If you have decided to clean or restore your Natural Stones or Ceramic (porcelain) tiles and grout, you should take five minutes to read this memo that will help you to understand what this whole process entails. Natural Stones can only be cleaned with alkaline based solutions, different than Ceramic (or porcelain) tiles that can be treated with Alkaline or Acid based solutions. Once the surface has been cleaned/restored, the old sealer most likely is completely gone, so a new Seal application is always recommended. -Why sealer application is very important? The sealer helps to keep clean and protect the stones surface and the grout from getting stained from accidents that can occur around your place such coffee, juices, oils, etc. It also helps to protect the surface from soil deposit and polluted air such as: smog, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, etc. It is definitely a good investment, but please, you have to understand that no sealer solution can make miracles. Some liquids with high concentration of dye colors may still stain your stone or grout even if there is a new sealer. The sealer will also not able to protect your stone from getting scratched. -What to do after the entire process has been done and a new sealer has been applied? A) Before you can mop or clean the surface, you need to wait 72 hours (3 days). B) The new sealer solution may leave a noticeable film on the tiles surface (ceramic/porcelain) or a dull look in your stones. However, that coating will come-out in few days or after few times it has been mopped. C) Check your furniture legs (couch, chairs, etc.) if there are any metal parts that can easily scratch the Stones and if that is the case, replace these with soft sticky pads, which are available from your local hardware supply store. -How to take care of the sealer? Many standard cleaning products you buy from your local supply store, may offer you a great cleaning results, but many of those can easily ruin the sealer efficiency. Avoiding products that contain Ammonia, Bleach, Citrus (lemon, orange), will help your sealer last for long which obviously will helps your floor stay clean for longer as well. In residential areas, the floor can be mopped using a splash of soft cleaning solution (e.g. hair shampoo) mixed in a 5 gallons container with 3 gallons of warm water. In commercial areas, you should assure that the cleaning soap solution you are using is not excessively strong that can ruin the new sealer efficiency. In both cases, always use new clean water, a clean mop and rinse it frequently. -When does a surface need to be re-cleaned and re-sealed? The manufacturing sealers, advice to professionally clean and re-seal the Stone or the grout every 3 to 5 years for interior surfaces and every 1 to 3 years for outside surfaces. Obviously need to take in consideration that different surfaces, weather conditions, heavy traffic areas (such restaurants, hotels, etc.), wrong mopping soap solutions, etc. may vary the durability of the sealers effect. Neither the sealer manufacturer nor the company that applied the new sealer on your just cleaned surface shall be liable for any failure of the sealer protection. |
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