The Difference Between Cleaning And Polishing Travertine Floor Tiles

In construction, travertine is valued for both its durability and natural beauty. With its range of earthy hues, this natural stone easily brings a timeless look. But if you have travertine tiles in your home, you might find that your once glossy floors start to look hazy, even if you're meticulous about cleaning. So, what's the deal, and how do you get that shine back?

Cleaning is enough to get up basic dirt and grime. However, you need to polish travertine floors if you want to go beyond surface-level stains and restore shine. Polishing travertine floors involves using a floor buffer to smooth out tiles to make them shine before resealing them. This not only brings back your flooring's original clarity and removes cloudiness, but it also helps protect them against damages like stains in the future. Cleaning should be done on a frequent basis, while polishing only needs to be completed about once every two to three years.

The upkeep of natural stone tiles is one thing to keep in mind before buying, and travertine requires some extra care to keep it looking its best. Since travertine is mostly made up of calcium carbonate, it's more porous than other limestones or natural stones like marble. This means that travertine stains easily. And while this natural stone is valued for its resistance to moisture and extreme temperatures, it's still a soft stone — hence the need for polishing to bring your floors back to life.  

Due to its properties, there are a few tricks to follow to properly clean your travertine floors. Travertine's porosity means that it is super sensitive to acids and many chemicals. In fact, putting something like bleach or vinegar on your travertine floors makes them break down faster because it eats away at the stone. Instead, you'll want to use pH-neutral cleaners that are specifically formulated for natural stone. Additionally, vacuuming your travertine floors should be avoided. Since travertine is soft, vacuums can leave behind scratches, scuffs, or even chips. Sweeping will be your best bet to keep up with basic tidiness without any stress. 

Polishing travertine floors requires a lot of preparation. In addition to cleaning your floors, you'll need a travertine stripper to remove any additional build-up or previous coating like wax. Then, you should repair any cracks, chips, or holes with a travertine fill kit. Once your preparation is done, you can sand the floor to remove any stubborn scratches and restore shine. In this case, a buffing machine makes more sense for your floors compared to other options because buffing is typically more gentle. You'll need to look into what different grades of sandpaper and polishing pads or powders to use depending on your floor. Obviously, there is a lot that goes into properly polishing your travertine floors, so if you don't want to DIY this step, you can hire professionals. Once polished, you'll want to seal the surface to protect it.