How To Clean Unsealed Cement Tile Floors

Encaustic tiles are those cute cement tiles (often patterned) you may have seen on Instagram, Pinterest or other design sites.

While they are a gorgeous selection — not but for their looks just the style they feel softer underfoot too — they practise require more maintenance and care than regular ceramic or porcelain tiles.

Iit's important to take care when installing them, as well equally ongoing cleaning and maintenance. Peculiarly because of the way these tiles are manufactured and have a very porous fabric.

I have encaustic tiles in my home and struggled to find good care information online. So I promise this article helps others who have or are considering using these tiles.

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Encaustic tile feature how to care for encaustic cement tiles

Installation

If you lot don't yet have encaustic tiles yet, be sure to but use an experienced and qualified tiler. They need to empathize the tile, what products and the procedure should exist used.

Encaustic tiles should be sealed before they are laid to minimise the run a risk of grout or other products staining the tiles during installation — you lot wouldn't be the first person to accept to rip up a completely new encaustic tile task!

Because of the absorptive quality, the surface of the tiles need to be kept equally clean as possible during installation. An experienced tiler would use a damp sponge to wipe away materials as they are working.

Likewise, just as of import is what happens beneath the tiles. A flexible adhesive needs to exist used and applied evenly to the substrate using a broad notched trowel. They also demand to be gently pressed down and not hammered as this could cause micro cracks.

Grout spacing should be every bit small as possible — just 1-2mm (find more info virtually tile grout joints here).

Cleaning

As I mentioned above that these tiles are porous so they need to be cleaned in a similar mode to natural stone.

That means, y'all cannot utilize any acidic or abrasive cleaners, or products containing bleach.

Use a gentle, pH-neutral cleaner such as those designed for natural stone and terrazzo floors. 'Aqua Mix Concentrated Stone & Tile Cleaner' is a popular everyday option and can exist found in nearly tile stores. Be sure to simply employ the product equally directed. We recommend you lot carry out a test make clean on an unlaid tile or inconspicuous expanse to ensure at that place are no issues.

Ongoing maintenance

Each yr, the tiles should exist cleaned with a high quality tile cleaner (non-acidic) such as 'Stone Deep Clean' past Aquamix.

Give the floor two thorough cleans with this product by mixing the solution with h2o. Use a soft scrubbing castor to remove any marks or grime from the tiles.

One time completely dry, use a penetrating sealer such as 'Sealers Option Gold' from Aquamix to protect the tiles.

The sealer can be applied past directly pouring minor amounts onto the tiles. Use a clean cloth to spread and work it into the surface.

Allow to dry for viii hours. This should be done once a year.

This article isn't sponsored but advice on proper encaustic tile care was provided by the friendly team at Tile Republic in Canberra. They accept a wide range of encaustic tiles to cull from and all the care products mentioned in this article.

I hope this data on how to care for encaustic cement tiles helps you. Practice you lot have whatsoever other questions when it comes to encaustic tiles? Post them in the comments below and we'll be certain to answer them asap!