QUESTION

Why is our Porcelain Tile looking so dirty on a kitchen floor? - Our company installed porcelian tile 2weeks ago in a kitchen here in town. In the tile pattern it has faint dots and viens on tile. The dots are becoming much darker all across the tile, making the tile look dirty and ugly. How you ever heard of anything like this and what could it be???

ANSWER

ANSWER - I assume the dots and veins within the porcelain tile surface are probably low spots that are collecting dirt.  Too often I see nice porcelain tiles that look very dirty caused from the accumulation of dirt residue because the tile is not being properly cleaned and maintained.

First, the tile has to be cleaned with an appropriate degreaser.  Go to our website to the Resources on the Expert Answer page under cleaner and sealers where there are a list of manufacturers with links to their websites.  Select a cleaner which they recommend.

Too often floors are cleaned with a mop and they don't change their water frequent enough nor do they rinse the floor properly. This results in dirty water evaporating on the surface of the tile leaving a dirty residue in the low spots of the tile.

The proper way to clean a tile floor is with a scrub brush attached to an extended handle so it can be easily scrubbed without any more effort than mopping. Scrub the floor with the appropriate degreaser leaving it set for a short time per manufacturers' directions, use a wet and dry vacuum to pick up the dirty water, rinse the floor thoroughly with clean water and use the wet and dry vacuum to pick up the remaining water.

After the floor is completely clean and dry, apply a breathable penetrating type of sealer to the tile surface that is recommended for porcelain tiles.  This will act as a bond breaker so that dirt will not tend to cling to the floor and it will be easier to clean.  It will have to be re-applied every 3 to 6 months depending on how much use the floor gets. Go to our website to the Resources page on Expert Answers and select  cleaner and sealers where there is a list of manufacturers with links to their websites.  Select a cleaner and sealer which they recommend.  Make sure when you apply the sealer, that you wipe off the excess after five minutes with a lint free cloth, so it doesn't cause a problem.  Good Luck.