How to clean and maintain a technical porcelain floor: Daily cleaning

One of the great things about technical porcelain is that it doesn’t need any special treatments to stay in great shape over time – or when exposed to adverse conditions. Here are some tips for daily care. Easy and simple maintenance.

Cleaning store or shopping centre floors or other large areas:

We recommend using industrial cleaning equipment with hot water. Never use oily or coloured waxes or soaps. They’ll damage the non-slip properties of the technical porcelain, and they can tarnish tiles with a polished surface. Follow the machine manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of detergents.

General dust and dirt on technical porcelain: When you’re cleaning dust or any residue remaining on the ceramic surface after washing with water, it’s a good idea to use a dry mop without any wax or polish – these products could mask the beauty of the ceramic material.

For general cleaning, we recommend vacuuming or sweeping the surface, then wiping it with neutral cleaning solution, diluted as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Porcelanosa Group offers a range of cleaning solutions (neutral, basic, etc.). You can see which products are available here: www.butech.es.

In areas susceptible to more dirt (such as kitchen floors, etc.) you can add a floor-cleaning detergent containing bleach or ammonia to the water (in such cases we recommend always giving a final wipe with water at the end).

Cleaning oil and fat from full-body technical porcelain: You can now get hold of special products for cleaning fatty or oily marks, such as alkaline or degreasing detergents. Any light marks can be easily removed using an ammonia solution.

But if your stain is more persistent, you’ll need to use the right cleaning products. There’s a huge range of floor-cleaning products on the market, with specific formulations for removing this type of dirt. You can also use commercial degreasing agents, which are much stronger. This is what we’d recommend for kitchen or restaurant floors.

Specific stains: You might sometimes find residue on the surface coating from certain substances following a spillage (coffee, paint, etc.). You may not be able to get rid of some marks with standard cleaning, and you might need to give them a special treatment, depending on the stain.

Timing is everything, and the longer the substance remains on the tile the harder it could be to remove, so always clean the area as soon as you can; this will prevent it from drying, and it’ll clean more easily.

The first clean after installing your technical porcelain floor

After installing your ceramic tiles, you’ll often find the remains of cement on the surface, in the form of a film or small accumulations that will affect the look of the tile. And if you don’t get rid of them, they could have a major impact on the final look of the product.
You need to wait around 24-48 hours before carrying out this final clean (removing the remains of cement), to make sure the grout has set.

During and after installation, you should protect the floor from any subsequent work being carried out on the site (using cardboard, sawdust, etc.).
Some commercial products are available – cement removers or descaling agents – which are acid solutions used to get rid of cement residue.

But remember:

• Always consider the properties of the tiles and the manufacturer’s recommendations
• Do not use metal scrapers/spatulas or metal brushes

Descaling agents should be diluted in water, and you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and take the necessary precautions (for example wear gloves when handling, adequate ventilation, etc.)

It’s a good idea to test the product before use: apply it somewhere you can’t see it, or even to an uninstalled tile. Leave it to act for a reasonable time and check there isn’t any damage to the surface of the tile.

Avoid using any concentrates that contain abrasive particles or hydrochloric acid, which could contain traces of hydrofluoric acid. This can react with any type of ceramic material and considerably alter the surface appearance.

*Hydrochloric acid vapours can dissolve any metals close to the application site.

Regular cleaning and maintenance of technical porcelain

How you use and maintain a surface will determine how well it lasts. Given the fact that further work will be done following the ceramic floor tile installation, you need to protect the tiles against any damage by covering them with cardboard, plastic sheets, etc.

Once the works are completed, remove any residue as soon as you can. If you spill a product on the floor that could result in a stain, it’s a good idea to clean it as soon as possible before it dries. Once it’s set in, it will be more difficult to remove.

We recommend using your usual detergent diluted with clean water for daily cleaning. Ceramic tiles are manufactured to last, and you should follow certain guidelines for general upkeep and use:

• Frequent cleaning
• Use doormats or rugs to keep the surface free from any abrasive dirt
• Protect it from any objects being moved across the ceramic floor
• Avoid overloading the surface or dropping any sharp objects on it
• Do not apply waxes or oils etc. Because of porcelain’s minimal porosity they won’t work, and they can result in the surface looking tarnished in the light.

How to clean paving on outdoor terraces, gardens or non-slip areas:

Non-slip technical porcelain designs have specific surface characteristics due to their inherent nature, and are less hygienic (dirt will accumulate more easily, and will be harder to remove) than designs without a non-slip treatment.

This is why you should only really use these types of tiles in spaces where it’s absolutely necessary, whether for legal or regulatory requirements or for safety purposes, to minimise the risk of slips or falls in specific areas (raised terrace flooring, water-resistant floors, exterior ramps, garden paving, etc.).

In order to minimise any traces of grout or other jointing materials on technical porcelain, you should take a number of precautions that will make subsequent cleaning easier, and avoid the use of any aggressive cleaning methods:

• Take care with how you construct and organise access routes to keep the surface as dry as possible, preventing any water from accumulating (slopes, suitable outlets, drainage, etc.)
• Take care to prevent the grout from hardening on the non-slip surface, removing any adhesive residue before it sets, and using a sufficient amount of water to do so effectively. When grouting the area, do it in stages, one small area at a time, immediately removing the grout from the ceramic surface.

Use plenty of clean water to remove any residue from the ceramic surface. This will prevent the residue from forming deposits on the tiles.

Because these tiles have a rougher texture, removing residue from the surface once the cement material has set will be much more difficult.

• Protect the flooring until all the remodelling works are complete. This will prevent any damage or stains before completion of the works.

Warning:

• Avoid aggressive cleaning products or methods, especially rotary floor scrubbers with hard pads. They will polish the surface, and gradually reduce resistance against slipping.
• Avoid using metal scrapers/spatulas or abrasive scouring pads when cleaning, and do not use concentrated chemicals.

Regular maintenance and cleaning of full-body technical porcelain:

We recommend installing solutions to prevent the build-up of dirt at all entrances, such as doormats or rugs, as a preventive measure which will mean you need to clean the floor less regularly.

A number of cleaning systems can be used for this type of surface:

• Pressure washing equipment or systems (water).
• Steam cleaning systems.
• A plastic-bristle brush, rinsed with plenty of water.
• You can use a rotary scrubber provided it has a plastic brush cleaning tool.
• In terms of cleaning products, you can use any commercial, bleach-based disinfectant. Avoid using soap or other cleaning products that contain wax, as it can increase the risk of accidents.