Tile & Grout Cleaning | Floor Cleaning Dublin
Deep cleaning a tile floor and the grout can be very problematic if you are not aware of a number of things about that particular type of floor i.e. the cleaning method needed and the cleaning product that you might plan to use. What should be a basic deep cleaning project can end up with permanent damage to the floor itself or no effect at all. Many people are looking for the perfect solution for all their tile floors and grout, but we can tell you right now, it does not exist. There is not a single floor cleaning product that works on all tile floors and achieves spectacular results on grout lines as well. Why is that?
Tile & Grout Cleaning | Floor Cleaning Dublin | Types of floors
Because “tile floors” is a very broad word. It can mean any type of tile floor. 99% of people can’t tell which floor is porcelain, which one is ceramic, which one is natural stone or in some cases, what type of floor they own. There are a number of highly effective tile cleaners, high PH, highly active and very acidic that will 100% deep clean all your tiles and grout lines, but in the process will also destroy the sheen and gloss of the tiles while creating porosity on the surface. The idea is to deep clean your tile & grout safely and without damaging it. This is where knowledge and experience comes in handy. This is why, for some particular types of floor cleaning projects, you will need to use the services of a professional floor cleaning company like Floor Cleaning Dublin. After all, most floor cleaning products look pretty much the same when inside the bottle but react in a different way when applied to the floor. Not knowing which products work best and where can lead to irreparable floor damage.
The most common types of floors in Ireland are travertine tiles, slate tiles, marble tiles, terrazzo tiles, terracotta tiles, ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles and victorian tiles. There are many other types of tiles out there but most people would have these tiles installed in their kitchen floors, bathroom floors, patio floors, living room floors & other areas. Tile floors are easy to clean and very durable. While some can be pretty cheap, others cost alot money. But they all need regular cleaning and maintenance to stay in top condition. This is where most people fail. They use the wrong cleaning products to clean and maintain their floors.
Tile & Grout Cleaning | Floor Cleaning Dublin | Wrong Products
How can a floor cleaning product be wrong? Well, it all depends on what you plan to achieve when you wash your floors. If you are looking for a dull and patchy finish and residue left all over the grout line, then you will achieve that by using a floor maintainer on a highly polished porcelain or marble floor. But if you are after a streak free, spotless grout lines & eco cleaning product, then you should read this article in full.
Assess Your Own Floor – If there is a way of finding out what type of floor you own, do so before purchasing a floor cleaner. Many strong heavy duty floor cleaning products are strippers as well. That means that you will remove most of the dirt out but at the same time you will also remove whatever sealant or impregnator that might be on your floor. This could negatively affect the appearance of your floor by creating dull patches and imperfect sheen levels.
Acidic Reactions – Some heavy duty floor cleaning products are highly acidic. While a high acidity would not affect a cheap and matt looking porcelain floor, it can dramatically increase the porosity levels on porcelain tiles and all natural stone floors. If the product you have just purchased says “acidic floor cleaner”, use a very high dilution rate or pre-test for compatibility.
Alkaline Products – All professional floor cleaners are rated by their PH levels. A PH level over 7 means that you are using a heavy duty alkaline floor cleaner that can cause serious damage if used unwisely. Of course, the product can be perfect for your particular requirements, but it can also work against you if misused.
All Floor Cleaning Products are listed in some kind of category so the buyer is fully aware of what they are buying. Not all people’s requirements are the same so not all floor cleaning products are the same.
Floor Maintainers – A very low PH floor cleaner that will “maintain” the actual condition of your floor. If a particular type of floor is getting washed a number of times per week, there is no need to use a very strong cleaning product to wash it. Being washed so often, the dirt has no chance of building up. Also, a maintainer is a repairing product. Highly polished floors tend to dull up over time from all the use and abuse. A quality floor maintainer will penetrate dull areas and patchy areas and will rebuild some of the lost gloss. Every time the floor is washed, a thin coat of maintainer will re-glaze the floor and will help repair it. A floor maintainer has little cleaning power, is 100% safe and can be used on all “sealed” floors. A low PH floor maintainer cannot be used for heavy duty floor cleaning projects. Also, a floor maintainer has to maintain a sealer or a floor polish. Used on an unsealed tile floor it will only impregnate the tile with residue.
Floor Cleaners – Some tile floors that have a lot of daily traffic will require a stronger floor cleaning product to prevent the dirt from building up. In this category are all tile cleaners with a medium PH. A medium PH will include all floor cleaners with a PH of between 7 to 10. These professional floor cleaning products will remove dirt, will clean the grout and will maintain the tile floor in a top notch condition. A day to day floor cleaning product can be used with a standard mopping solution, a flat mopping system or with a scrubber drier. If you plan to use your floor cleaning product in conjunction with a scrubber drier, you need to make sure that the product is low foam otherwise your machine will be blocked by foam. An important thing to consider when buying a floor cleaning product is the color of it. If you own really white tile floors, you should not buy a very dark or dark red floor cleaner. It might leave a color residue on the tile. So for a dark tile floor you can use any color floor cleaner but for a very light colored tile floor you should be using a colorless floor cleaner.
Heavy Duty Floor Cleaners – If a particular floor was neglected for very long periods of time, then a very strong product should be used to remove impregnated dirt and old patina. There are a number of heavy duty floor cleaners out there that will remove organic growth, alga, grease, oils, food residue, markings & all other types of residue, without negatively affecting the tile floor. A heavy duty floor cleaner is not suitable for daily cleaning and maintenance. Using a very alkaline floor cleaner on a daily basis could damage your floors. But for heavy duty floor cleaning projects, go for it. Bear in mind that all heavy duty floor cleaners are highly concentrated and very active. If you read the label, you should be able to find out what the dilution rate and the PH is. Use the product on the tile floor only and avoid direct contact with your skin. The heavy duty floor cleaners are usually used by the professional floor cleaning industry for restoring and refurbishing old and worn floors. The heavy duty floor cleaner’s main job is to soften up dirt and prepare the surface for scrubbing. A low speed floor scrubber should be used to fully break the dirt apart and then the waste should be extracted with a wet vac.
Floor Cleaners & Wax Removers – This category of floor cleaners is the most “risky” one. The main reason is that most people are not even aware that there is a sealer on their own floor. This type of floor cleaner will deep clean the floor, will deep clean the grout and it will leave the floor in its original state. That means that all waxes, impregnators & sealers will be also fully removed. Many people are buying wax removers to deep clean their floors only to cause a much bigger problem for themselves. So before getting excited about using a new floor cleaning product on your highly polished tile floor, read the label. If it says wax remover, floor stripper & polish remover, tread carefully. We do not recommend these products for the residential floor cleaning market unless it is used by a professional floor cleaning company.
So what are the best brands of floor cleaning products out there? There are so many companies advertising their own products. Well, after 15 years of cleaning and restoring all types of tile floors, Floor Cleaning Dublin has settled on two brands of floor cleaning products that work great and do not cost a fortune. We usually use Faber & Cleanfast range of products. Below, we will detail all the products and how to use them.
Porcelain Floors – porcelain floors must be one of the most popular and most affordable floors. But maintaining the sheen on this type of highly polished floor is not easy at all. While some products will work well, the floor can dry up streaky and marked. For daily cleaning and maintenance of highly polished porcelain floors we can recommend :
Cleanfast Glass & Stainless Steel Cleaner – Yes. A glass cleaner. Try it and you will love it. This alcohol based glass cleaner and degreaser will deep clean your floor and it will evaporate within a few seconds to leave the floor looking like a mirror. The product is cheap, works instantly and provides outstanding results. Use this product for daily cleaning and maintenance.
Faber 30 – The most advanced and the most effective porcelain floor cleaner available worldwide. The product is also a wax stripper and polish remover so the user should be careful not to touch other floors. The product will remove residue from the tile and the grout line. It contains a pleasant fragrance and it will not negatively affect the floor. The most widely used porcelain floor cleaning product by the professional floor cleaning industry. Faber 30 can be successfully used on other types of floors as well, but it works the best on porcelain floors.
Faber Deterfug – A slightly alkaline floor cleaner compatible with all glossy and matt finish porcelain floors. The product can be used for deep cleaning services and floor restoration services. The amazing Faber Deterfug is especially efficient on the grout line & on removing stains and old salt/mineral spots from porcelain floors. A heavy duty floor cleaner that will restore any porcelain floor.
Faber Star Shine Easy – this unique product is a polishing cream that will restore lost gloss and it will increase the level of sheen on any glossy porcelain floor. The product has to be buffed in with a white pad. Spectacular results guaranteed to those who have polished or used porcelain polishing creams before.
What can go wrong while cleaning porcelain floors? Many people do not respect the recommended dilution and this can cause permanent discolorations. Some people might attempt to use very abrasive pads to scrub a porcelain floor and it can permanently scratch the top coat. Some people will over soak the floor and the surface will dry streaky and dull.
Ceramic Floors – pretty much all ceramic floors are bullet proof. Damaging a ceramic floor with a cleaning agent is a pretty hard job but some people have succeeded. Ceramic floors are compact, very durable, pretty affordable and available in a wide range of colors and shapes. While most ceramic floors are already sealed, some people that are looking for some extra protection or some extra sheen can add 1-2 coats of a solvent or water based floor sealer. Pretty much all heavy duty floor cleaners are compatible with a ceramic floor but some work better than others.
Faber DECERA/P – this alkaline concentrated floor cleaner provides unequaled results on all ceramic floors. The product can be used on sealed and unsealed ceramic tiles. Diluted 1 to 20, the product will break apart all kinds of impregnated dirt and residue from the surface of the tile. It can be used occasionally to deep clean the tiles or on a daily basis for deep cleaning and maintaining high traffic commercial floors. The amazing Faber DECERA/P is a low foam floor cleaner compatible with a scrubber drier.
Faber Dissycot – this super heavy duty acidic floor cleaner can only be used on unsealed ceramic tiles. The product is recommended as a heavy duty deep cleaning agent for floors that were not used for very long periods of time or for floors that were heavily used during construction work. It will dissolve mortar, skim, plaster, glues, cement & all types of impregnated dirt. Faber Dissycot is a very active product and it needs to be used with care. Full hand and eye protection is recommended. The product is fume free but it can burn badly in contact with the skin. This heavy duty floor cleaner is highly appreciated by the professional floor cleaning industry.
Cleanfast Floor Cleaner – a cheap but highly effective floor cleaner that will degrease, descale and help exfoliate dirt from ceramic tiles. The product is PH 13, highly concentrated and usually used for heavy duty commercial floor cleaning. The new Cleanfast Floor Cleaner is the perfect floor cleaner for large commercial floors, shops, factories, schools, pubs, etc. Outstanding cleaning power guaranteed. It can be used for heavy duty floor cleaning and floor maintenance projects.
Cleanfast Multi-Shine Maintainer – a low PH, pleasantly perfumed floor maintainer from Cleanfast. This product is suitable for daily cleaning and maintenance of all types of ceramic floors. The product will remove superficial stains and it will refresh the room as well. Highly concentrated, very affordable and really loved by all commercial users.
Faber Algafloor – a top of the range daily cleaner and maintainer compatible with all ceramic floors. This product is safe, efficient & very well priced. It is not suitable for heavy duty floor cleaning projects. It contains a pleasant perfume and it is usually popular with the upscale market.
What can go wrong with ceramic floors? The main thing that can go wrong with the ceramic tiles is using unsuitable cleaning products. Many commercial floor owners use pine gel and lemon gel in their attempt to save money. These products can make the floor very sticky and very patchy. Also, poor quality sealers can also affect the look of your floors.
Marble Floors – marble floors were expensive 2000 years ago and are still expensive today. A well maintained marble floor can create a special “rich” feeling and can enhance the look of any property. But marble, being a natural stone, is likely to require a lot of cleaning and maintenance to stay in tip top condition. We do not recommend the use of any heavy duty floor cleaners on marble to avoid creating porosity and killing off the sheen. For all kinds of heavy duty marble floor cleaning projects you should contact Floor Cleaning Dublin.
Faber Neugel – the most innovative, the safest and the most highly recommended marble floor cleaner and marble floor maintainer in the world. A unique product in its own league that will maintain your newly polished marble floors 100% streak free and residue free. Faber Neugel is a thick gel that is known to last for very long periods of time. It can be used diluted 1 to 100 for daily marble cleaning projects. The product will protect the sheen, it will maintain the stone in top condition and it will prevent damage to the floor. Faber Neugel is not cheap but it lasts for very long periods of time. The product is highly appreciated by the commercial & residential marble floor cleaning industry. Besides the fact that the new Faber Neugel is highly effective and safe to use on polished and unpolished marble floors, the product is also very eco friendly. Do not wash your newly polished marble floors with active or acidic products.
Faber Soap Cleaner – this professional soap cleaner was designed for cleaning and maintaining highly polished marble floors. The product is highly concentrated and suitable for maintaining all types of marble floors. The new Faber Soap Cleaner is highly popular with the professional marble polishing and marble cleaning business because it creates a unique streak free finish on marble floors. The new Faber Soap Cleaner is a maintainer that repairs dull patches and maintains the high levels of gloss. This product is not cheap but the results it provides are worth every penny.
All the products listed above also work on slate floors, concrete floors, terrazzo floors, victorian tiles, terracotta and other types of floors. There are some types of very sensitive floors that require much more attention and much more care, but most residential floors can be deep cleaned and maintained with the products listed above.
Floor Cleaning Dublin. Your floors can be washed and maintained daily without any expensive floor cleaning technology. A normal mop or a flat mopping system will do the job. But from time to time you will notice that your standard floor cleaner and floor maintainer does not work any longer. The time for you to call Floor Cleaning Dublin has just arrived. We are a professional floor cleaning and floor restoration company with over 15 years experience. We are happy to contract small residential floor cleaning projects and also large commercial floor cleaning projects. Our standard floor cleaning services include:
Tile & Grout Cleaning
Stain Removal & Spot Removal
Tile Sealing & Polishing
Marble Polishing & Restoration
Marble Deep Cleaning
Terracotta Deep Cleaning & Sealing
Terrazzo Deep Cleaning & Sealing
Ceramic Floor Cleaning & Polishing
Porcelain Floor Cleaning & Polishing
Travertine Deep Cleaning & Polishing
Floor Cleaning Dublin owns heavy duty floor cleaning equipment and we are use some of the most advanced floor cleaning products, floor impregnators, marble polishing powders & floor strippers. We provide free no obligation estimates for all types of floor cleaning contracts. Hassle free floor cleaning company with over 15 years experience. Book our services online or over the phone.
