Travertine tiles are an excellent choice for your home; they will not only look stunning but will last a lifetime. However, while travertine is a hard wearing stone it requires some care and maintenance to keep it looking beautiful.
Sealing your travertine tiles
Travertine is a porous stone and is therefore prone to staining and etching; it is particularly sensitive to acidic substances. This is less of an issue than it sounds however, and can be mitigated against by applying a sealer to your tiles. Sealing travertine tiles is a relatively easy job and won’t take you ages, but it will need to be repeated every one to two years as sealer breaks down gradually with time. To test if your tiles need sealing, put some water onto the corner of a tile; if it is absorbed and turns the tile a darker colour, your tiles require sealing.
Use a coaster
One of the easiest ways to protect your tiles is to minimize contact with liquids, chemicals or dirt. Using coasters and boards in kitchens, decorative trays for toiletries in bathrooms and rugs on floors will help to maintain the natural look of your tiles.
Clean up spills
However hard you try to minimise contact with liquids or dirt, a spill is bound to happen eventually. Cleaning up any spills with a sponge or soft cloth instantly will ensure you minimise the likelihood of permanent damage or staining – the longer a spill is left, the more likely you are to have problems.
Avoid hard chemicals as cleaning products
Stain removal
If stains do occur and removal with water and/or stone cleaner fails to fix the problem, you can use a poultice. Mix stone cleaner with baking powder and cover with cling film for a couple of days; the mixture should draw the stain out of the tiles. Remove with warm water and buff your tiles with a cloth.
