Care Tips

There are many old wives tales about the best ways to keep your tiles clean. However, many of these are no longer valid and can contribute to the build-up of grime on the surface or sometimes even damage the tile itself. These guides are based on our hard-won experience in dealing with all types of problems and now you can benefit from that experience.

It’s important to note that these guides are intended for maintenance of surfaces in good condition. They may not help you to fully recover damaged or badly stained areas, and this may generally require the services of a professional company such as Slique.

If you are unsure of how to use this guide, or are concerned about particular problem you may have, please use the online help tool, or phone or email us with your problem. We’d be pleased to provide no-obligation advice for you to do it properly, with no sales pressure!

The three golden rules of stone and tile cleaning:

 

1. Don’t use too much water

Flooding or heavy wet-mopping a stone or tiles surface when cleaning is the biggest source of tile and grout contamination. The surface dirt is collected into the detergent / water solution and can be absorbed into the grout lines or pores of the tiles if not extracted from the floor. Excess water is the ‘enemy’ of domestic tile cleaning!

2. Always rinse off chemicals

Overuse of chemicals (not following dilution instructions) can leave chemical residues on the floor which become sticky and collect dirt. Rinsing off with clean water after cleaning removes any chemical residue and is strongly advised. Most daily-use tile cleaning can be done without chemicals.

3. ALWAYS read the label

Abrasive and/or acid-based cleaning products are NOT suitable for use on most stone surfaces, and should be used with caution. Chemical labels can be unclear about this and warnings may be in the small print. Damage caused by use of incorrect cleaning products may not be recovered by daily cleaning, and restoration required by a specialist such as Slique. Always check if it is unclear!