QUESTION

Cleaning Glazed Ceramic Tile - I have a glazed ceramic tile floor in my kitchen. Everyone says you don't need to seal glazed tile, but the dirt sticks in the little cerevises it does have. I spent 6 hours scrubbing the floor and finally got it clean. What can I possibly put on the floor to make it eaiser to clean where the dirt will come right up? Is there a wax or a certain sealer to apply to glazed ceramic tile?

ANSWER

ANSWER - I normally do recommend using a sealer on a glazed tile just to help avoid the maintenance problem you are experiencing.  Glazed tiles do not absorb, but if you apply a penetrating sealer to the glaze tile surface and then wipe it off with a lint free cloth within minutes it will act as a bond breaker.  If you use too much sealer and don't wipe it off before it dries it can get sticky and cause a bigger cleaning problem.  Using a sealer will help reduce the tendency of the dirt to cling to the tile surface, and help make it easier to clean it.

Sounds like you have a slate textured finish on your tile.  That type of tile will have tendency to collect dirt if you don't clean it properly. If you mop it and let the dirty water dry on the tile then the resultant dirt residue will find its way into those crevices.  To clean the tile use a neutral base cleaner manufactured for cleaning tile. Get a brush on an extended broom handle and scrub the floor with the tile cleaner.  It is no more effort than mopping.  Then get a wet and dry vacuum and pick up the dirty water, so you don't leave a dirt residue on the tile.

Go to our website at www.CTaSC.com and under Expert Answer's Resources there is a page with a list of manufacturers of cleaners and sealers with links to their website.  Select a tile cleaner to clean your tile, and select a sealer for glazed tiles to seal your tile after the tile and grout is perfectly clean and dry.  Good Luck.