Caring for porcelain stoneware
Features of care for porcelain stoneware.
Porcelain stoneware is a wear-resistant, strong, durable material with excellent aesthetic characteristics. But in order for its exterior finish to not lose its spectacular appearance for many years, you should take care of it very carefully and carefully. And that is exactly what we will tell you in our article.
There are several main types of porcelain stoneware: matte, semi-polished, polished, waxed and glazed. Porcelain stoneware with a matt or waxed surface is resistant to all kinds of influences and is not too demanding to care for. The glazed surface is less wear-resistant, but when cleaning and polishing it, the use of brushes and abrasive cleaners should be avoided. Polished and semi-polished porcelain stoneware requires the most careful attention – when polished, small pores open on its surface, into which moisture penetrates, and over time, dirt also clogs.
It is necessary to start caring for porcelain stoneware immediately after the installation of tiles is completed. Traces of glue and grout should be removed before they harden, since in the future it will be much more difficult to do this. The seams are wetted with water, after which the porcelain stoneware surface is washed with a weak solution (5: 1) of hydrochloric acid (try to avoid getting on the seams), and then with water. After cleaning, polished and semi-polished porcelain tiles should be treated with a special water-repellent agent that will close the pores and protect the surface from dirt and moisture. In the future, it is desirable to carry out the processing of polished porcelain stoneware with special cleaning and protective compounds approximately once a year. In this case, the dirt will not accumulate in the pores and the finish will not lose its original spectacular appearance.
General care of porcelain stoneware is the usual wet cleaning. To eliminate complex contamination from the surface of the facing material, you should choose a suitable product and test it on a small area of \u200b\u200bthe tile to make sure it is harmless to the coating. Do not use detergents and cleaning agents containing hydrofluoric acid or its derivatives.
There are also special recommendations for the selection of cleaning products for porcelain stoneware:
alkaline-based cleaners (potassium carbonate, caustic soda, chlorine-containing agents) are used to remove vegetable or animal contaminants such as fat, juice, wine;
acid-based cleaners (hydrochloric, nitric, oxalic, sulfuric acid) are used to remove ink, lime, cement, glue, rust, felt-tip pen and marker marks;
solvents (gasoline, acetone, turpentine, trichloetin) are effective in combating contamination with machine oil, resins, rubber, enamel, candle wax, paint, glue.
Be very careful when using detergents containing acids, as they can ruin the appearance of the joints.
So, to summarize – caring for porcelain stoneware cladding does not require much hassle. In general, to maintain the beautiful appearance of its surface, a high-quality wet cleaning is sufficient. Separately, it is worth mentioning the additional care for the raised floors, under which the electrical wiring is mounted. This kind of tile is wiped with a damp cloth without excess water, which can seep through the seams and provoke an electrical circuit.
When choosing porcelain stoneware for finishing a room, it is advisable to immediately take into account the degree of its soiling and ease of cleaning. Margin is associated primarily with the porosity of the finishing material. Thus, matte porcelain tiles are most practical, and polished needs additional measures to protect against persistent pollution.