Upon completion of the repair in the apartment, you can breathe a sigh of relief - it seems so to many, but this is not entirely true. No less important and troublesome is cleaning and cleaning the premises after renovation work, but many do not know how to wash the primer from the tiles on the floor. This is what will be discussed in our article.
Surface features
To remove all dirt from the tiles on the floor, you need to take into account some of the nuances and features. Firstly, you need to choose the right detergents, secondly, you need to take into account the type of surface to be cleaned, and thirdly, washing and cleaning should be carried out in a timely manner, then there will be no difficulties.
The first thing to do is to remove dust from the tiles with a brush or vacuum cleaner.… This must be done immediately, since the tile very quickly absorbs moisture, and with it all the dirt. This is the preparation of a new tiled floor for thorough wet cleaning.
With special trepidation, buyers use porcelain stoneware tiles for flooring, which are very resistant to both mechanical and chemical damage, but it is not so easy to care for them. When cleaning such a coating It is strictly forbidden to wash the surface using abrasive cleaners and brushes with abrasive surfaces.
In order for a floor lined with porcelain stoneware to serve for a long time, it should be periodically covered with protective agents based on natural waxes.
Types of contamination
Perfect cleaning of a tile floor after renovation depends on the correct identification of the type of contamination.
Even if during the renovation all preventive measures were taken to prevent the tiles on the floor from getting dirty, cleaning the floor is inevitable. Among the most common types of pollution, we highlight the following:
- traces of glue;
- cement mortar;
- grout trace;
- primer;
- putty, whitewash, plaster;
- paint (acrylic, oil, emulsion);
- mounting foam;
- sealant;
- resin, wax.
Glue, or minor traces of it, can be washed off with a solution containing water and vinegar or water and ammonia. The contaminated surface is abundantly wetted with a solution, and then it is cleaned with a brush or scraper, but it is best to remove the remnants of glue from the tile with a damp foam sponge during repairs.
If all attempts to clean the glue spots have not been successful, then you can try a difficult but effective method - remove the tile and soak it in a prepared solution - sugar and water, you can also use the carbonated drink "Coca-Cola".
Cement, grout, plaster can be washed off with plain water if the stains are fresh. For epoxy grout, a special epoxy solvent should be used. Toilet cleaners are often used to remove cement contamination.
As for grouting, then with this type of pollution you will have to rub your head, since it is eliminated simultaneously by two methods - chemical and mechanical. The chemical method involves the use of special acid-based products, and the mechanical method involves the use of a clerical knife or sandpaper.
Putty and construction dust can be easily removed with a solution based on ordinary laundry soap or some kind of glass cleaner.
To avoid streaks on the floor, you need to frequently change the water and rinse the surface many times.
Silicone sealant or paint can be simply cleaned off the tile or with an acetone solvent.
Resin or wax that gets on the tiles can be removed with a nitro thinner. Acetone or turpentine will also help in this case.
The primer is removed with special acetone-based solvents, and then the tiles must be well cleaned with a scraper or brush. You can also buy a special wash in stores, you can use vinegar essence. The primer mixture is very sticky, and therefore it is better to remove it immediately, because then you will have to work hard to eliminate it.
If, nevertheless, the primer managed to dry on the tile, then it must be moistened with liquid and covered with a damp cloth and left for a few minutes.
First, the polyurethane foam is carefully cut off with a knife, and the residues, after soaking them with water or acetone, are wiped off with a sponge or stiff brush.
How to choose the best product?
Floor tiles will sparkle clean after washing only if the correct cleaning agents are used to clean them. When choosing a detergent and cleaning agent, you need to consider all the nuances of the finishing material:
- the composition of the tiles;
- type of tile surface (matte, glossy);
- the type of dirt and how old the dirt stains are.
There are also universal detergents for cleaning tiles. The most common and well-known are:
- "Silit" … Perfectly removes many types of stains on ceramic surfaces and is suitable for use in any room.
- "Cinderella". An inexpensive product that can easily remove stains on tiles after a basic wash.
- "Selena". A versatile agent, suitable for the final stage of cleaning surfaces.
- Amway. An expensive tool that can handle almost all types of pollution.
- "Mr. Proper" … Universal detergent that can be used in the bathroom, in the kitchen. It copes well with light dirt on the porcelain stoneware floor.
An innovative tool in the fight against various types of floor tile contamination is melamine sponge.
It is better to wash PVC tiles after repair with special products, and not with universal ones. These include funds based on alkaline and acidic components.
Whichever product is chosen, it should be tested on a small area of the tile. If it does not harm the coating, then you can start cleaning the floor.
How to clean properly?
Cleaning floor tiles after renovation is a snap if you follow certain rules.
Ceramic tiles can have a polished, semi-polished and unpolished surface. Also, the surface can be embossed and glazed. Each of the surfaces can react differently to the chemical composition of the product. Even with the most careful repairs, the floor will still have to be washed.
Some ways to clean a tile floor after renovation using improvised means:
- We apply a toilet bowl cleaner to the soiled areas of the tiles. This should be done in several stages until the desired result is achieved.
- Cover the dirt stains with table salt and moisten with plain water.
- Apply 5% hydrochloric acid to dirty areas.
- Spray stains with glass cleaner.
- Fill the dirtiest areas on the floor with tooth powder, then sprinkle with water and use a stiff brush to clean everything.
- An aqueous solution with the addition of ammonia (1 liter of water + 1 tbsp. L. Alcohol). Gently spray over the tiles and after a while rinse thoroughly with clean water.
If the tools at hand do not cope with contamination, then cleaning should be done with special means.
Porcelain stoneware tiles remain problematic for many, since it is problematic to wash them so that after complete drying, streaks do not appear. To make such a floor streak-free, you should try a high-quality bathroom detergent. First, we soak the floor with a product, and then thoroughly rinse it with clean water.
Glossy
Glossy tiles require special care. If we talk about handicraft methods for cleaning the floor, then you can use chalk and plain paper. The paper is rubbed with chalk and the dirty areas of the tile are cleaned with it.
Glossy tiles can be easily cleaned using conventional glass and mirror cleaners, the main thing is that this product should be in the form of a gel or paste, but not powderyotherwise the surface may be damaged.
To make the floor surface shiny after cleaning, it can be treated with a special agent, of which there are many in stores, or you can use ordinary vinegar.
Matt
Floor tiles with a matte surface must be cleaned with products free from organic fats and acids. This is due to the fact that the surface of such a floor covering has a rough structure, and acids and fats can destroy it, thus shortening the life of the covering.
There are no special detergents for tiles with a matte surface, but there are a number of ways to clean it from all sorts of dirt, including stubborn dirt:
- Soap solution … After processing it, you need to rinse the floor several times with water and wipe it dry with a microfiber cloth.
- Melamine sponge, which can gently remove stubborn dirt from the matte floor surface without scratching it.
- An aqueous solution with the addition of ammonia … Apply, let stand for 10-15 minutes and wipe with a clean towel or napkins.
Sometimes ordinary felt is used to remove streaks and soap stains, but this is very effective for cleaning light-colored tiles. An indispensable tool for matte tiles is mastic.
White
White floor tiles with all sorts of dirt is a problem that requires an immediate solution, since it is quite difficult to wipe off white tiles over time. White tiles on the floor need systematic maintenance.
At home, if the white tiles are dirty, you can use ordinary chlorine. Cleaning the floor with bleach is not difficult. To do this, it is enough to buy a stiff brush with a long handle.
If you need to wash the white tiles on the floor after repairs, it will be useful to use kerosene, and then rinse and dry thoroughly.
Care Tips
A tiled floor is much easier to maintain than parquet or laminate, but you still need to take care of it, moreover, regularly, otherwise ingrained dust and dirt can spoil the appearance of the coating.
If the pollution is large and strong and cannot be removed in any way, and all cleaning methods have been tried at home, then you should resort to household chemicals for the flooring. You need to choose it for a specific surface and use it strictly according to the instructions.
Caring for floor tiles includes the care of tile joints, and the use of prophylactic agents, and the use of protective agents for tiled floors.
For information on how to properly wash porcelain stoneware tiles after renovation and in everyday life, see the next video.