Travertine Maintenance

Many installers have little or no knowledge of cleaning, sealing and polishing the floor. Common mistakes include leaving a grout residue on the surface of the tile, sealing over dirt and/or using an incorrect sealer or polish. Stone Specialists such as ourselves routinely work with many home builders and home owners to properly clean, seal and polish travertine floors.

Daily maintenance involves dust mopping frequently and wet mopping with a neutral cleaner. Use a clean mop that is solely used on the travertine floors. It is also best to change the water often to limit streaking. Only a neutral cleaner specific for polished travertine should be used to clean the floors. The best place to buy a neutral cleaner for your travertine is from your travertine restoration company or your local janitorial supply store. A common mistake made when cleaning travertine is the use of non-neutral liquids such as vinegar and tile grout cleaners. These liquids will “etch” the travertine , removing the polish.

Unlike buying a product that is the same from one company to another, purchasing a service such as travertine polishing requires a clear understanding of each company. First narrow your search to only those companies specializing in stone restoration. Next, understand what each company proposes to do. To choose the best specialist you must become an informed consumer so ask many questions. If you only compare prices you may be cheating yourself out of the best job. Finally find out who will be doing the actual work. There’s a big difference in having the owner on-site than just a sub-contractor or employee with much less experience.

Here are some questions to ask before hiring a company:
– Is the company privately owned or a franchise?
– Is the company certified in stone restoration?
– Does this company specialize in stone or try to cover a wide range of services?
– Who will be doing the actual work?
L.C.S. differs from others in many ways including: over 24 years of experience in the Tampa Bay area, specialization and certification for stone restoration, and quality customer service through owner operation.

One of the greatest benefits of travertine restoration is the maintenance. Unlike the initial refinishing, maintenance re-polishing is done only in high traffic areas at a fraction of the cost of restoration. The maintenance procedure involves a simple spray-buff re-polishing of traffic areas as needed. Proper maintenance by a stone professional is the most important part of keeping your floor looking its best and protecting the investment of your initial restoration.