Travertine Countertops

Remember the Coliseum in Rome? The entire Coliseum is made from the travertine stone. A natural and beautiful stone, travertine is often used for multitudes of household decoration. Used for countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, fireplace mantels, and floors, travertine looks really appealing and gorgeous. Travertine countertops are considered to be elegant yet prone to scratches, stains, etches, and burns. Although travertine is a strong material, it can get affected with dirt, grease, oil, and other staining agents. Hence to keep your countertops looking delicate and beautiful, regular care needs to be followed.

Maintaining the Countertops

Let's take a look at how to care for these countertops and keep them looking like new for a long time. Here are some specific dos and don'ts for your countertops.

Dos:

• Clean the spills from your kitchen countertops immediately; it will minimize the damage to the stone.
• Use mats to place hot dishes and cookware on the surface.
• Keep place mats under ceramics, silverware, and china that can scratch the surface of the stone.
• Use coasters under the beverage glasses that contain alcohol and other juices.
• Always use a trusted sealer to protect the stone and clean the surface regularly.
• If the countertops are in your bathroom, use trays and baskets to place your toiletry products in.
• Always dust mop the marble floors on a regular basis.
• Once a year, seal your countertops, so that they are protected from stains.

Don'ts:

• Don't take a long time in cleaning up the spills off the stone.
• Don't utilize bathroom, grout, and tub cleaners which contain acid.
• Don't utilize vinegar, bleach, and ammonia for general cleaning purposes.
• Don't utilize scrubs and other abrasive cleaners to dry the stone surface.
• Don't utilize alkaline cleaners as they are not specific for such countertops.
• Don't keep toiletry products right on top of the surface.

Cleaning Techniques

The price you pay for cleaning these countertops is really high when you have permanently stained or scratched the surface(s). Don't make such a mistake and get to the stains as soon as possible. As there are different types of kitchen countertops available in market, they all have specific cleaning techniques. Here's what you need to do to clean the surface(s) from the natural travertine stone.

Materials Needed

• 1 gallon of water
• 1 cup oil soap
• Scrub brush
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Baby powder
• Masking tape
• Plastic wrap
• Lint free towel

Option 1: Take a bucket and dilute 1 cup oil soap and a gallon water in it. Take a scrub brush to scrub on the affected surface. See if the stains are coming off, if not, then follow the second option.

Option 2: In a bowl, mix in hydrogen peroxide and baby powder. Make a smooth paste and spread the mixture generously over the stain. Place a plastic wrap over the stain and some masking tape around its edges. Keep it for about 24 hours and let the paste dry completely. Remove the dried paste and rinse the area properly. Wipe it with a clean lint free towel and repeat the process if necessary.

If there are any permanent stains or damages on your travertine countertops, you need to call a professional to restore the surface. Instead of going through such a major expense, follow the above mentioned dos and don'ts religiously and avoid the hassle altogether.