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Travertine tile maintenance

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Travertine tile maintenance

Travertine is a limestone tile, which means it's a natural stone tile. And what does that mean I hear you say? Well, like any other natural stone stone tile you have to maintain it. Unlike a manmade tile such as a porcelain tile, travertine “breathes”, which means that it is porous and can absorb both moisture and sediment brough in from outdoors. As scary as this sounds (especially when travertine can be pricey) do not worry too much about it, there is plenty you can do to protect your floor and keep it in pristine condition.

Sealing

The prime method of protection for any travertine floor is by applying a good quality sealant. We have always used a sealant made specially for natural stone floors made by a company called Fila. These guys are specialists in the area of floor cleaning and protection and I really couldn't recommend them enough to you. Fila products aren't easily sourced, however they can be picked up from a variety of stores online.

Sealing a floor can be done in the following stages:

Sweep the floor thoroughly to remove all traces of dirt from the surface.
Use Fila FloorCleaner detergent and a brush to remove any dirt and grime.
Rinse the floor down with clean water and rags to remove any remainder of detergent.
Apply the natural stone sealant using a brush.
Wait for 8 hours before applying a second layer at 90° to the first layer.
Wait a further 8 hours to dry before moving furniture back in.

Sealing is time consuming, but considering the amount of money you will probably have invested in the floor it is in your own interest to keep it in good condition. Aside from sealing we would recommend that you don't use any standard household detergents on the floor when mopping, always stick with a cleaner made for natural stone (preferably FilaCleaner).

Floor care tips

Aside from sealing and cleaning the floor we recommend:

Keep pets outside
Don't allow children with muddy feet run over the floor
Try to keep spills to a minimum
Use a brush instead of a hoover

Benfits & drawbacks « « Maintenance