Category: Tile and Stone

The film of epoxy grout will not come off with an acid cleaning. The epoxy cures quickly and cleaning needs to be attempted within no more than 48 hours of grouting sooner better.
When using a dark grout on an unglazed paver or unglazed quarry product the tile should be sealed in advance with a penetrating […]

Give the installation plenty of time to dry and the concrete to cure. Remove the white powder during this drying time by brushing.

When new white powder stops developing clean the grout with a tile and grout cleaner to remove the stains.

If necessary clean with diluted sulfuric or phosphoric acid. (Sulfuric is normally the preferred acid.) […]

Coffee: glycerin, ammonia, enzyme cleaners

Copper/bronze: ammonium chloride & talc

Ink: ammonia, sodium perborate, solvents

Iron: Phosphoric acid, sodium citrate, glycerin

Linseed oil: hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, tri-sodium phosphate, sodium perborate

Oil: acetone, amyl acetate, aromatic solvents

Soot: tri-sodium phosphate, chlorinated lime

Tobacco: sodium perborate, soap, sodium carbonate

Urine: sodium carbonate, sodium perborate

Wood: glycerin, tri-sodium phosphate, enzyme cleaners

Notes: You will find that removing stains […]

Natural soaps will help to provide sealing and/or dressing function for stone floors. The best soaps are vegetable based. Highly recommended are specialty soaps that have been formulated for use on most natural stone floors and other stone surfaces.
Detergents are synthetic surface-active agents (surfactants). They are effective at picking up soils and emulsifying grease and […]

While glazed tiles have good stain resistance spills of any type should always be wiped up immediately.

Remove soil with a broom, non-oily dust mop or vacuum on a daily basis. Soil can abrade a floor as badly as taking sandpaper to it. When selecting a broom find one with a bristle that matches the floor […]

A
Abrasion Resistance: A measure of a tiles ability to withstand wears by friction. ASTM C-1027-84 describes the standard test procedure for determining visible abrasion resistance of glazed ceramic tile.
Absorption: (1) Penetration of water into tiles particles. (2) The property of yarn, fiber or fabric that enables it to attract and hold gases or liquids within […]

Remove soil with a broom, non-oily dust mop or vacuum on a daily basis. Soil can abrade a floor as badly as taking sandpaper to it.
Broom: When selecting a broom find one with a bristle that matches the floor surface. A soft broom or brush is recommended for smooth surfaces. A medium-soft bristle is ideal […]