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Cleaning unglazed quarry tile that are 50 yrs old
QUESTION
Cleaning Old Tile - im intersted in cleaning quarry tile that are 50 yrs. they are unglazed. they need to be clean up and reseal to bring out there natural color.. these tile were made in england some time after the war .. so would be quite intersted in some ideas or tips that u might have. thank you for your timeANSWER
ANSWER - To determine how to clean an unglazed (through body) tile you first need to determine what substances are causing it to be dirty.If there is a cement residue then a diluted phosphoric or Sulphamic acid can be used. Acid will not remove grease or some other organic stains.
I would first use a degreaser or a detergent. Wash the pavers down well and while wet apply the cleaner and let set for 5 minutes. Then scrub with a brush on an extended handle. Then either wash off with clean water into a drain or use a wet and dry vacuum to pick up the dirty water. Next rinse with clean water again. Let the pavers dry thoroughly and apply a penetrating sealer if you want a natural look or use an enhancer sealer if you want more of a wet look. Be sure to wipe the excess sealer off with a lint free cloth after about 5 minutes.
I recommend you use products recommended by a manufacturer of cleaners and sealers for ceramic tile. We do have a list of Cleaners and Sealers manufacturers under our Resources in Expert Answers.
Good Luck!
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Quarry tile, back porch, flooded. Only harm is it looks all scratched up. Need to strip old crackles finish. Best method?
If you have a true quarry tile, it is unlikely it has scratches in the clay body unless it has been abused and then there is no legitimate remedy to fix. More likely you have a sealer on the surface of the quarry tile and that is what is scratching. If that is the case they you have to use a sealer stripper to remove it. Unless it is a wax, and in that case you have to use a wax remover.