How To Care For Ceramic And Porcelain Flooring
Whether it’s part of an outdoor patio space or in a bathroom or kitchen, ceramic and porcelain tiles make a lovely and durable flooring option for any home. Even though they are durable flooring options, ceramic and porcelain flooring requires care to remain beautiful. Here’s what you know to ensure your flooring is well cared for.
UNGLAZED VERSUS GLAZED TILES
First, you need to consider if your flooring is glazed or unglazed, which will make a difference in how best to care for your floor.
Unglazed ceramic and porcelain flooring tiles have pores in the surface that you can’t see. These pores can trap dirt and can let unhealthy substances grow. As a result, unglazed flooring takes a little more effort to clean than glazed flooring.
Glazed ceramic and porcelain have a thin layer of melted glass poured onto each tile, which gives the tiles a sleek shiny finish. It also prevents dirt and other particles from getting into the pores. This protective layer also means that cleaning and maintaining glazed flooring is a little easier.
CLEANING SUPPLIES YOU NEED
When caring for ceramic and porcelain, you want to avoid anything that can scratch or mar the surface. Avoid abrasive cleansers and don’t try to remove stains with steel wool.
Instead, use a soft-bristled broom for day-to-day sweeping. And when you need to do a deeper cleaning, avoid using a sponge mop. Sponges can put too much water on the floor surface. On unglazed flooring, the water can seep too deeply into the pores. And on glazed floors, the water can cause unsightly streaks or water spots.
Better options are mops that can be thoroughly rung out, such as a rag mop, chamois mop, or a spray mop that lets you distribute a small amount of cleaning solution to a precise area. One of these mops, water, a mild detergent, and a clean microfiber rag are all you need to keep your floors looking great.
STEPS FOR CLEANING
Whether your ceramic or porcelain floor is glazed or not, keeping it clean comes down to these simple steps:
1. Sweep the floor with a soft-bristled broom or use the bare floor attachment on your vacuum cleaner to remove as much dirt and dust as possible. If the floor is in a high-traffic area, you might need to do this almost daily to ensure that the dirt doesn’t build up and scratch the floor’s surface. Then, follow the next steps for deeper cleaning on a regular, but less frequent, basis.
2. Mix ¼ cup of mild detergents, such as dish detergent, with one gallon of warm water. This mixture should be all you need if your flooring is glazed.
3. Thoroughly ring out your mop or rag and apply the solution to (or spray it on) a small section.
4. Wipe up any extra solution and then rinse the floor and your mop with clean water.
5. If your floor is unglazed, you can finish by letting it air dry. If the flooring is glazed, you’ll want to dry it with a microfiber cloth to make sure no streaks or water spots appear.
DON'T FORGET SEALING AND GROUTING
If your floor is unglazed, consider doing a sealing treatment once a year. After a thorough cleaning, mixing a cup of a sealing solution with 3 gallons of clean water will help protect the porous surface of your flooring and prevent damage from stains or ground in dirt.
You’ll also want to make sure you clean grout lines between the flooring tiles. Often a mix of baking soda and vinegar applied with a soft-bristled toothbrush will be all you need. But sometimes you might need to remove and replace grout if it’s particularly dirty or damaged.
HANDLING STAINS
Unglazed floors also run a greater risk of stains that you’ll want to try to remove. Of course, the best way to deal with a stain is to clean up any spills as soon as they happen. Remember with unglazed floors, a lot of substances can seep or get ground into the pores you can’t see!
To treat stains, the best solution often varies depending on the type of stain. If you’re in doubt, using a non-abrasive cleaner made for all purposes is your best option. Solutions of diluted vinegar, bleach, or ammonia might be appropriate, too. Just be sure to stay safe. Use protective eyewear, give yourself plenty of ventilation, and never mix ammonia and bleach together.
IS CERAMIC OR PORCELAIN FLOORING RIGHT FOR YOU?
If you have questions about ceramic or porcelain flooring, Goshen Floor Mart’s professionals can help! For more than 25 years, families have relied on Goshen Floor Mart to help match them with the flooring that works best in their homes and for their lifestyles.
If you're in the market for flooring feel free to contact Goshen Floor Mart. Remember, we are always happy to provide you with a free estimate. Call us today at 574.642.4770 or contact us here