Tile Cleaning & Maintenance... Beyond Floors

A very large percentage of homes have tile flooring, showers, backsplashes and more.  The question is how to clean the tile and grout. Gil Olachea, owner of Ceramica in Scottsdale, AZ, chatted with Nancy about the do's & don'ts of cleaning all tile.  Share with friends & family who have tile.  Most people are using the wrong products!

These are the show notes:

• > Generally accepted cleaning myths
  Water
  Liquid dish soap w/ exception
  Vinegar, bleach, glass cleaner "Windex"
• > Types of tile
  Ceramic & porcelain
  Stone
  Glass
  Metal
  Mosaic v field
• > Grout joints
  Grout joints behave like dirt squeegee's
  Absorb: spills, grease, grime, oils, wine, etc.
  Cement v. epoxy -based
  epoxy is higher-performance to stain resistance
  New, innovative grout available with infused antimicrobial protectant
• > Baths & showers, powder-rooms
  * in showers can harbor germs, grime, mildew
  * properly ventilate
  * 'pathway' to wall or substrate behind tile
• > Kitchens - counters and back-splashes
• >Sealers & cleaners
  Seal ALL tile surfaces shortly after time of installation
  Misconception - barrier to staining
  Spot-cleaning: baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, clear-liquid dish soap
  pH-neutral, nothing that will etch tile surfaces or grout
  "Big-Box" v. commercial products
  Follow product manufacturers guidelines, instructions
  

This podcast sponsored by Thermador Appliances & Monogram Appliances

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