QUESTION

How to Seal Tile from Urine? - I am a principal of an elementary school. I have ceramic tile floors in our bathrooms and would like to know if I can seal the tile that may prevent urine from getting in the grout. I tried this before and the finish flaked off. Is there any product I can use to seal the floor and not have it flake off?

ANSWER

ANSWER - Sealers can be applied over unglazed or glazed tiles, but you must use the correct type of sealer for the respective type of tile, and you must apply it correctly to get the best results.

I assume you might have unglazed mosaics or even a glazed tile on your school bathroom floors. There are penetrating types of sealers such as Miracle 511 Impregnator that works well over both types of tile. The sealer doesn't make the tile or grout waterproof or stain proof, but it will make them resistant to moisture and staining. The sealer will make the tile easier to maintain if the sealer is maintained. Normally you have to reapply every 6 months or so depending on the degree of traffic and wear and tear that it is subjected to. The spills need to be cleaned timely and properly to prevent staining. e.g. can't use water to clean up oil stains; must use a detergent; thus use the appropriate cleaner for the respective type of spill or stain. For a list of manufacturers who make tile cleaners and sealers with links go to Cleaners and Sealers.

Key to applying sealer is to first make sure the floor and grout is perfectly clean and dry or you will trap in stains and moisture. When you apply the sealer make sure that within 5 minutes you wipe the surface dry with a lint free cloth. Otherwise the sealer can leave a sticky residue that can cause the floor to pick up dirt and can peel off.

For your type of application the floor should be cleaned daily with a disinfectant detergent cleaner using a brush on an extended handle and not a mop that most of the time just moves the surface dirt around. Use a wet and dry vacuum to pick up the dirty water and then rinse the floor with clean water and pick it up with the vacuum. You can then let it air dry. Be sure to use safety measures while the floor is wet to avoid slip fall incidents. When water doesn't bead up from the surface of the tile our grout to some degree, it is time to reseal. Good luck.