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
Oil stains in travertine need a solvent poultice: mix acetone or mineral turpentine with an absorbent powder, spread it over the stain, cover with plastic and leave it 24 to 48 hours. For fresh spills, sprinkle cornflour or talc on first to soak up as much oil as possible. Travertine is very absorbent, so expect two or three rounds.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Darker, slightly translucent patch: oil. Follow the steps below.
- Dark patch that fades as it dries: water, not oil. Leave it to dry.
What you need
- Cornflour or talc
- Acetone or mineral turpentine
- Flour, talc or diatomaceous earth
- Plastic wrap and tape
- Plastic scraper
- Gloves
- Good ventilation
Step by step
Soak up fresh oil
If the spill is fresh, cover it with a thick layer of cornflour or talc and leave it for a few hours to absorb what it can, then brush it away.
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 acetone or mineral turpentine (open a window and keep flames away) until it has the consistency of peanut butter.
Apply it
Spread it 5 to 6 mm thick over the oil stain, 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 oil stain 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.
- Heat guns or hairdryers, which drive oil deeper.
- Scrubbing with degreasers, which spread the stain.
When to call a professional
Deep, old oil stains, or oil in resin-filled areas, are best left to a stone restorer. A stone restorer can refill open holes, re-hone the surface and blend repairs into the surrounding stone.
Understanding oil and grease 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.
A stone restorer can refill open holes, re-hone the surface and blend repairs into the surrounding stone.
Good to know
Oil can settle in the fills of travertine as well as the stone. If the stone clears but a fill stays dark, a restorer can replace that fill.
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 · Oil & grease stains on every surface