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Eieio
July 26th, 2010, 10:50 AM
Ceramic Tile – Maintenance and Upkeep

By Sean | SLS Construcion


Beautiful, Durable and Low Maintenance are three of the main reasons people want glazed ceramic tile installed. Ceramic Tile properly installed and maintained can easily retain its original look for decades. While ceramic tile is durable, it is not indestructible so please be careful not to drop items on it, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for any product used. In this article on maintenance & upkeep we are going to cover 5 items one should not do, cover the most popular area’s tile are installed, cover some helpful tips and tricks, and hopefully make it so that you can keep your ceramic tile looking great for many years to come.

Top Five Item’s of what not to do

1. Do not use Steel Wool or other abrasives powders or cleaners as they can scratch the tile, allowing for them to dull or retain more dirt

2. Do not use any chemicals that contain acids, they can damage the finish of the tile & the grout.

3. Do not use bleach, ammonia, to clean your tiles with – it can easily change the colors of the grout.

4. Do not use excessive water to clean, or let water sit for long periods of time on the tile – while the tile may be basically water proof, the grout isn’t & in some cases the underlayment isn’t either

5. Do not let food products, grease, etc… sit for any length of time – clean the mess up as quickly as possible before it stains the tile or the grout.

Ceramic Tile Flooring

First, make sure you sweep your tile floor regularly; this will help prevent the dirt from getting ground into the tile and grout. If you wish to use a vacuum cleaner to sweep, either use one without a beater bar or raise it up to its highest level to avoid scratching the ceramic tiles. If you can avoid tracking the dirt and mud in, do it – use one of those mats on the outside to help cut down the amount.



Link to Full Blog Article
Ceramic Tile – Maintenance and Upkeep (http://blog.sls-construction.com/2009/ceramic-tile-maintenance-upkeep)

angus242
July 26th, 2010, 09:18 PM
All of that.....or use a better grout :2thumbsup:

Laticrete SpectraLOCK or my personal choice StarQuartz QuartzLock. They're the best of the best.

ChrWright
July 26th, 2010, 09:29 PM
+1 vote for using epoxy or urethane grouts.

I use them standard on all projects.

Leo G
July 26th, 2010, 09:31 PM
All of that.....or use a better grout :2thumbsup:

Laticrete SpectraLOCK or my personal choice StarQuartz QuartzLock. They're the best of the best.

Who is this stranger? :2thumbsup:

Eieio
July 26th, 2010, 09:34 PM
I used an epoxy grout once.. Once!:smash:

ChrWright
July 26th, 2010, 09:37 PM
How long ago Rory? What product?

Epoxy grouts have come a long way over the past 5 years.

Eieio
July 26th, 2010, 09:42 PM
How long ago Rory? What product?

Epoxy grouts have come a long way over the past 5 years.


I can't remember the brand It was a few years ago.. I was scrubbing for days to clean it up..

Inexperience on my part and lack of knowledge on how epoxy grouts worked.. ( even though I read and researched.)

I have used it a few more times since. Last one was Spectra lock but the installs were subbed to tile installers..

It is a brutal product to work with some times.

angus242
July 26th, 2010, 10:15 PM
QuartzLock is NOT brutal to work with. Really couldn't be any easier to use.

No mixing. Clean off immediately. Used portions can be stored & reused without curing for up to 2 years...or during a really long lunch break :sunny:

Every bit as stain resistant as epoxy. Higher PSI rating although has flexibility & crack resistance.

Cementitious grout is out! :laugh3:

Blue
July 26th, 2010, 10:15 PM
OMG!!!! It's the greatest thing since the invention of vodka. The clean up is the part that makes it so easy. My favorite part is the no waste. Yes its much more expensive but we aren't using it on shopping mall floors. Try it again and swing by the grocery and grab a jug of vinegar for cleaning. It cuts right through it.

angus242
July 26th, 2010, 10:24 PM
OMG!!!! It's the greatest thing since the invention of vodka. The clean up is the part that makes it so easy. My favorite part is the no waste. Yes its much more expensive but we aren't using it on shopping mall floors. Try it again and swing by the grocery and grab a jug of vinegar for cleaning. It cuts right through it.

Are you talking about QuartzLock????

Blue
July 26th, 2010, 10:26 PM
spectra.....i havent discovered quartz yet

angus242
July 26th, 2010, 10:33 PM
spectra.....i havent discovered quartz yet

WHEW! I got scared for a moment. Vinegar & QuartzLock is a big no-no :Mr-T:

angus242
July 26th, 2010, 10:36 PM
spectra.....i havent discovered quartz yet

Blue, meet QuartzLock http://www.starquartz.com/images/bucket-quartzlock2.jpg

QuartzLock, meet Blue http://www.remodelcrazy.com/forum/customprofilepics/profilepic4_4.gif

:2thumbsup: