Travertine Cleaning Vs. Terrazzo

When you are looking for stone restoration in the Sacramento area, make sure that you know what type of tile you have as one of the pieces of information that you'll need.  Why?  Well, for example, there is a big difference between terrazzo and travertine.

Travertine or Terrazzo: What's the Difference

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Is there a difference between travertine and terrazzo?  Both are heavily used in Italy and other places as building materials, and obviously both start with the lettter 'T', however that's where the similarities stop. Terrazzo is a composite material that is either poured or precast that is made of chips of different materials such as marble, quartz, or granite to name but a few.   It's then ground to a uniform and level surface.

Travertine, on the other hand, is not a composite material.  Travertine,or calcium carbonate, actually is a form of limestone found by mineral hot springs that forms quickly, and hardens nearly as quickly.  The key difference between the two tile types, however, is how you take care of them.

Terrazzo Cleaning and Travertine Cleaning

First off, if you wish to clean your terrazzo, use a neutral pH commercial cleaner that's made for terrazzo. Household cleaners often have alkali, or acid which can seriously harm the non stone portions of your terrazzo.  The same holds true for travertine.  Travertine, however, requires extra care.

Remove dirt with a canister or handheld vacuum.  Don't use an upright vacuum, as the wheels can scratch the travertine.  Vacuum at least once a week or call in a travertine cleaning service.

What you don't know can hurt your floor.  Too many times, people buy some miracle product only to find that their tile is stained and damaged.  And unfortunately, there's a lot of bad advice out there, like cleaning your floor with lemon juice for example.  If you don't know what you're doing, don't take a chance, call in a stone care service.

C & G Stone Restoration
260 Sumatra Drive
Sacramento CA, 95838
916-924-5930
916-921-2719 Fax
stonerestorationsacramento.com