Terracotta Cleaning San Diego
What’s The Safest Way To Clean Indoor Terracotta Tiles?
What’s The Safest Way To Clean Indoor Terracotta Tiles?The Spanish word for “burned earth” is terracotta. Any interior space feels dry and earthy when using terracotta tile, but the naturally porous substance can also attract dirt. Using the wrong cleaning products to clean tiles can leave behind an unsightly buildup or even harm the finish. Your sealed or unsealed terracotta can be cleaned using a variety of techniques to eliminate all but the toughest stains.
Terracotta Unsealed
Terracotta tile that isn’t protected is very fragile because the material lacks a natural glaze. Till the material can be ground, occasionally wipe the tile to remove any surface dirt. For deeply embedded soil, use warm water and carefully scrub with a soft cloth. Avoid damaging the surface by not using a wire brush or other abrasive cleaning tools. Muriatic or oxalic acid mixed with water as directed by the supplier, followed by a clean water rinse, is usually used to clean heavily stained or soiled areas.
Terracotta Sealed
The protective coating that is usually applied after installation makes sealed terracotta more stain- and maintenance-resistant. Regularly sweep the floor and use a mild household soap—ideally a non-ionic detergent designed to remove grease and grime without leaving any residue on the floor’s surface—to mop. On occasion, the grout cleaner can maintain the grout free from obstructions. Hire a contractor to steam clean heavily soiled terracotta, or hire a steam cleaner and do it yourself.
Cleaning Prior To Sealing
You might want to seal or unseal an earlier floor because maintaining sealed terracotta tiles is much simpler. To remove any remaining dirt or stains before sealing, a thorough cleaning process is performed. If you decide to use chemical cleaners, make sure to thoroughly rinse away any residue with clean water before letting the floor dry for at least 30 minutes. This is because the cleaner may conflict with the sealing product and make it impossible to install it correctly.
Removal Of Efflorescence
The terracotta tile’s porous character frequently leads to an issue known as efflorescence, in which the salts in the air precipitate on the tile’s surface and produce an opaque, off-white bloom. Most of the time, the bloom eventually fades and disappears on its own over the course of several weeks or months. It can be removed by diluting a cleaner with hydrochloric acid in accordance with the label’s directions, but it may sporadically reappear before the salt supply is exhausted.
