To kill off mold and mildew and keep your investment looking its best, travertine can be cleaned with a peroxide-based product like Oxiclean, which will not harm the polish on your travertine. Remember, hydrogen peroxide can bleach fabric, so, like bleach, watch your clothes and linens.
Oil stains can be caused by cooking oils, grease from cooking, tar, basically anything with an oil base (even lotions). These spots are noticed because the Travertine will look darker in specific areas where the oil-based product was dwelling for an extended period.
So how can you clean mold on outdoor travertine pavers? The best way is to get store-bought mold cleaners like DuPont Mold and Mildew Stain Remover for Natural Stone. For the more adventurous DIYers, you can mix a solution of 50/50 bleach and water. Lightly scrub it into the mold stain.
Travertine tiles require regular cleaning using a pH neutral cleaner. That means no bleach, acid-based, or abrasive products that could cause damage to the tile's surface. Travertine has pits, depressions, and craters that when left alone can collect dirt, dust, and grime.
STONETECH® Mold & Mildew Stain Remover is a ready-to-use, powerful specialty cleaner specifically formulated to remove mold, mildew and even algae on natural stone, tile, masonry and grout. It quickly dissolves unsightly mold and mildew stains without degrading or harming the surface.
Cleaning mould is not a permanent solution. Unless you tackle the cause of the mould it will grow back quickly.
You can use hydrogen peroxide to remove stubborn stains from your travertine tiles. Still, extra care must be taken when cleaning darker tiles as peroxide can bleach colors, so always do a test in an inconspicuous area before cleaning.
Before choosing cleaning products for travertine floors, keep in mind that the stone generally does best with products that are pH neutral. Acids like vinegar, lemon, or other harsh chemicals like bleach can react badly with the stone and cause discoloration and permanent damage.
If you are deep cleaning travertine, then you can use a strong alkali cleaner, but you must remember to rinse the floor well to remove all traces of the cleaner. If you are undertaking regular maintenance clean, then use a ph Neutral cleaner, preferably containing a small amount of stone soap or linseed oil.
Removing Stains from Travertine Tiles
Try mixing baking soda with water to form a paste and rub it into the tiles. Allow the thick paste to sit on the tile for 15 minutes before cleaning it off. Never use harsh cleaners or take drastic measures in an attempt to remove stains from travertine tile.
You can use bleach and water. You'll want to use one part bleach, 10 parts water to create a good cleaning mixture. Or you can do like the professional painters do, and use TSP or trisodium phosphate for a great cleaning solution.
Mopping: Dry 'mop' your travertine floors with a clean, dry dust mop to remove daily dirt, dust, and debris. Next, if needed, use a soft mop, with warm water to clean the travertine. If needed, you can also use a travertine specific floor cleaner.
Consider purchasing a floor cleaner formulated for travertine to use regularly. The label should clearly state if the cleanser is formulated specifically for travertine. Opt for a cleanser with a neutral pH of 7 or below. You can also use mild dish soap to clean travertine floors 3-4 times per year.
Remember: travertine is a porous stone. This means there are a lot of little holes in it that can fill with moisture and stay damp, creating the right conditions for mold and algae to grow. Sealing your travertine pavers will prevent this from happening by keeping that water out.
Simple Green Stone Cleaner is perfect for regular use on marble, granite, quartz, travertine, porcelain, limestone, ceramic, porcelain, Corian®, Silestone®, and other engineered stone.
DON'T: Use ammonia or vinegar to clean travertine
Certain acids or alkali in these chemicals may degrade the sealant, leaving the stone much more vulnerable to damages and staining. Take care not to overly drench or soak the mop in water, as the liquid may infiltrate the pores and cause mould to grow.
If it is time to disinfect the floor, add a tablespoon of mild, non-acidic dish soap to a gallon of water. Damp-mop the floor with this solution. Mop a second time with clean water to remove any lingering residue that may exist. Toweling the surface dry is also recommended.
You should seal travertine during the installation process. You'll need to reapply the sealer periodically. How often you need to reapply the sealer depends on the type of sealer as well as how much usage and traffic the travertine gets. Resealing every one to three years is typical.
Sadly, you cannot use acid-based cleaners or powerful alkalines such as bleach on Travertine, Marble, Onyx, Limestone, Terrazzo, and Agglomerate. We have established in our many posts that many homeowners and housekeeping services do not use the correct mopping technology.
Avoid citrus or vinegar cleaning agents
Both these elements will cause the Travertine surface to dull. Acidic substances like lemon, orange peels, baking soda, vinegar slowly may penetrate the surface to cause irreparable damage.
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.
Symptoms of black mold infection (also called “toxic mold”) can be very severe, especially if it is untreated for a long time, or when someone has a mold allergy. An infected person experiences nausea, vomiting and may also have nosebleeds, and in severe cases, bleeding in the lungs.
Black mold is a fungus that may cause your immune system to react. Common symptoms include sneezing, coughing, congestion and eye irritation. It rarely causes serious illness or death but may worsen asthma symptoms.
Mold needs to be entirely eradicated; otherwise, it will grow right back. This means that you have to clean far below the visible areas of growth with the right penetrating biocides. Simply wiping down your walls with some bleach or household cleaners might not be enough to get rid of a black mold problem permanently.