Spring Clean

As the famous saying goes, ‘out with the old, and in with the new’. The start of a new year often brings about the desire to thoroughly clean our homes and businesses so that we don’t carry old habits and life into the New Year.

With the New Year well underway, we have been inundated with questions about cleaning and general maintenance after tiling. We have compiled a list of the common hurdles that we find most tilers come across on site to make any future issues you may face in the future, easily fixed.

Scenario One

Something we get asked more than anything else is, ‘what is the best way to wash down grout?’ Before cleaning, it is imperative that you allow the grout time to structure up in the joint. If you don’t, the grout will slump and go soft.

If wash down isn’t done properly, haze and polymer residues can be left on the face of the tile. This will leave the job looking unfinished and dirty – not great for your business reputation. If this is the case, don’t worry! There are products on the market that can easily remove haze and polymer residues. Products like ProClean Grout Haze Remover and Resin-Off make light work of this type of cleaning.

Scenario Two

How do I keep grout and tiles looking as good as the day they were installed?

Easy! Once the job is done and fully cured, you can apply a tile and grout sealer to the entire area. Sealers repel oil and water based stains, and with a natural finish, the appearance of your beautiful newly installed tiles won’t be changed. A quick and simple step to add to the final stage of your project but something that will leave a long-lasting finish.

Scenario Three

What is your recommended day-to-day cleaning regime?

First of all, never use a steam cleaner on the surface of your tiles. Steam cleaners force dirt and moisture deep into the grout joints, ultimately causing unwanted stains. The best advice we can give you for general cleaning is to remove any dry dirt debris by sweeping or vacuuming the area, followed by a damp mop or cloth using a PH neutral tile and stone cleaner. This is more than adequate for cleaning your tiles, without causing any staining or damage.

Never use cleaner with colourants, for example washing up liquid, as these can discolour and stain grout joints. In shower areas, a wash down should be carried out after every use. This can be as easy as using the shower head to rinse down the tiles and drying off with a towel or squeegee.

These simple steps will make a huge difference to your tiles.