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How to Clean Cement Tiles?

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Cement tiles requires routine cleaning. Routine cleaning for mildly dirty cement tiles can be done with a mild degreaser or laundry detergent. Special chemical cleaners are required for very dirty or stained cement tiles. Make sure to wear protective gear when handling harsh cleaners. Try to avoid getting mortar on the stones. If you need to clean the stones, let the mortar dry, then remove it with a dry whisk brush.


Fill in the gaps with grout if you wish to insulate the wall. Mix the grout in a bucket with water according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Then, use a trowel to pack it into a grout bag. Hold the nozzle close to the joints between the stones and squeeze the bag to apply the grout. Fill each joint until it’s about level with the stones, then carefully smooth the grout out with a trowel as needed to complete your new wall cover.


Grout protects the stone veneer from moisture and anything that might grow inside the joints. Some people prefer the way the veneer looks without grout, but keep in mind that it may not last as long as a wall finished with grout. Mark the backs of molding pieces if there are several for that wall in the order they will be installed.


While you are fitting the molding, look for studs to nail it into and lightly mark them in the area just above where the molding will sit. The molding should sit right on top of the flooring. Nail the molding in place. Use finishing nails about 2”(5.1 cm) in length. Try to get nails into a stud. Place the nails about 18” (45.7 cm) apart or at each wall stud.


Use a pressure washer. If you don’t want to scrub or apply a cleaner, you can use a pressure washer to clean most dirt and debris off of your concrete. Keep in mind that the pressure is very high, so avoid aiming at any plants, which will be destroyed by the force of the water. Choose a pressure washer with a rating of at lease 3,000 psi and a flow rate of at least 4 gallons per minute (gpm).

How to Wax a Floor?

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Waxing or finishing your floor protects it, creates a no-slip surface, and adds an attractive shine. As long as you apply it correctly, and don’t mind topping up the wax once or twice a year, you can create a durable, beautiful surface. Where waxing once required you to rub a paste into the floor on your hands and knees, all but the most dedicated now choose a no-buff wax that you can simply mop onto the floor.


If you don’t want to strip a previous finish, you can use a water-based silicone polish instead of waxing. Simply sweep the floor, then apply several even layers of the polish with a mop. Remove all furniture and objects from the floor. Determine where you plan to wax and remove everything from that area. Put up signs in public areas to let people know the area will be off limits for at least 8 hours.


To be extra safe, tape down the edge of any adjacent area to protect it from the wax, especially carpet areas. Determine whether you need to strip your floor. If your floor has not previously been treated with wax or finish, you can skip straight to Waxing the Floor. If it was treated with wax but the old layer only suffers from scratches, not discoloration, you can also skip straight to waxing.


Otherwise, you should continue on to Stripping the Old Finish section to learn how to strip the previous treatment away. Use a mop to apply floor stripping solution from the far end of the floor to the exit. Stripping solution makes the floor slippery, so plan your route in advance to avoid having to walk over it.


Scrub the floor evenly and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, but do not allow it to dry. Try to agitate the finish with your mop as you apply the stripping solution. The stripping solution should change color as it removes and mingles with the finish over the next few minutes If you are stripping a large floor, do so in small sections so the stripping solution doesn’t dry.

How Selecting the Toilet Cleaner?

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Look for a toilet cleaner that contains sodium hydroxide. Many toilet cleaners contain sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite. These two ingredients help to remove stains and grime on porcelain or tile surfaces as well as grout. Though they can be toxic in large amounts, they do work to effectively clean grout. You may look for common brands of toilet cleaner at your local hardware store or in the cleaning aisle at your grocery store.


Try an eco-friendly toilet cleaner. To avoid exposing yourself or others to harmful chemicals, you may opt for a toilet cleaner that is eco-friendly. There are several toilet cleaners on the market that do not contain harmful chemicals. However, they may not be as effective for cleaning grout, or your toilet bowl, if they do not contain chemicals like sodium hydroxide or sodium hypochlorite.


Many eco-friendly toilet cleaners are made with plant and mineral based products. They may also be scented with lemon, mint, or pine, a bonus for making your grout smell less wet or dirty. Use toilet cleaner that contains bleach with caution. Though you may opt for toilet cleaner that contains bleach to better clean the grout, using bleach can be toxic to your health and possibly damage the tiling around the grout.


Bleach can also strip the water repellant materials that are in the grout, leading to damaged grout in the future, especially in showers or bathrooms. If you do go for a toilet cleaner that contains bleach, make sure you wear rubber gloves, eye protection like safety goggles, and a respirator mask so you are not at risk of inhaling the bleach. You should also wear clothing that you would not mind throwing out, as bleach can damage your clothing.


Smooth the edges of the cut tile glass with a rubbing stone. The wet saw produces clean and even lines, but it’s still a good idea to smooth the edges of the tile so they are less likely to cut you. Hold the stone at 45 degree angle on the front of the tile and run it over the edge to round it out. Smooth the entire edge of the glass tile.

How to Clean Your Kitchen Floor?

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Cleaning a kitchen floor is simple with the right supplies. Pick the right cleaner for your floor type. Then, vacuum the floor and apply the cleaner. Let your floor dry and make sure to clean it regularly in the future. Vacuum your floor first. Regardless of your floor type, the first step to cleaning your floor is giving it a good vacuuming.

On a weekly basis, vacuum and then mop your floor. This will remove any dirt, debris, or hair that may get plastered to the floor during the mopping process. Run your vacuum over the floor, using the upholstery attachment to get into nooks and crannies. While vacuuming provides the most thorough cleaning, it’s okay to use a broom and dustpan if you don’t have a vacuum cleaner.

Use a dry mop on laminate or wood floors. You can purchase a dry mop at most department stores. If you have a laminate or waxed wood floor, you should not expose it to liquids. Instead, run your dry mop over the floor once a week to remove dirt and stains.

Apply the cleaning product one section at a time. Dilute your cleaner in a spray bottle or bucket. Use a rag, sponge, or mop to clean your floor one section at a time. Get your cleaning tool wet, wring it out slightly, and run the rag, mop, or sponge across the floor to remove any stains or dirty spots.

The cleaning utensil is mostly a matter of personal preference. However, microfiber cloths tend to work well on most floor types. Never use an abrasive cleaning tool on any type of kitchen floor. Things like steel wool can damage a kitchen floor.

Grout the Tile

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Mix up a batch of grout and let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Lightly wet the area you’ll be grouting with a damp sponge and dump a bit of grout onto the area. Use a rubber float to smooth it into the joints, attacking each joint at a diagonal angle.


After 30-40 minutes (check the directions on the bag of grout) you want to wipe the excess grout with a damp sponge and a circular motion. Keep wiping with a clean sponge until the tile is clear. The tiles may look a bit hazy even after wiping, so you may have to buff them with a clean sponge to get rid of this haze.


Let the grout cure for approximately 3 days before sealing. Then, seal the grout. Run a thin bead of liquid grout or aerosol grout sealer onto the grout line and wipe away. Let dry and then test its water resistance by dropping water onto the sealed grout. Correctly sealed grout will cause the water to bead up on top of it.


Caulk any needed areas. Make sure to use a grout caulk to match the colors. As you caulk, remember to pull the caulk gun relatively quickly across the joint. Most amateurs caulk too slow and end up dropping too much caulk down on the joint. Other things to remember:Keep the tip angled as you run the bead along the joint.


Match the speed with which you pull the caulk gun trigger with the rate at which you pull the gun along the joint. You don’t want to be pulling the gun fast but triggering slowly, or vice versa. After applying the bead of caulk, “bed” it by running a damp finger across the bead with light pressure. Make sure that your grout chalk matches the grout. Let the caulk dry and redo it if you are not happy with the results.

How to Clean Outdoor Tiles?

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Outdoor tiles are a great way to beautify a space, but you do need to clean them regularly. Identify what your tiles are made of (porcelain, wood, composite, or solid stone). Dust or dry mop the dirt and debris before you wash the tiles with a mild soap or vinegar solution. You’ll need to deep clean the tiles once or twice a year to prevent mold and mildew from growing. To keep the tiles looking great, always avoid using abrasive cleansers and products.


Remove stains as soon as you notice them. Try to remove any stains as soon as you notice them. Fill a 5 US gal (19 L) bucket with water. Buy a commercial floor cleaner that’s safe to use on porcelain and add 3 to 4 capfuls of the product to the water. Use a small brush or mop to scrub the mixture over the stain until it’s removed. Avoid using an oil-based cleanser for stain removal on your porcelain tiles. These can leave an oily residue on the tiles which can make them slippery.


Avoid cleaning with abrasive materials. While you might think that you need to scrub built on dirt with a rough brush, you should avoid anything that’s abrasive to the porcelain. Avoid using abrasive cleaners like: Hard bristle brushes or steel wool, Cleaning products with ammonia or bleach, Oil-based detergents or wax cleansers.


Avoid cleaning with abrasive materials. Your wood or composite tiles may become slightly scuffed over time. These scuffs may disappear on their own, so avoid trying to remove them with abrasive cleansers (like sandpaper or pressure washers). If you place salt or ice on your tiles in the winter, clean it off as soon as the hazardous weather passes. Ice and salt can damage the tiles if they sit on them for very long.


You’ll need to change the water several times and keep rinsing until the soap residue is completely removed. Stone tiles tend to fade in color over time due to sun exposure, so use a stone enhancer and sealer to protect them. Make sure you find one that is safe for outdoor use.

How Keeping the Porcelain Tiles Clean?

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Sweep or vacuum the tiles at least twice a week. Maintain your porcelain tiles by getting into the habit of sweeping your tiles at least twice a week. Use a dry dust mop or a broom with soft, nylon bristles. Never use brushes with hard bristles or a broom with stiff bristles, as this can damage the tile.

You can also vacuum the wood tiles twice a week to remove any dirt or debris. Use a flexible, multi-surface vacuum cleaner to suck up the excess dirt. Be sure to vacuum in corners and areas where the subway tiles touch the wall. These spaces are often forgotten,leading to a build up of excess grime.

Clean up any spills right away. If there are any spills on the porcelain tile, you should make sure you wipe them up right away. Use a microfiber cloth to clean up spills with hot water. You may also use a water and vinegar solution to clean up big spills on the wall tile. Never use steel wool on the tiles to clean up spills or to remove stains. The steel wool can cause rust stains to develop in the grout between the tiles.

Do not use bleach or ammonia on the tiles. Make sure you do not use cleaning products that contain bleach or ammonia on the tiles, as this can stain the grout and damage the coloring of the porcelain tiles. You should also avoid cleaners that contain coloring or dye, as this can stain the elegant tiles. Stay away from oil-based wax cleaners and detergents, as these can also damage your porcelain tiles.

Use rugs and floor mats. You can protect your porcelain tile floors by putting down floor mats and rugs. Rugs and floor mats are also good for keeping dirt and debris off the floor. You should also make sure there are felt pads on the bottom of the legs of any furniture. This will ensure the furniture does not scratch or damage the porcelain tiles.

What Should We do When Tile a Backsplash?

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If you’ll need to cut the floor tiles to fit into corners or underneath cabinets, it may help to purchase more tiles than you need to make up for tiles that break while cutting. Wall tiles tend to be thinner and more lightweight than flooring tiles. Make sure you choose the right type of wood tile for your project.

Slate tiles have a tendency to crumble when they are cut, so may be more difficult to work with if you’ve not used them before. Ceramic tiles, or other types of mosaic tiles, will be easier to work with and cut.

Sand the wall with 80-grit sandpaper. Sanding down the wall will remove any grease or grime that will stop the tiles from adhering properly, as well as providing a coarse surface to help the mastic hold more tightly. Use a medium-grit sandpaper, around 80 or 120-grit, to sand down the entire surface you want to tile.

If your surface has a lot of grease stains, it may help to clean them up before sanding. Use a cloth dampened in a mixture of water and dishwashing liquid to wipe them away, giving the wall plenty of time to dry before you attempt to sand it down.

Wipe the wall down with a damp cloth or sponge. Dip a cloth or sponge in water and wring it out as much as you can. Wipe down the surface of the wall to get rid of any stray dust or dirt leftover from sanding. Make sure that the cloth is only slightly damp, and that the wall is completely dry before you begin tiling it. Water left on the wall may change the consistency of the mastic and stop your tiles from staying in place.

Mark a central line on the wall. Use a measuring tape to find the midpoint of your backsplash and mark it with a pencil. With a bubble level, draw a vertical line from the base of your backsplash to the top of it. This will help keep your ceramic tiles centered and even as you work. In place of a pencil line, you could also use a laser level as a guide for your first tiles. This will be much easier to see but isn’t necessary if you don’t have one. Marking a central line will help ensure that the edges of your backsplash are even.

How to Stop Floor Tiles from Cracking?

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Different sealers are used for different grouts ceramic tiles. Make sure you have the correct sealer for the application. Add a second coat of grout sealer. Wait an hour and add a second coat of sealer using the same process to the cement tile. Test the second coat with a few drops of water – if they bead on the grout, then the grout has been sufficiently sealed. Depending on the grout sealer you use, it could take between 24-28 hours to dry completely.

Replace grout with caulk. If you are fixing the grout that has come loose bathroom tile next a toilet, sink, or tub, you might want to replace the grout with caulk instead of new grout. Silicone caulk is waterproof and can act as a better sealant in areas where there is a lot of water and can add some flexibility to the mosaic tile in areas where there is a lot of movement.

Check with an employee at the hardware store to make sure you are getting the right kind of caulk for the job. Clean out the seam so that no pieces of grout or other debris are present. Filling the wall tiles with a tube and caulking gun, gently fill the seam with a bead of caulk. For best results, keep moving as you apply the caulk.

Smooth the caulk. Use a wet fingertip or wet cloth to smooth the caulk. A small lip of caulk on the side of the tub will create a waterproof barrier between the tiles and the tub. A flexible buffer of caulk and less water seepage will lead to less wood tile problems later on.

How to Stop Floor Tiles from Cracking?

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Sand down any bumps or unevenness in the plywood. Once the plywood is laid and nailed down, use a level to check the plywood for small bumps and ridges. Use a belt sander to lightly sand down any uneven areas. Move the sander in a circular motion on the plywood to ensure an even sanding. Secure the plywood in place. Once all of the sheets are set down correctly, go through and pound the nails the rest of the way in. Follow the line of the joist underneath and space screws or nails every six inches.

Sweep the mosaic tile of sand and debris to get ready for the thinset mortar. Once everything has been nailed down and sanded, you’re ready to add another layer to the polished tile. The first thing you need to do is sweep the tile of all debris. Vacuuming with a shopvac would be a good idea as well in order to get dirt trapped in crevices and other hard to sweep areas.

Measure the tile and cut it to size. If you are using a thinner wood tile, you can score it with a knife and snap off what you don’t need. If the glazed rustic tile is thicker, a circular saw can make precise cuts to fit the tile to the contours of the room. Mix a batch of thinset mortar in a bucket according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add the water first and then the powder to ensure that all the powder gets properly mixed in. Mix the thinset until the consistency is a little thicker than pancake batter.

Dollop out only enough mortar to for the piece of tile you are about to set down. Use a ¼ inch notched trowel to spread the mortar. Go from left to right and make uniform lines with the trowel. The ridges created in the mortar should not droop. Lay down the ceramic tile rough-side up. The cement tile can be laid directly on top of the adhesive leaving an eighth-inch gap between tiles. Make sure the tile is 1/2 inch away from the wall all the way around the room.

Fasten the cement tile to the plywood with 1 1/4-inch wall tile screws. The screws are designed so that they sit flush with the cement tile when screwed in so the head sits flush with the panel. Drive the screws every 8 inches along the perimeter of the ceramic tile and in its center. You will see circles on the tile where the screws are supposed to go.

Be careful not to screw too deeply because it can easily crack the tile. Screws should be 1/2 inch away from the edges of the black tile and 2 inches away from tilecorners. Finish laying out the rest of the tile, staggering the joints as you go. Stagger the sheets of wood marble tile as you lay them. Make sure that the edges of the cement tile do not line up with those of the plywood. This adds structural strength and limits pathways for water.