Travertine Cleaning Services In The Houston, College Station, And Surrounding Areas:
What is Travertine?
Travertine is a form of limestone that is deposited by mineral springs.It has a fibrous or concentric look to it. It is formed by rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate at the mouth of a hot spring or in a limestone cave. It is sometimes known as travertine limestone or travertine marble but these are the same stone, although travertine is classified correctly as a type of limestone and not marble.The stone is characterized by the holes or troughs in its surface. Even though these troughs naturally occur, they suggest signs of considerable wear and tear over time. These holes can be filled with a special travertine filler. Travertine is one of the more popular stones in modern architecture. The largest building in the world is actually constructed mostly of travertine. In conclusion, travertine is a beautiful and often times unique natural stone that can make any room look beautiful. Whether you have a new travertine floor that you would like to keep looking like new or an older travertine floor that you want to restore, Texas Floor Restoration knows travertine.
Our travertine cleaning typically involves an intensive cleaner that is very affective, yet very gentle on your stone. We are very careful not to get the stone too wet, because any floor can be water logged or flooded. This is very important because water and soap can hurt or damage your floor by penetrating too deep. Some companies use a surface cleaner on natural stone. Although it may save money short term, long term it will create extensive damage to the floor.
Surface Cleaner
One of our most frequent questions is What is a surface cleaner? Why can we not use this on our travertine? Surface cleaners come in all different shapes and sizes but all do the same thing. To explain it basically, a surface cleaner is a pressure washer with a vacuum. Carpet companies started using surface cleaners on natural stone as an easy and cheap way to clean them. Although it is fast and it is cheap one thing these companies do not tell you is that you will pay more in the long run. A surface cleaner on travertine creates holes and disenigrates the porus stone. Do you want somebody pressure washing your $20,000+ floor?.
On a side note if you have a ceramic floor a surface cleaner will work for a deap clean.
I warn you against this machine for travertine.
Travertine Maintenance Services :
Another great question we get:
How long will my travertine floor last after I have it professionally done?
The floors should last about 2-6 years depending on traffic and if the floor was sealed correctly. We recommend getting your floors done as needed in that window.
Never wait longer than six years to have your travertine serviced.
Different Types of Travertine Finishes
It is no surprise that travertine has become more and more popular in home flooring, walls, backslpash, pavers, and around the pool. It is a beautiful choice of tile. All travertine can look uniquely different due to their different finishes. Some of the most popular finishes are honed (matte), tumbled (rough or pitted surface), brushed (worn or textured suface), or polished (shiny). Your Texas Floor technician will be able to successfully identify which type of travertine you have and can further advise on how to clean to it's maximum potential. Each travertine is different and they varry on color, durability, porosity, and density depending on the quarry that it came from. No two travertine floors are the same so be cautious when a company has a "one size fits all" answer to your floor cleaning plan.
Mistakes We See When Cleaning Travertine
Cleaning travertine requires special tools, chemicals, sealers, and protectants to prevent scratching, etching, and permanent staining. If your professional DOES NOT have the right tools, chemicals and expertise he could create a scenario for some fairly signifigant damage to your travertine stone. CAUTION: never clean travertine with cleaning products containing lemon, bleach vinegar, or any type of acidic product. Also never use scouring creams and powders. These types of products will etch or scratch travertine floors and cause costly travertine restoration services to your budget. Also NEVER clean with high alkaline cleaner as they break down the sealer leaving your floors vulnerable to water stains, etch marks, and other stains. We also NEVER recommend using OxiClean or Mr.Clean Magic Eraser as a cleaner on any type of natural stone. OxiClean and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser have many beneficial uses but using it to clean your travertine is NOT one of them. All our clients receive a comprehansive Stone Care Guide that address these issues.
The next biggest mistake we see people make is that either home owners or their professional travertine cleaner will use a generic sealer from the local hardware store that leaves the floor with a sticky residue. The reason for that is because your honed, tumbled or polished travertine has various different porosities. You will need a sealer that correctly matches your travertine type.
In many instances when cleaning travertine the process may result in uncovering surface scratches, small holes, and even hairline cracks that are disguised from the soiling. Simmularly, the travertine maintence cleaning may dislodge filler in the travertine that is not stable. Our travertine repair or travertine honing process wiik adequetly address these issues. If you have any questions on our process of travertine cleaning please feel free to reach out. We love answering any and all travertine questions.