QUESTION

Cleaning Porcelain Tile - since a year and a half, I have a new gres porcellanato lappato floor. The floor always looks stained, even if it is freshly cleaned. Cement has been removed with a special remover, difficult stains have been removed with "Hg remover". After doing that, the floor looked really great.

If I scrub it now (not just easy cleaning!) with a brush and with "Hg quick", or with "Lithofin intensive cleaner", it is clean, but that's a hard work. If I clean the normal way, without scrubbing and only with a mop or swab, it isn't clean at all. I know that I don't use too much of the cleaning product, and I take care to leave the tiles as dry as possible. Also, I use rainwater to prevent limestone deposit. The products that I use are especially developed for tiles like ours, and don't leave "layers" on the floor (at least, that I'm told) The kind of stains that are visible are shiny stains, for example when a table or armchair has been moved, it leaves a shiny track that only can be removed by hard work and lots of sweat... also spots and stripes are visible, especially when viewed in direct light. All kinds of light (natural from the window, or artificial from lamps, make the floor look terrible. I don't know anymore what I can do in addition to what I do now. Some people say the floor has to "mature", and "that takes time", but I don't believe that, since it is clean if it is treated very intensively. I would like to have a cleaning-method that is not too much of a work, cause I was told the floor would be a "dream" to maintain. Now, it has only been a nightmare instead. Could you give me a good advice?

ANSWER

ANSWER - Apparently your porcelain tile floor has a tendency to pick up dirt that requires you to clean it more frequently. Although porcelain tile is by definition impervious, its surface can have a tendency to pick up dirt, which can be difficult to clean. Keep in mind that the more texture the floor has the more slip resistant the floor will be, but the more frequent and difficult it is to clean. So there is a tradeoff.

I would clean the floor the way you like it. Make sure it is dry, and then apply a quality penetrating type of sealer. You can go to the Cleaners and Sealers page on my website for companies that provide these types of products. Make sure the excess sealer on the surface of the tile is wiped off within 5 minutes after applying with a "lint free cloth." The sealer acts as a bond breaker so dirt does not readily attach to the surface of the tile, and it will make the cleaning of the tile easier. The penetrating type sealers don't tend to change the color of the tile or make it too slippery. Although you should test an out of the way area on the floor to make sure you are satisfied with the results before doing your whole floor. Good Luck!
ANSWER - Apparently your porcelain tile floor has a tendency to pick up dirt that requires you to clean it more frequently. Although porcelain tile is by definition impervious, its surface can have a tendency to pick up dirt, which can be difficult to clean. Keep in mind that the more texture the floor has the more slip resistant the floor will be, but the more frequent and difficult it is to clean. So there is a tradeoff.

I would clean the floor the way you like it. Make sure it is dry, and then apply a quality penetrating type of sealer. You can go to the Cleaners and Sealers page on my website for companies that provide these types of products. Make sure the excess sealer on the surface of the tile is wiped off within 5 minutes after applying with a "lint free cloth." The sealer acts as a bond breaker so dirt does not readily attach to the surface of the tile, and it will make the cleaning of the tile easier. The penetrating type sealers don't tend to change the color of the tile or make it too slippery. Although you should test an out of the way area on the floor to make sure you are satisfied with the results before doing your whole floor. Good Luck!