Ceramic Tile Maintenance

General Instructions

Growing technology has enhanced the durability of flooring products immensely. Yet, our fast paced world still renders a lot of wear on our floors from spills to the family pet or foot traffic. Regular maintenance and preventative measures can significantly prolong the new look of this important investment. 

The following information is the accumulation of many years of experience, the guidelines of regulatory flooring agencies and the instructions provided by the leading manufactures of flooring products. The manufacturer of your flooring product may have unique guidelines that should be given seniority over the general advice given by Wolfe Flooring. The following guidelines are for regular maintenance, not initial care. Most likely, the initial care your flooring needs is different than regular maintenance. Generally, new flooring products need about 12 to 72 hours

after the installation

before they are ready for furniture, regular foot traffic, or cleaning of the seams, etc. Techniques, products, etc. change and some situations are very unique; thus, Wolfe Flooring assumes no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome. These instructions may not apply to historic ceramic tile or antique oriental rugs and other very old and priceless flooring relics. Please exercise general caution implementing any of the following guidelines. You're welcome to call us for a specific professional address of your situation.

Instructions on Maintaining Ceramic Tile & Marble

Retain the sales receipt and any product description from the purchase of the goods. If possible, document the manufacturer's name and the manufacturer's full product description including color. Furthermore, retain a sample of the product for comparisons. For insurance purposes, it's good to have a picture of your new product in a safe place.

Retain extra pieces (field and trim pieces) for possible repairs that may be needed in the future. Store the tile pieces on a flat surface, no more than three boxes high.

Keep the outside entrance areas (sidewalks, porches, driveways) free of sand and debris.

Non-staining

walk off mats

(avoid rubber mats) and

entry rugs

are strongly recommended at building entry ways (both inside and outside) to catch most of the soiling. The mass majority of the soil and grit that will fall onto the floor will do so in the first six feet of the entrances. Mats should be cleaned recurrently; otherwise, the mats will accelerate the soiling.

Sweep or dust mop your tile or stone once per day. Sand and grit will scratch and dull the finish. (A vacuum cleaner without a beater bar can be used instead of sweeping.)

Damp mop your tile or stone floor with water or an appropriate cleaner to remove stubborn soiling and to thoroughly remove sticky residues, etc. Commercial properties may have to damp mop once per day.

Use hot water to facilitate the cleaning. Avoid abrasive cleaners and cleaning tools (e.g., steel scrubbing pads). Do not use vinegar or waxes or soap based cleaners. Make sure you allow proper dwell time for the cleaning agent. This will eliminate a lot of physical effort and increase the effectiveness of the cleaner.

Kill mold or mildew with a mixture of bleach and water or bleach and a neutral household detergent. Rinse the bleach residue off when you're finished. You can suppress the growth of mold and mildew by keeping temperatures in the affected area cool, well lit and dry. You may want to consider using a squeegee or towel to dry the surface quickly and using a fan to circulate the air.

Be careful when handling household chemicals (e.g., food dyes, acne medicine, cosmetics, hair dyes, bleach, plant food, paint, etc.). Although, tile and stone are hard to stain, the grout in the joints is usually less resistant.

Tend to stains and spills immediately after occurrence. Stains set with time.

Have your

grout and tile professionally cleaned

on a regular basis as soiling and grout discoloration appears.

Apply a

sealer

to protect against stains and discoloration.

Use underlayments under rugs to prevent possible dye transfer and to prevent the rug from traveling.

Use carpet or felt pad protectors (not plastic or rubber) on the bottom of furniture that is moved frequently. Change out the furniture pads periodically.

Tend to

repairs

immediately to keep repair expenses as low as possible.

Avoid dragging heavy furniture across the floor.

Change the filters in your air conditioning system regularly.