle integrity.Vacuuming will also do the best job of removing dust and debris from within the naturally occurring holes and troughs and from within the grout lines.
It’s time to wash the surface.
You don’t need a lot of water to accomplish this as you’re really only getting any surface remnants or minimal staining or spills cleaned up. If you don’t already have one; purchase a good microfiber mop.
When washing, it is a best demonstrated practice of using a neutral cleaner diluted in warm water. We use a peroxide cleaner which does an excellent job cleaning and it also disinfects. The dilution is approximately a ¼ to half a cup per 1-2 gallons of water.
Take the microfiber head and immerse it in the water so it gets saturated. Gently wring out the head until it is considered wet but not soaked. Place it on the mop base and wash your floor as you would with any standard mop. Rinse the mop head and repeat until you’ve finished washing the floor.
If you notice any streaking or a film residue after the floor dries you either used too much water or peroxide in your dilution and it’s simply remedied by using a less wet mop head or less peroxide. Heavier spills or minor staining may require a scrub brush and a heavier concentration of cleaner and a good rag to wipe dry.
Don’t use an abrasive cleaner (comet or a soft scrub type product) or something that will etch your stone such as vinegar. If the spill or stain doesn’t come out this way call a professional.
Regular Maintenance
Once you’ve washed the floor you should be all set and most likely can resort to routine vacuuming or employing the dust head on the microfiber base for dusting as Heavier traffic may mean you need to wash the floor, but now you have the recipe for success.
On the other hand, if your floors have not been addressed in a long time and they appear to be much dirtier and or have staining which you believe to be a little more than you can handle, call a professional in and they will most likely use a machine and extractor to get your floors in tip top shape.
