Natural stones such as travertine can be more susceptible to damage than other man made tiles like porcelain or ceramic. Theres a number of things that can cause damage whether it be from a liquid or a hard object scratching into its surface. Most of the time these issues can be remediated with travertine polishing services despite the severity of the situation, and its nothing you should lose sleep over. However if the issue is not taken care of in a timely manner, it can worsen over time and become harder to restore the travertine back to its original state.
What Causes Etching?
Etching is more common than you would think, especially in stones like travertine whether it be on the tile floor, in the bathroom shower, or kitchen countertops. Any fluid that is acidic can cause etching, even in the slightest. Tomato juice, orange juice, apple juice, lemonade, and various types of soda are all acidic drinks that can cause etching in natural stone. You should be careful to not spill any of these unforgiving liquids on your travertine floors, because it will cause etching and it is an inconvenience to remove.
If you clean your floors on your own it’s important that you use an alkaline based cleaning solution as it is the only safe way to clean natural stone. Often times people will buy the most aggressive cleaners thinking they will get a better result than a diluted alkaline based degreaser. This is a huge mistake because the majority of cleaning solutions are not safe for stone, and they can very well cause etching.
What Causes Staining?
Staining is less common than etching, however it does happen quite a bit, we’ve had customers that have needed us to come out and remove many stains from there travertine because they were simply unaware that it could happen. Staining is usually caused by any fluid or food that is dark in color such as wine or oil. Its not something you should worry about if you’ve had your travertine sealed in the past, however if you have never sealed your travertine then you should be extra careful until you do.
What Causes Deep or Superficial Scratches?
This is more of a common sense thing, however the team at Phoenix Tile And Grout Cleaning always seem to be amazed. Sliding furniture such as couches, coffee tables, dining-room tables, and recliners can all cause very serious scratches in your tile flooring. Other natural elements that are more common in areas like Phoenix, AZ can result in scratches as well. This would include small rocks and pebbles that love to stick to the bottom of your shoes and make their way into your home. When one of these bad boys slides across your tile, it will create a valley you won’t be happy with.
How We Remediate Etch Marks, Deep Stains, and Scratches From Travertine Tile
We get it, any discrepancy in your natural stone can be an eye sore and no one wants to live in a constant compromise when they’ve paid a premium price for their home. So it’s important those stains are removed and you get back to your normal life right away. 99% of the time, honing the travertine and bringing back up to a desired level of polish is the way to go. When we resurface floors using a rotary floor machine, we usually get a great result in removing etching, staining, and scratches.
The Learning Curve and Necessary Equipment Can Be Expensive and Time Consuming
Travertine polishing can be a time consuming task, and if you don’t have the right tools or experience you risk not getting the results you may want in the end. When working with such expensive natural stones, it’s important that you or the company you choose to hire have extensive experience in the field. This is because serious damage can occur if not done properly, and it will cost you multiples more than intended to have the floors replaced. We always recommend that a professional is hired to get the job done correctly.
The staffing at Phoenix Tile And Grout Cleaning has years of experience with honing and polishing travertine tile floors, and we would like to offer them to you at an affordable price. If you need blemishes removed and would like to bring back the original shine that your floor once had, please feel free to give us a call at (602) 932-6349 or request a quote here.
