Cleaning Travertine - Tile Advice

[craigy]

Hi All, A small swim spa has travertine coping and waterline tiles that are chalky white when dry. Not sure if it is the chlorine or something else. Is it a bad idea to use this type of stone around pools because of it's porosity? How should the problem be dealt with?

 

[Lithofin BOB]

Hi, not chlorine generally, this will generally be salts that form from the lap water / sitting water that is continually evaporating , these then layer on to each other - which further down the line will almost produce a crust. If yours have not gone to far you can try an alkaline product- we have lithofin power clean -( other avalible to deal with salt) use this diluted 1-2 with an white emulsifying pad .

Do not be tempted to use an acidic product or lime scale remover as this will remove your stone as quick as the scale.

If the salts have built to far , I generally will remove these easily with a diamond pad on a flex machine, a local restorer could do this for you. Once removed and fully dry re- impregnate with a suitable impregnator , we have mn stain stop - other brands available. If still a dry - dusty finish , you could use a colour enhancer to lift the colour. These will then keep dirt,salt and water marks above the stone and you will then maintain them at there earliest form -you will then be able to remove easily with the hand pads and poss a bit product when required.

This is not a bad product for around a pool, you just need the right info to maintain it. You're impregnator will reduce most porosity,

If you have photos we can see what stage of salt ingress you are at.

 

[craigy]

Hi, not chlorine generally, this will generally be salts that form from the lap water / sitting water that is continually evaporating , these then layer on to each other - which further down the line will almost produce a crust. If yours have not gone to far you can try an alkaline product- we have lithofin power clean -( other avalible to deal with salt) use this diluted 1-2 with an white emulsifying pad .

Do not be tempted to use an acidic product or lime scale remover as this will remove your stone as quick as the scale.

If the salts have built to far , I generally will remove these easily with a diamond pad on a flex machine, a local restorer could do this for you. Once removed and fully dry re- impregnate with a suitable impregnator , we have mn stain stop - other brands available. If still a dry - dusty finish , you could use a colour enhancer to lift the colour. These will then keep dirt,salt and water marks above the stone and you will then maintain them at there earliest form -you will then be able to remove easily with the hand pads and poss a bit product when required.

This is not a bad product for around a pool, you just need the right info to maintain it. You're impregnator will reduce most porosity,

If you have photos we can see what stage of salt ingress you are at.

Thanks, I would love to get these products but am in the US. are they or anything equivalent available here?
I did try diluted muriatic acid in one small spot with poor results. The spa is painted with epoxy under the waterline and has had scale build due to high ph though this comes right off with a brush.

 

[Lithofin BOB]

Hi , lithofin is available in the US try google us .our contact in
Atlanta- +1 7706219777

also you will have aqua mix products poss available from the US

 

[Dan]

I'm just going to link to some older threads from this one. Not everything will be applicable. But I just wanted to cross-promote some threads. It's helping with the forum change we've recently done.

• How to clean travertine floor cleaning and grout
  
• travertine cleaning
  
• Repair and cleaning of travertine floor
  
• How do I clean up my travertine tiles?
  
• Cleaning a Travertine Floor
  
• Cleaning and repairing travertine floor tiles
  
• Travertine tidy up
  
• Cleaning of honed and filled travertine
  
• Spillage of Travertine Floor
  
• Travertine tiles with lots of holes...
  
• finishing honed and filled travertine floors
  
• sanding travertine ?
  
• Cleaning a Travertine Floor
  
• Travertine tile cleaning
  
• Clean and restore travertine floor
  
• Travertine - Needs cleaning / old grout residue
  
• Glass Resin filled Travertine
  
• Classic Travertine - Disaster
  
• Restore 5 years old neglected travertine tiles - Help.
  

 

[craigy]

I'm just going to link to some older threads from this one. Not everything will be applicable. But I just wanted to cross-promote some threads. It's helping with the forum change we've recently done.

• How to clean travertine floor cleaning and grout
  
• travertine cleaning
  
• Repair and cleaning of travertine floor
  
• How do I clean up my travertine tiles?
  
• Cleaning a Travertine Floor
  
• Cleaning and repairing travertine floor tiles
  
• Travertine tidy up
  
• Cleaning of honed and filled travertine
  
• Spillage of Travertine Floor
  
• Travertine tiles with lots of holes...
  
• finishing honed and filled travertine floors
  
• sanding travertine ?
  
• Cleaning a Travertine Floor
  
• Travertine tile cleaning
  
• Clean and restore travertine floor
  
• Travertine - Needs cleaning / old grout residue
  
• Glass Resin filled Travertine
  
• Classic Travertine - Disaster
  
• Restore 5 years old neglected travertine tiles - Help.

Thank you Dan. I will browse through these before I do anything

 

[Dan]

Like I said not everything will be applicable there. I just wanted to cross-link some related threads.

 

[Kelly Steer]

This is not a bad product for around a pool, you just need the right info to maintain it. You're impregnator will reduce most porosity,

Absolutely right. Recently a fellow of mine (builder) asked me similar question and as far as I can tell due to some research, the important thing is to maintain it right and there will be absolutely no problem. Cheers

 

[craigy]

OK, I finally bought 3 lithofin products. I had to wait till I drained the spa to do this. thats why its 5 months since the last post. I have mn power clean, color intensifier, and stain stop. I assume using them in that order is proper.I have a boars hair pad that was recommended for the power clean. I can mount that to a right angled grinder, I guess. I tried some power clean with the pad by hand with only slight results. The others, I will use Ufiber towels to apply. What would be the proper rpm for the pads? It doesn't seem too abrasive.

regards,
Craig