Ceramic tile is one of the healthiest flooring choices available—easy to clean, free of harmful irritants, and sustainable—all without compromising on artistic versatility.

Hygiene Guides

Ceramic tile is one of the healthiest flooring choices available—easy to clean, free of harmful irritants, and sustainable—all without compromising on artistic versatility.

Ceramic tile kitchen backsplash

When considering hygiene in your home, be careful to take all of your surfaces into account, from the floor to the ceiling, from the countertops to your outdoor patio.

Every type of ceramic tile, including porcelain tile, quarry tile, wall tile, and pressed pavers, share all these benefits of ceramic tile.

Guides for Healthy Tile Surfaces

Tile Cleaning Guide

Ceramic tile’s low-maintenance benefits make cleaning easy, so you can clean up most messes merely by sweeping, wiping with water, and drying. Learn more about regular tile maintenance and what to do for extra-tough messes, including information on recommended cleaners and disinfectants.

Health & Hygiene Tile Advantages

  • Easy to clean: Wiping with some soap and water is all that’s needed to clean up most messes — no harsh chemicals are necessary.
  • Bacteria-resistant: inhospitable to the growth of bacteria and other microbes such as mold.
  • Antimicrobial: options are available with antimicrobial properties that can suppress and even destroy harmful microorganisms, such as mold, fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
  • Hypoallergenic: contains no allergens, and allergens in the environment such as dust, dirt, and pollen can’t penetrate ceramic tile’s nonporous surface.
  • No volatile organic compounds (VOCs): VOCs are harmful gases that cause various health concerns and are emitted by virtually all flooring types except ceramic tile.
  • No formaldehyde: Some wood products may contain formaldehyde. Certain levels of formaldehyde can irritate asthma and other respiratory disorders, but ceramic tile does not contain formaldehyde.
  • No polyvinyl chloride (PVC): free of PVC, a resin found in many vinyl flooring types. PVC contains phthalates and organotins, both regularly a subject of concern among health experts.
  • No plastic: The health and environmental concerns associated with plastic aren’t an issue for ceramic tile.
  • Nontoxic: doesn’t emit any toxic fumes when exposed to fire.
  • Naturally occurring materials: a healthy choice for both you and the environment.
Cover graphic for the Healthy & Hygienic Choice: Porcelain and Tile Whitepaper

Download the guide to learn more about creating healthy and hygienic spaces with ceramic and porcelain tile.

Tile Benefits for a Healthy Planet

The materials used to make ceramic tile are often sourced within 500 miles of manufacturing facilities, significantly reducing the emissions and energy associated with long-distance shipping. Ceramic tile’s durability allows it to be used for generations, and because ceramic tile is made from naturally-occurring materials, it typically qualifies for use as clean fill at the end of its long life cycle.

Recycling

  • Pre- and post-consumer recycled content available

Salvageable

  • Can be salvaged in a major renovation and repurposed

Can be typically used as clean fill

    • Reusable as construction filler
    • Does not contribute to growing landfill issues

Lowest carbon footprint of any flooring material in North America

  • Lowest global warming potential
  • Lowest fossil fuel resource depletion

Durable

  • Life span of 75+ years
  • Lowest life cycle cost compared to other flooring materials

Energy-efficient

  • Inherent thermal mass reduces peak heating and cooling to help lower energy costs
  • Creates the possibility of natural conditioning for more stable and comfortable indoor environments

Healthy Cleaning is Simple

Keep these tips handy with this foldable download tip sheet.

Unlike many other surface materials, ceramic tile won’t fade or dull from harsher cleaning chemicals and disinfectants, should you need to use them occasionally. The Environmental Protection Agency has a list of registered cleaning disinfectants you can consult. Should you not have any of these registered products, some common household products—including simple soap and water—can also be effective disinfectants. Each cleaning agent may be more or less effective towards a particular virus or bacteria.

Healthy and Easy Tile Maintenance

Ceramic tile’s superior performance means less mess and more peace of mind. Whatever life throws on your surfaces, you’re ready for it.

Unlike many other surface materials, ceramic tile offers options that are:

  • Stain-resistant: Your life is bound to see many messes—ceramic tile doesn’t stain easily!
  • Water-resistant: Liquid spills can ruin other materials.
  • Scratch-resistant: Dents, scrapes, and cuts often seen in other materials aren’t the same danger for ceramic tile, even after years of heavy use.
  • Inhospitable to microbes: Ceramic tile’s fired surface means that the bacteria, mold, and mildew cannot settle and grow.
  • Easy to clean: You can easily clean ceramic tile merely by sweeping and/or washing with water.
  • Fade-resistant: Ceramic tile does not fade, so you can feel free to redecorate and move your furniture at any time.
Close-up of a white patterned kitchen backsplash

Healthy Home Environment

Many surface covering options contain harmful pollutants that we may be especially wary of. Ceramic tile contains none of the following contaminants and can help you create a healthy living environment:

  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Some VOCs emitted by nonceramic building products can contribute to a wide variety of health problems, including “sick building syndrome.” Because ceramic tile is produced (fired) at extremely high temperatures, producing what is called an “inorganic” material, it has zero VOCs.
  • Allergens: Ceramic tile’s hard-fired surface won’t absorb dust mites and is also inhospitable to bacteria, fungi, mold, and other irritants that contribute to allergies.
  • Formaldehyde: Some wood products may contain formaldehyde. Certain levels of formaldehyde can irritate asthma and other respiratory disorders, but ceramic tile does not contain formaldehyde.
  • Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): PVC is a resin used in some vinyl flooring and is regularly a subject of concern among health experts and builders. Ceramic tile is free of PVC.
  • Plastic: Ceramic tile contains no plastic and has none of the health or environmental concerns associated with plastic.

Healthy Outdoor Living Spaces

Ceramic tile is one of the most eco-friendly design choices for outdoor living spaces, allowing you to build alongside nature without causing nature any harm. This starts with the fact that ceramic tile introduces no harmful materials or toxins into the earth — no plastic-based materials, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or formaldehyde.

L195_r_ORBIS

Blogs

Health & Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile doesn’t just look good — it promotes a healthy and hygienic environment.

image

Ceramic Tile: A Healthy Choice for a Healthy Planet

Growing concerns about health mean that we need to set the bar higher when it comes to the building products and practices we use in our homes. Modern consumers know that health is about more than just a clean appearance – products aren’t really “healthy” unless they’re safe for us and the environment.

White Marble-Look Porcelain

Easy Cleaning Tips for Porcelain and Ceramic Tile

Low-maintenance care is one of the hallmarks of ceramic and porcelain tile. Check out these quick and easy tips for cleaning and disinfecting tile and grout, including recommendations for cleaning products.

Kitchen-1024x512

Post-Pandemic Dream Kitchen Guide

“Home” has taken on new meaning in 2020. Once a place to rest and recharge after work, school, and socializing, our homes are now makeshift offices, classrooms, gyms, studios—you name it.

Baby crawling on carpet

How Dirty Are Your Carpets? A Robot Baby Reveals the Ugly Truth

Floors collect all the things that we bring into our homes, and not just from what’s on our shoes — although those can be the worst. Just think about where the average person walks throughout their day, from public restrooms to city sidewalks, and you will have an idea of the filth that gets tracked inside. Our intent, of course, is to be able to wipe away these dangers.

Health Benefits of Ceramic Tile

You could fill a book with the benefits of ceramic tile—from its timeless aesthetic value to its ecological sustainability. The greatest benefit of ceramic tile is that it is made of naturally occurring materials and therefore has a healthy advantage over other flooring options.

5-Healthy-Reasons-blog-post

5 Healthy Reasons to Choose Ceramic Tile For Your Next Project

Did you know that everything you put in your space impacts the quality of the air you breathe? That’s right, including your floors and walls, and every other surface in your home or place of work!

Extra Resources