WORK AT SURESHINE

Travertine Cleaning
in Huntington Beach, CA

We specialize in cleaning travertine and other porous stone and tile surfaces. Sureshine has been performing travertine cleaning and polishing services in Huntington Beach, CA for 30 years.

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We are particularly great at making travertine surfaces look clean and beautiful again and teach you how to keep them that way.

You should know

Travertine is a porous, calcium carbonate-based stone. This means that it is made up of the same mineral as popular antacids like Tums® and Rolaids® so when acids come in contact with travertine and other calcium-based stones, it etches the surfaces. This is why you have little spots, cup marks, and other blemishes on your travertine surfaces. This is especially a problem with travertine counters but small drips occur all the time on floors as well. These drips and ring marks are called etches.

Cleaning does not remove etches because etches are a physical disruption in the surface. Refinishing is required to remove etches. Cleaning is done to remove dirt and other residues from the surface of the stone and grout.

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Travertine Cleaning services in Huntington Beach, CA

is great for when your floor is dirty from years of mopping and traffic and the grout lines are dirty and there is residue on the surface. Your travertine floor deep cleaning service is done with our truck-mounted cleaning machine. No other method of cleaning floors is more thorough and makes as large a difference as the Sureshine travertine floor deep cleaning system.

It is important to remember that spots and “stains” that are visible in the shine of your travertine floor are probably etches and will not be removed with our deep cleaning service. You will need refinishing for that. However, deep cleaning is perfect for most rustic, honed, textured, or leathered travertine floors.

is done using our proprietary 300-degree low-pressure vapor cleaners. The vapor is so hot that it just melts the soap scum and dirt right out of even hard-to-clean surfaces. We then extract the residues using conventional cleaners and rags. Occasionally a mild abrasive is used to clean matte finish travertine and leathered travertine surfaces in showers and other areas of your home and business.

Vapor cleaning is highly effective in sanitizing the surface as well. Several studies have been published showing the viability of vapor-cleaning mold and other pathogens that can cause illness.

During your inspection, your Sureshine representative will check your shower for signs of missing sealant around the perimeter and other areas and recommend repair as needed. These repairs are important and can extend the life of your shower by reducing the amount of water that can get into the shower pan. It is important for you to keep an eye on your shower perimeter grout and have it repaired when needed.

is done on leathered and textured counters with years of use. Typically, the biggest problems happen around faucets and other areas that are constantly exposed to water. We use 300-degree low-pressure vapor cleaners to clean and sanitize your travertine counters. If your travertine counters have spots or stains or any other concerns, travertine cleaning may not be enough to achieve a like-new surface. Ask Sureshine to inspect your counters and recommend a service that fits your needs.

Your travertine finishes and how they are treated in Huntington Beach, CA

Travertine Matte

is a low to no-shine finish. This means that when you look straight into the surface you will not see a reflection. You will see a little bit of reflection when looking across the surface at windows and other light sources. When looking at the surface the movement and veining in the stone are more prevalent. This is a common finish for travertine countertops in Huntington Beach, CA. If you have a honed or matte finish travertine shower, it needs to be sealed regularly to prevent it from developing a mold or mildew problem. It is recommended to make sure the shower has adequate ventilation to dry when not in use.

Travertine Satin

Travertine Satin Finish (Semi-polished) finish is a medium to high shine finish that will show some reflection when looking down into it and a high reflection when looking across it. This is a common finish for some travertine floors as well as countertops, more rare in showers but we have created beautiful satin finish shower walls. We will always recommend that your shower floor stay honed to prevent slipping.

Travertine Polished

Travertine Polished Finish is as it sounds. Your travertine shower walls are brought to a high shine using diamond abrasives and polished chemically to achieve depth and clarity. A Polished finish is common on residential and commercial floors and counters as well as travertine showers. Polished travertine showers will require more maintenance and etches can be seen more easily in the shine. Polished travertine is a more formal look but can also lend classic beauty to any space. It is important to squeegee the walls after your shower with a polished travertine shower.

Travertine Leathered

Travertine Textured or Leathered Finish is a rough or textured finish most commonly done on travertine and natural stone counters. A leathered finish is rarer in travertine showers but we have seen it. The leathered finish on your travertine shower is achieved using abrasive brushes that remove the softer parts of the stone while polishing the harder areas of the stone. Leathered finishes come at all levels of shine from matte to polished. A leathered travertine shower surface has an old-world, warm look and feel.
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Caring for your travertine in Huntington Beach, CA

1

Sealing your travertine surface with full saturation of high-quality impregnating sealer is imperative to keeping it free of stains and other issues.

Travertine has natural holes that are usually filled at the processor. New holes become exposed and old holes open up over time and require refilling. Ask your Sureshine representative about filling holes in your travertine floor.

2

You should always remember that etches and stains are distinctly different issues that can occur on your travertine counters. Etches are chemical reactions that physically disrupt the surface causing ring marks and drips marks that make it look dirty and can not be removed with any level of cleaning. Etches can more easily be seen when looking at the counters at an angle. The disruption in the surface is a disruption in the shine.

3

Use coasters or other protective measures to prevent etches caused by liquids. We have all seen those rings and drip marks on our travertine counters. Using coasters will keep those incidental ring marks off your counter.

4

Dust mop and vacuum your travertine floors regularly, daily if possible. The amount of foot traffic in your home or business will determine how often you should clean. If there’s construction nearby in Huntington Beach, CA, you might need to clean more often. Use a vacuum that’s safe for hard surfaces and won’t scratch your stone floors.

5

To avoid scratches or other damage to your travertine floors, use felt pads under the legs of furniture, especially items that get moved around a lot like dining chairs and couches. If you need help with this, Sureshine can do it during our refinishing service in Huntington Beach, CA. Just give us a call or ask your consultant for a price. We’ll want to know how many items you have and we might ask for pictures, so have those ready.

Read our blog for more information on travertine