How to Clean Terracotta Tiles For A Long Lasting Finish?
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Restoring domestic and commercial terracotta floors.
Terracotta is made from natural clay and has been used throughout history for roof tiles, sculptures, bricks and floor tiles.
Being made from clay, tiles come in a vast range of natural colours from creams, to reds to dark brown. Often all the colours can be contained in a single tile.
The traditional methods of producing handmade tiles haven’t really changed in thousands of years. Handmade tiles are characterised by an uneven finish, with varying tile dimensions and may include small stones and inclusions, all adding to the natural beauty of the flooring.
Fired Earth handmade Terracotta Tiles Cleaned and Finished with Floor Wax by Abbey Floor Care
With the advent of modern machinery, machine made tiles have a more consistent finish. They surface is much smoother without any inclusions or small stones. The size is also more consistent, making the tiles easier to install and maintain.
However, the tiles are still very porous and it is still important to know how to clean Terracotta tiles and seal Terracotta Tiles to protect against water and oil spills.
Machine made Terracotta Tiles Cleaned and Finished with Liquid Fila Wax by Abbey Floor Care
Cleaning and sealing terracotta tiles starts with stripping off the old polish and sealers using specialist sealer remover chemicals.
Once all the old finishes have been removed, the tiles are deep cleaned to remove ingrained soil.
The tiles are then left to dry before they are re-sealed.
As the tiles are very porous, they can take 3 to 5 days to fully dry before they are ready for sealing.
Stripping old sealer from Terracotta Tiles by Abbey Floor Care
Whilst impregnating sealers can be a suitable finish, they leave the floor with a matt finish and soil can build-up on the rough surface of the tiles and the grout.
Therefore the tiles are usually given a final finish using an Acrylic water based sealer or a beeswax floor polish.
This Terracotta Cleaning project in London demonstrates a Surface Sealer finish.
Applying Colour Enhancing Impregnator to Terracotta tiles by Abbey Floor Care
A wax finish gives an "old-style" natural finish. However, the wax finish needs to be deep cleaner and re-applied every one or two years. This can be an onerous job, especially if the years are advancing.
An acrylic sealer is hard wearing, however, it does not look as natural as a floor wax. But, it is simple to maintain with a surface sealer cleaner. Also, the finish can be "topped-up" with some dilute sealer, extending the life of the finish.
Finally, we give you a terracotta cleaning guide that gives advice on correct cleaning methods and products to ensure your floor is a beautiful feature of your home for many years.
Spanish style terracotta tiles finish waxed by Abbey Floor Care
How To Maintain Terracotta Tile Floors
Floor restoration expert David Allen offers a simple 10 step guide to cleaning and maintaining Terracotta tile floors. By following these guidelines your floor will stay beautiful for longer.
You can greatly extend the life of your terracotta tile floors by following a simple maintenance program.
- The surface should be protected with a quality terracotta tile sealer or beeswax based floor wax to help prevent staining and etching.
- Barrier matting is essential to prevent walked in sand and grit from spreading onto the floor and causing scratches and dullness.
- Furniture legs should be protected with felt or plastic pads.
- Standing objects and especially plant pots should be placed on bases to prevent scratching and staining.
- Cleaners specially formulated for Terracotta should be used for cleaning.
- Terracotta tile floors should be vacuumed or dust mopped with dry microfiber mop daily to remove surface sand and grit and reduce the chance of scratches. I know it sounds excessive, but you will see the benefits in your wallet!
- Terracotta tile floors should be damp mopped once or twice per week, and daily on heavy traffic areas to remove surface dirt and soil. Only use cleaners specially formulated for terracotta floors.
- Spills should be removed immediately. Always blot, never wipe as the act of wiping can spread the spill.
- Traffic areas should be deep cleaned and resealed or waxed on a yearly basis.
- If you don't fancy the effort of deep cleaning and sealing, you can always call on Abbey Floor Care for professional and friendly help.
Follow These 4 Simple Steps To Make Your Terracotta Floor Look Beautiful
Having your terracotta tile floor restored by Abbey Floor Care is simple!
In just a few simple steps you can have your floor scheduled for a beautiful restoration.
- Contact us on the simple contact form below
- Explain to us the type of restoration and finish you are looking for and we will help you decide on the best restoration to suit your needs.
- We’ll provide you with an all inclusive price. We never have any hidden fees or surcharges like some other stone floor restoration companies.
- Choose your preferred date for the work and your work is done.
- We will arrive on time and take care of everything.
- We will leave you with a beautiful floor
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