Cat vomit etched polished stone

[astralis]

My cat vomited on the polished travertine floor. I cleaned it up as fast as I saw it. It seemed to be fresh. A week later, I saw what looked like to be a spill in the same spot but it wouldn't go away. That's when I realized that the acid etched through the sealer and into the stone. It has now lost its shine in that part and looks like there is a permanent spill.

What should I do? I want the shine to be restored to that area. Is this possible? What does it take to do this and how much does it cost? I live in Houston.

[Huligar]

I hope you cat is feeling better.
You asked what could be done, well it can me fixed.
Here is how

The video shows a etch from lime.
You may have a way to fix this on your own but first you need to tell me if the damage area feels like sand paper.

[astralis]

The cat feels fine although if anyone wants a brown tabby, let me know.

The damaged area is very, very smooth. I was surprised.

Your video shows what my etching looks like. Can you be more specific about what you're doing? The video is excellent! I just wish it was longer.

For example, what machine is that? What pad does it use? What type of polish to use? Any prep necessary?

Thanks for your reply and the video! That is truly awesome.

[cheesedog]

you are lucky about the cat vomit. if you hadnt wiped it up right away youd be in trouble. i just polished a travertine kitchen where 3 cat vomit spots were so bad that it had turned the travertine rough and hand to be ground out with abrasives. good job on the quick clean up.

[astralis]

I was surprised it etched it so quickly. Maybe I didn't get it fast enough? I thought it was on there no more than 10 minutes. I didn't hear the cat do it so I'm not sure how long it was. Are there any type of sealers that can stop citrus, stomach, or other types of acid, at least for a while?

Here are the images of the travertine (not the damaged pictures -- just showing what it looks like):

Home Construction - a photoset on Flickr

[Huligar]

does this image show the damage?

[astralis]

No...these are construction pictures as the floor was being positioned and I was just showing off the floor. =)

[Huligar]

do to the fact that the area does not feel like sand paper, you can remove the marks with a marble polishing compound and a rag. Let me look for a compound you can buy online, sorry that we do not have one in the store, the vendor was very bad when it came to shipping the stuff out and on time.

[Huligar]

Features + Benefits

* Creates smooth, satin finish
* Eliminates etch marks & light wear patterns
* Non-acidic

Where to Use

Natural stone such as marble, limestone, travertine & terrazzo.
Directions

Always test in a small inconspicuous area to determine ease of application and desired results. Allow new grout installations to cure for a minimum of 72 hours prior to application. Make sure surface is clean, dry and free of waxes and coatings.

1. If surface is heavily soiled, pre-clean with KlenzAll™ if needed.
2. Mask off and protect any baseboards or adjacent areas to avoid splashing and overspray onto surfaces not intended to be treated.
3. If using Polishing Powder following the use of Honing Powder products, insure that the surface is well rinsed and a new pad is used.
4. Apply approximately 1/2 cup Polishing Powder plus 1 cup clean water to stone surface.
5. Refinish using a hand orbital sander or weighted floor machine at 130-140 lbs., 175 rpm, fitted with a natural hair pad.
6. Keep compound wet while refinishing with plenty of water. Add Polishing Powder as needed.
7. Refinish area until the desired level of polish has been achieved.
8. For a highly polished finish follow with Shining Powder.
9. Rinse well and use a wet vacuum or hot water extraction unit to remove all remaining compound.

Available Sizes (and Coverage)

* 1.9 lb Canister: 500-1,000 sq. ft. per pound.

Features + Benefits

* Creates high shine finish
* Brings back luster of polished stone
* Non-acidic

Where to Use

Natural stone such as marble, limestone, travertine & terrazzo.
Directions

Always test in a small inconspicuous area to determine ease of application and desired results. Allow new grout installations to cure for a minimum of 72 hours prior to application. Make sure surface is clean, dry and free of waxes and coatings.

1. If surface is heavily soiled, pre-clean with KlenzAll™ if needed.
2. Mask off and protect any baseboards or adjacent areas to avoid splashing and overspray onto surfaces not intended to be treated.
3. If using Shining Powder following the use of Polishing Powder, insure that the surface is well rinsed and a new pad is used.
4. Insure surface is flat and smooth. Deep scratches or strong acid etching may require refinishing with Honing Powder and / or Polishing Powder prior to using Shining Powder.
5. Apply approximately 1/2 cup Shining Powder plus 1 cup clean water to stone surface.
6. Refinish area with hand buffer or weighted floor machine at 130-140 lbs., 175 rpm, fitted with a natural hair pad.
7. Keep Shining Powder wet with water while refinishing. Add Shining Powder as needed.
8. Refinish area until desired level of shine is achieved.
9. Rinse well and use wet vacuum or hot water extraction unit to remove all remaining Shining Powder.

Available Sizes (and Coverage)

* 1.5 lb Canister: 500-1,000 sq. ft. per pound.

[Topshop]

Astralis, One thing you need to know is that sealer will not stop an acid etch - It is only a protection from staining or controlling things from sinking into the stone. To avoid acid etching a honed finish is recommended which will not show the etch marks as easily or install a non-acid sensitive stone such as a true granite.