My Tile Looks Dirty and Won't Come Clean

QUESTION

My Tile Looks Dirty and Won't Come Clean - I do have a question concerning ceramic tile. We just moved into a new home with ceramic tile floors and have noticed that the luster of the tile on the floor when compared to the luster on tiles from an extra box is gone. The floor tile looks dirty and the flooring installers/builder have done an acid wash (sulfamic acid solution) without any impact. We have tried to clean it with water only and again no luck. Can anyone shed an insight as to potential causes?

ANSWER

 ANSWER - There are many types of ceramic tile that have different physical properties and different limitations.  Not sure if your tile is glazed or unglazed or polished, or what the body type is of the ceramic tile e.g. porcelain, vitreous, etc.
You indicate it is a new tile, so I am going to assume you have a glazed tile (clay body tile with a glazed impervious surface) or a polished surface tile.   You say the luster (sheen) of the unused extra tiles has much more of shine than the installed tiles on the floor, and the floor has a dirty look.  You used sulphamic acid to try to remove the apparent haze and it didn't work.  I assume you also tried a cleaning detergent to clean the tile surface that did not work.


If there was a cement film/haze on the tile left over from the tile installation the sulphamic acid should have worked.  Sulphamic acid is a very mild acid and generally safe acid, unlike muriatic acid.   If the floor had previously been cleaned with a strong solution of muriatic acid, or some type of acid cleaner, it could have etched the glazed or polished surface of the tile.  This would permanently left a type of haze on the glazed tile surface that can't be remediated.   It would have left a haze on the polished tile surface, but it can be remediated by repolishing the tile.   Unglazed tiles normally do not etch from being subjected to acids.


It is possible that a sealer was applied to the surface of the tile and grout to make it easier to keep clean and avoid staining in the grout joints.  Certain types of sealers can trap moisture in the tile and develop a cloudy look.  Or sometimes if the sealer isn't buffed dry on dense tiles it can become tacky and pick up dirt.  In this case you have to strip the sealer off with a sealer stripped as provided by many tile and stone cleaner and sealer manufacturers.  You can go to our website in the Resources section to see a list of manufacturers with links to their websites.


The other possibility is that the polished or glazed tile has an optical haze.  An optical haze is cloudy mottled look that can only been seen under certain conditions and angles when light is reflecting off of the surface of the tile.  It may occur when certain lights are turned on due to how they are positioned in the house or it may occur at certain times of the day near windows that allow sunlight that comes in.  Other than when the tile is subjected to those conditions the haze isn't noticeable.   The haze is the result of how the tile is either polished or glazed during the manufacturing of it.  In these cases, you need to control the source of the light to prevent the haze from being noticed by closing curtains at certain times of the day or moving your lighting inside of the house.


You need to experiment in order to determine what is causing your tile to appear as it does, and then to determine how to remediate the problem.

13 thoughts on “My Tile Looks Dirty and Won’t Come Clean

  1. Tibor Mezey says:

    I just installed matte or unglazed penny tiles. I’m dealing with the same situation. You clean them but when they dry they look dusty.

  2. Stephanie Lynn Firment says:

    I’m having the same issue. I just washed mine 3x & then went over it w just hot water. It looks so dull & if you walk on it w bare feet or even socks, you can see even the tiniest mark’s EVERYWHERE! It constantly looks dirty. My heart is sad as we layed this throughout the whole house-Ughhhhh. & yes, the Sunlight is plentiful so you CAN REALLY see it!!! Any insight is appreciated.

    • Donato Pompo says:

      As stated above it depends on what type of tile you have to determine what are your options. Also what does the tiles that have not been installed look like. If they have the same condition then I would assume the manufacturer intended to have that look. If it doesn’t have the same dull look then you have to determine what has the tile been subjected to during or since the installation. If it is a grout or thin-set haze there are cleaners for removing those. If it is some other type of residual on the tile then you have to determine what it is in order to know how to remove it.

      If it is a glazed ceramic tile you should use a neutral detergent with a bristle scrub brush on an extended handle to see if it is clean able. If the tile is intended to look dull then you could always use a wax product to give it a sheen, although that will create more maintenance in maintaining the tile.

    • Lynne Cooley says:

      I am dealing with the same issue, and it drives me crazy. Glazed porcelain travertine tiles, I think, installed with new house. No matter how much I clean, the tiles look dirty and esp show foot traffic from bare feet, socks. etc. I’ve read about the “lighting” and this seems like a no-win situation. I would never had selected these tiles, had I known that no cleaner will improve the situation. Infuriating.

      • Donato Pompo says:

        The question is whether your tiles are dirty and you can’t clean them or if they have polishing marks. If it fact you have a glazed tile, then they would not have polishing marks.

        There are sealers that can be applied to the tile surface that will help keep the tiles from picking up dirt and foot prints. The porcelain tile is very dense, so when you apply an impregnating sealer it won’t absorb much so you have to buff it dry right away with a dry lint free cloth or the surface will become sticky.

        Before you seal the tile you have to make sure it is clean to your satisfaction or you will trap the dirt or stains on the tile. I have heard some say that Miracle 511 impregnator sealer worked well for them. Their contact info and others is listed on our site at https://ctasc.com/category/resources/cleaners-sealers/.

        To properly clean the tile floor, you should use a neutral based detergent in water. Get a scrub brush on an extended handle. Wet and soak the floor for about 10 minutes and then scrub. Use a wet vacuum to pick up the dirty water. Rinse the floor with clean water and pick it up with the wet vacuum. Let the floor dry over night and seal with an appropriate sealer to act as a bond breaker so things won’t tend to stick to it.

  3. Nanette Kilberg says:

    I have had tile installed in my bathroom and is always dirty. I clean it and the next day there is dirt on it. I cant keep it clean. I think it was not finished or glazed. I called the contractor and he was suppose to call the tile supplier, however no response.

    • Donato Pompo says:

      Some tiles have finish or texture on it that might be more slip resistant, but gets dirty faster and you have to clean it more frequently.

      To help diminish the tile surface from picking up dirt and foot prints, you can apply a penetrating sealer over it like Miracle 511 Impregnator. For porous tiles they will readily absorb the sealer. For less porous tiles you have to immediately wipe the floor dry with a lint-free cloth after applying the sealer or if it dries on the tile surface it will get tacky and be a bigger problem.

  4. Bernadette Hart says:

    Hello, we had installed tile wood looking floor about three years ago. The floors look dirty all the time even after cleaning them. We have tried every product, even just hot water and vinegar. We have even had the Floors steam cleaned by a professional. They stayed fairly clean for about two days and then returned to the dirty look again. Help! Someone recommended that I Seal them, as they were neighbors sealed when they were installed.

    • Donato Pompo says:

      You don’t want to use vinegar to clean tile as it is acidic and can harm the surface of some tiles if too concentrated. Plus it isn’t a degreaser to remove more common soiling to floors.

      Your wood looking tile probably has a texture to it to make it look more authentic. Textured surfaces to provide more slip resistance but can cause more maintenance as it gets dirty more frequently.

      You should use a neutral based detergent in water. Get a scrub brush on an extended handle. Wet and soak the floor for about 10 minutes and then scrub. Use a wet vacuum to pick up the dirty water. Rinse the floor with clean water and pick it up with the wet vacuum. Let the floor dry over night and seal with an appropriate sealer to act as a bond breaker so things won’t tend to stick to it.

      To help diminish the tile surface from picking up dirt and foot prints, you can apply a penetrating sealer over it like Miracle 511 Impregnator. For porous tiles they will readily absorb the sealer. For less porous tiles you have to immediately wipe the floor dry with a lint-free cloth after applying the sealer or if it dries on the tile surface it will get tacky and be a bigger problem.

  5. Ann Marie Wellhouse says:

    I have 30 year old unfinished Saltillo tiles that I love.

    They are getting older and still look good but are now dull. I know how to clean them but not shine them.

    Is there any way to shine them a bit without sanding and without adding a plastic coating?

    Will baking soda with a buffer machine do it?

    Our experience with coatings is that they break down in about 5 years and leave ugly discolored streaks on the tile. We did one bedroom that way and regret it.

    • Donato Pompo says:

      Sealers don’t last all that long depending on the environment, traffic conditions, and climatic conditions they are subjected to.

      You do want to avoid surface sealers that tend to eventually peal and you have to strip off.

      There penetrating enhancer sealers that enhance the color, but doesn’t provide a sheen or if they do it is a very low sheen. There are some sealers that will provide a more robust sheen, but you are likely going to need to reapply the sealer at least annually to maintain the look in an exterior environment. Glaze N Seal has a variety of sealers that provide different levels of sheen. Their website info and others are located on our website at: https://ctasc.com/category/resources/cleaners-sealers/

  6. Eric says:

    I have wood-look porcelain tile only two weeks old. Looked pretty good (except for some stains from installation which the installers couldn’t remove despite an acid wash and won’t come out for me) until I moved in and started walking on it. Now it’s dull and splotchy (ESPECIALLY in natural light) and can’t be cleaned. Shoes leave marks (scuffs as well as shoeprints), but bare feet and white socks turn black (as if walking on asphalt). I’m bitterly disappointed. Friends and family with porcelain tile are mystified, saying nothing like this has ever happened to them. This has cost well over $10K in supplies and labor after MONTHS of planning, labor, and approval hassles. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

    • Donato Pompo says:

      It is always questionable about using acid on tile to clean it particularly muriatic acid, which is very corrosive. Also it depends on what the concentration is of the acid. There are products sold with highly diluted phosphoric or sulfamic acid that can be used without hurting the tile.

      Many of the tile adhesives and grouts are polymer modified products which is a dry form of latex so they won’t come clean with acid. You need to use a latex remover for those types of residues.

      Assuming the acid hasn’t caused a problem that might not be repairable, how you clean the tile can be important. Textured tile surfaces are going to have more of a propensity to pick up dirt and require more effort to keep it clean, but they are more slip resistant.

      Normally the best way to clean a tile that has dirt or grease is to add a cleaning detergent to clean water. Apply the water on the floor and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then scrub the floor with a bristle brush on an extended handle. Use a wet vacuum to remove the dirty water. Rinse the floor with clean water. Use a wet vacuum to remove the rinse water. Let it air fry and buff dry it with a lint free cloth.

      What you need to do is experiment with different cleaners on tiles out of the way to see what works and is acceptable to you before applying that method over the entire floor.

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