Silver travertine issue - Tile Advice

[Daz]

First off, my apologies for being AWOL for months (maybe years).

I recently completed a polished silver travertine floor, pic attached.
I sealed it with LTP MPG and carried out a water test, pic attached.

I received a call 2 weeks later to say that one of the children had spilt a full glass of "Robinson's" orange squash on the floor. Apparently, my client wiped up the spillage immediately but you will see from the third image that the tiles are "permanently" marked.
I have tried the obvious cleaning methods, even resorting to LTP Grimex but with no success.

Any ideas on how I can get the splash marks out, please?

Completed floor:


Water test:


Splash marks:



Thanks in advance,

Daz

 

[Ian]

Have you got a 'buff' pad in your stone profiling/polishing kit, Daz? I accidentally fitted a quartz tile with a mark on it a couple of months back, a few minutes going over it at about 1500rpm got rid of it. Not sure this will work as you have a stain rather than a mark, maybe worth a go though.


Sent via Tapatalk for iPhone

 

[Daz]

I need to review my high grade polishing pads and buffer, Bri. Everytime I have tried to use them from grade 1500 upwards they seem to leave a blacky / brown stain on the polished edge??

In this instance, though, I don't think it is a mark that will polish out mate.

Is it a possibility that, although, the tiles are sealed and I even tipped a cup of water onto the affected area (and the water sat there for at least 30 mins), that the sealer is inhibiting the stain removal? I don't want to go through the hassle of stripping the sealer out, cleaning & re-sealing if this is not a considered approach?

Cheers

 

[Spud]

nice floor Daz, I think you should contact robinsons and ask them why their product has damaged your floor,I think they will probably say that their juice is acidic and that it has etched the floor and it needs re- polishing its not your fault and the customer should be claiming on their house insurance

 

[jonnyc]

bit hard to see from the photos but i am guessing the surface of the tiles have etched as gary stated in previous post.
i have had a lot of this over the years with hard honed stone, but most commonly with travertine.
it was always fruit juice that created the problem or wine., first time i have heard that squash did it.
in my experience, i tried loads of cleaners at first with little success and then started using aquamix renu marble polish cream. it seems to work every time but will initially give a higher sheen than rest of travertine that dies away in time.
I thought as you do that i had not sealed stone correctly but this is just the effect of the juice although i find it hard to believe it is squash which is highly diluted.
i have had similar problems on some high honed harder limestones .
plse dont hesitate to call me in morning if you want to discuss.
I have just ordered some renu from pure adhesion.
i see this problem once every couple of months so dont worry its your fault

 

[jonnyc]

did you manage to sort it out daz

 

[Daz]

Thanks for the comments guys. Sorry but I don't get a chance to get on here as much as I used to.
I take on board your comments regarding etching but there is no difference to the feel of the tile surface. I experienced etching on a french limestone floor, where the client dropped a bottle of limescale remover, and there was a definite difference in the feel of the tile surface. Can the tile become etched without the tile surface feeling different to the touch?

 

[Spud]

yes Daz it can

 

[jonnyc]

not which bit of the stone floor is stained now. i was looking at the large dull stain on last photo. is this it.
there are also may small circular spots. are these water that has beeded up and sitting on stone because well sealed, or are these the stain or just in stone.
regarding etching. you wont always feel the surface feels different where stain occured.
give that aquamix renu a go. its always
handy to have in the van anyway

 

[Daz]

Thanks for the replies, it looks as though I need to give the Aquamix Reno a go before stripping it back / moaning to Robinsons / smashing a lot of tiles out :incazzato:

 

[DHTiling]

Hi Daz mate, what dilution did you use the grimex at.?

 

[Daz]

I started at 1:10, then tried 1:5, then neat. I kept the area "wet" and agitated with a nylon bristled scrubber. I followed all the instructions but absolutely no difference in the appearance.....

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Good evening Captain nice to read you again.Hope you get it sorted. John.

 

[Daz]

hi ya TJ, I'm going to try & visit more often again. I may even update my albums