Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
Coffee stains in travertine are tannins that have soaked into the stone. Blot, wash with pH-neutral soap, then draw the stain out with a hydrogen peroxide poultice covered with plastic for 24 to 48 hours. Coffee is acidic too, so if a pale, dull ring remains once the brown has gone, that part is an etch and needs polishing, not more poulticing.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Brown or tan ring, surface still smooth: a stain. Follow the steps below.
- Pale, dull or slightly rough ring: an etch from the coffee's acidity. See fixing etching below.
- Both: remove the stain first, then deal with any dull mark.
What you need
- Paper towel
- pH-neutral dish liquid
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Flour, talc or diatomaceous earth
- Plastic wrap and tape
- Plastic scraper
- Gloves
Step by step
Blot, do not wipe
Soak up any liquid with paper towel straight away. Wiping spreads it across a bigger area.
Wash the area
Clean with warm water and a few drops of pH-neutral dish liquid, rinse and dry with a soft cloth so you can see what is left on the travertine.
Test first
Try the mixture on a hidden spot of your travertine (inside a cut-out or under an overhang) and check the finish after it dries.
Mix the poultice
Stir an absorbent powder (plain flour, talc, diatomaceous earth or whiting) into hydrogen peroxide (3% from a pharmacy for fresh stains, or 12% from a hairdressing or pool supplier for older ones) until it has the consistency of peanut butter.
Apply it
Spread it 5 to 6 mm thick over the coffee ring, extending about a centimetre past the edge. Cover any filled holes inside the stained area too: fills hold stains as well as the stone does.
Cover and wait
Cover with plastic wrap, tape the edges and poke a few small holes so it dries slowly. Leave it 24 to 48 hours until completely dry: the drying is what pulls the stain up into the powder.
Remove and rinse
Lift the dry poultice with a plastic scraper, rinse with clean water and dry the travertine. If the coffee ring is lighter but still there, repeat up to three times.
What not to use on travertine
- Vinegar, lemon juice or "natural" citrus cleaners: they etch travertine.
- Scourers, steel wool and abrasive creams on a polished surface.
- Mixing cleaning chemicals, especially bleach with anything else.
- Bleach: it rarely lifts tannin stains from stone and can damage the finish.
When to call a professional
Call a stone restorer if the stain survives three poultices, covers a large area, or has left a dull etch ring you cannot polish out. A stone restorer can refill open holes, re-hone the surface and blend repairs into the surrounding stone.
Understanding coffee stains on travertine
Travertine is full of natural cavities that are filled with resin or cement, and the stone between them is porous. Coffee, wine and oil soak in quickly, and fills can take stains differently from the stone.
Travertine is a limestone deposited by mineral springs, so it is calcium carbonate and etches as readily as marble.
A stone restorer can refill open holes, re-hone the surface and blend repairs into the surrounding stone.
Good to know
Coffee is the most common stain on travertine coffee and dining tables. The tannins soak into the stone and the filled holes at different rates, so a ring can look uneven. Treat the whole ring, not just the darkest part, and check the fills once the poultice comes off.
Stop it happening again
Whether yours is ivory, beige, walnut and silver travertine, vein cut or cross cut, repairing it fixes today's mark; protecting it stops the next one. Our clear Stone Protection Film sits over the surface, so acids cannot etch it and liquids cannot soak in. Most travertine is honed and filled, so the Matte/Satin film is the usual match: it keeps the natural, low-sheen look. It is installed across Sydney with a 10-year written warranty.
How we protect travertine · Stain removal guide · Coffee stains on every surface