Ceramic tile care

Proper care of ceramic tiles will help her for many years to remain as attractive as she was immediately after installation. The golden rule of quality care can be expressed in two words: regularity and frequency. The more often you do the procedures for keeping the tile clean, the longer it will remain in a “like new” state. It is easy to do, it is enough to follow fairly simple recommendations.

Tools and materials for cleaning ceramic tiles

Instruments

To facilitate your cleaning, use the appropriate tools. First of all, for cleaning ceramic tiles, you will need:

• Bucket;
• Soft brush;
• Soft cloth;
• A vacuum cleaner.

Attention! Do not use a brush with hard (iron) bristles when cleaning.

Materials

• Detergent;
• Water;
• Water repellent for joints.

Carefully consider the choice of detergent for cleaning ceramic tiles. Those that contain acids (for example, with the addition of chlorine) and also containing particles of abrasive are not suitable for its maintenance - some types of tiles are rather easily scratched, and this leads to the fact that dirt begins to penetrate into the pores of ceramics, from where it is almost impossible to remove . In addition, cosmetic soap containing fats and fatty acids may also stain the tile rather than wash it.

Tip: It is best to treat the tile with warm water, to which is added a little liquid ammonia or glass cleaner - after such cleaning the ceramic tile will shine like new.

The procedure for the care of ceramic tiles

Caring for ceramic tiles includes two stages: the first method removes coarse dirt and dust particles by a dry method, and the second one rinses the surface clean.

1

Dry clean. Before you begin to wash the surface, you need to vacuum it, or thoroughly rinse it with a soft dry brush, and then collect the swept-away garbage. This is especially important if the tile is a floor covering.

2

Wet cleaning. Applying a mild detergent to the napkin, wipe the surface of the tiles with light circular motions, then rinse it off with warm water and ammonia added. If stains form on the surface, leave the cleaning solution on them for a while, then wipe off with a soft sponge.

Advice on ceramic tile care: Fat contamination is easily removed with soda solution, blood stains - with hydrogen peroxide. If the tile is stained with felt-tip pens, which often happens when there are children in the family, try removing the children's “art” with a solution of ordinary laundry bleach.

3

The finish. At this stage, you can apply a protective coating on the tile and treat the seams with special compounds to protect against the ingress of water and prevent the formation of mold and fungus growth.

Protective measures against pollution

To facilitate tile care, you can use measures to protect the tile from contamination. They can be divided into mechanical and chemical.

• Mechanical. To resort to cleaning ceramic tiles more rarely, put a grate near the entrance door, and behind it a hard pile carpet. This simple measure will help ease care, delay street dust and sand at the entrance to the apartment.

• Chemical. The surface of the ceramic tile can be coated with a special compound that lowers its adhesive ability - dirt will become less “sticky”, cleaning will be less frequent. In addition, tile joints must be treated with a special composition that is water-repellent - this should be done at least two or three times a year.

Useful tips for the care of ceramic tiles

• Occasionally polish the surface. To do this, dissolve the chalk powder in water until the thickness of sour cream, and apply on ceramic tiles. Give a little dry, then rub with a dry cloth. After such care, the tile will shine like new.
• To add shine to tiled surfaces, add ammonia (a couple of tablespoons per liter of water) to your wash water. After cleaning, remove any remaining water droplets with a soft cloth or chamois.
• Very dirty tile can be washed with water with the addition of vinegar (three tablespoons per liter of water). For the information of grease stains, you can use the vinegar essence, but immediately after the pollution disappears, the tile must be washed with plenty of warm water.