Our landlord made us sign a waver that we will only use vinegar and water to clean our unsealed travertine and wood floors. Well, needless to say the stone has bleached swirl marks in it and looks ruined. I don't want to lose our deposit and we are trying to move. Is there any way to repair it? There is also an oil stain (spilled bath oil) that is small. Help!

 

Dear Brittany:

Forget about the stain. It's to be considered normal wear and tear and, very possibly, within a few more days it won't even be there any longer.

And also forget about loosing your deposit: the moment your landlord made you sign that waiver that you must use water and vinegar to clean natural stone, he effecively took upon himself legally the responsibility of what happened to that floor, which is solely the consequence of having used that concoction to "clean" it. Acid and stone don't go together - period. Consider yourself lucky! Had you had not signed that waiver and decided on your own to use water and vinegar to clean travertine, you would be responsible!

Now only a stone restoration contractor could refinsh that floor to its original conditions.

Ciao and good luck,

Maurizio Bertoli