QUESTION

Cleaning Old Terra Cotta Tiles - We have two large areas in our home tiled with what appears to be terra cotta tiles. The looked great when we bought our home 5 yrs ago. We clean them on a regular basis but it always appeared to soak the water up and now they are pitted and stained. I called a floor cleaning company who walked in and said "can't help" and ran out of our home. The tiles look like the belong outside and just look dirty all the yome. I would like to know what to do with them. I had wanted to seal them but like I wrote the man said he couldn't help. Can they be painted? Cleaned? Sealed? Help!

ANSWER

ANSWER - Your Terra Cotta tiles can be improved with a thorough cleaning and sealing.  It won’t repair the pitting, but pitting just adds to the antique look.  Some stains can be removed and some may not be removed.

If you don’t want to do the work yourself then find another company who is willing.

There are special cleaning products for removing deep stains and there are sealers and enhancers that will improve the look of the floor and make it easier to maintain with less maintenance.

On our website under Expert Answer's Resources go to Cleaners and Sealers there is a list of manufacturers who provide sealers and enhancers. They probably can also recommend companies to perform the work.    Good Luck!