Travertine Floor Tile Maintenance

The grout lines in travertine floors allow the individual tiles to expand or contract as the season and temperature changes.

Travertine floor tile maintenance.

Travertine care and maintenance foot traffic and how it is directed plays a role in maintenance and restoration frequency and techniques. Travertine floor tiles should be swept or vacuumed regularly to keep dirt and other grainy materials from scratching the surface. Because travertine is soft it will wear more rapidly than other stone surfaces when used in flooring. Honed finish travertine stone is commonly found in high traffic areas such as floors thresholds and treads whereas polished finish stone is found on counter tops walls tables and furniture.

For any travertine surface use a high quality neutral cleaner. If an acidic cleaner is used a chemical reaction can occur causing discoloration of the tile. The tiles should be cleaned gently with non abrasive and non acidic cleaners. Interior stone can generally be cleaned by dry dust mopping to remove dirt and debris.

Travertine tiles may need to be periodically honed or polished to maintain their finish. However the grout is also susceptible to water damage discoloration stains and even mold. It effectively prevents the tiles from rubbing against each other and cracking. Be careful that the product you use is labeled as safe for natural stone.