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How Adding Stucco?

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Wash the wall and remove debris to make it as flat as possible. Spray the cinder block wall with a hose to rinse off most of the debris. Look for tough stains, damaged spots, and other issues you need to address. Spend time lifting stains with soap, trisodium phosphate, and other cleaners. Also, clear debris out of damaged spots and repair them.


To repair damage, mix mortar. Fill in the gaps to level out the wall as much as possible. Brush a concrete bonding agent on the wall and let it dry overnight. The bonding agent provides a surface for the first layer of stucco to adhere to. If you don’t apply it, the finished wall may end up looking patchy and uneven.


Use a 3 in (7.6 cm) paintbrush to go over the entire wall top to bottom. Coat the wall with a single layer of the bonding agent. Concrete bonding agents, tools, and the ingredients you need for the stucco mix are all available online and at home improvement stores.


Get a stucco mix or mix your own in a wheelbarrow. Pour store-bought stucco mix into your wheelbarrow and stir in water until it has a paste-like consistency. If you’re making your own, get sand, lime, and Portland cement. Try combining 3 parts sand, 1 part lime, and 1 part cement to create a good mix that adheres well to vertical walls.


You can also mix in a concrete pigment to color the stucco if you don’t plan on painting it later. Apply a 1⁄4 in (0.64 cm) scratch coat with a trowel. If you have a concrete sprayer, use it to cover large areas quickly. Otherwise, try picking up the stucco mix with a flat tool like a hawk and then transferring it to the wall with a trowel.

How Avoiding Damage to Your Floor?

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Wash your floor immediately after a spill. All spills on marble should be cleaned up immediately. This is because marble is a porous material and can absorb spills. If you let something sit too long, your marble will discolor or stain. Take a wet microfiber cloth and use it to blot up anything you’ve spilled on the marble floor.


Use pH neutral solution. pH neutral cleaners won’t damage marble floors. As a result, stay away from acidic cleaners. They might scratch or hurt the shine of marble floors. Avoid: Vinegar, Ammonia, Citrus cleaners (like lemon or orange). Cleaners intended for ceramic floors.


Do not let your floor air dry. One of the worst things you can do to your floor is to let it air dry. By letting it air dry, you’ll allow the water/solution to soak into the marble. This could stain or discolor the marble. Seal your marble. The best way to limit staining on your floor is to seal your marble periodically.


Locate a sealing product specifically formulated for marble. Read the directions and apply the seal onto the surface of the marble. Depending on the product (and use), you may have to reseal every three to five years. Make sure to protect other surfaces, such as wood, tile, or grout, with plastic or painters tape. Contact a professional if you are uncomfortable sealing your marble floors by yourself.


Use a felt pad to remove scuff marks. When you come across a scuff or other mark that won’t come off during a normal washing, use a felt pad to remove it. Simply dab the pad in a mixture of detergent and water and rub the marble gently along its grain. Do not rub in a circular pattern. This will damage your marble.

How to Clean Grout with Vinegar?

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If the grout between your tiles has turned from white to brown, it’s ready to be cleaned. Fortunately, there are several homemade grout-cleaning solutions you can make with vinegar. Most of them involve baking soda, a compound which – when mixed with vinegar – creates a bubbly, fizzing reaction that’s perfect for cleaning grout. After applying your vinegar solution, use a scouring pad, a toothbrush, or some other cleaning implement to scrub your grout.


Apply vinegar to the grout. Use a vinegar-soaked cloth or a spray bottle filled with vinegar to coat the grout you wish to get clean. If you are trying to clean grout on a vertical surface, a spray bottle is probably your best bet. nAfter applying the vinegar, wait ten minutes before moving on to the next step. Always use distilled white vinegar or specialized cleaning vinegar to clean grout.


Scrub the grout. Ten minutes after applying the grout, use a toothbrush to scrub the grout. Use firm up-and-down motions to scrub the grout clean. Wipe the grout. Use a dry or damp rag to remove the loosened grout grime. Allow the area to dry, then evaluate it. If the grout still needs cleaning, try a different method.


Wipe the grout. Once you’ve loosened the grime and grit along your grout, it should wipe away with ease. Take a damp rag or paper towel and wipe it along the grout you’ve cleaned. Wipe the area along the edges of the grout, too, to soak up any of the lingering water/vinegar. If you want to give your floor an additional level of shine, mop the whole thing after you’re done


Make a citrus vinegar spray. Mix 3.5 cups (828 milliliters) hot water, ½ cup (170 grams) baking soda, 1/6 cup (40 milliliters) vinegar, and 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) lemon juice in a spray bottle. Aim the nozzle of the spray bottle at the grout you wish to clean. Spray the bottle so that the grout is evenly covered. After one hour, scrub the grout with the scouring side of a sponge to remove the dirt crusted into the grout.

How Using a Wet Saw Cut Tiles?

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Choose a wet saw if you need to cut larger or thicker pieces of tile. Large tiles can be difficult to score deep enough to be snapped or nipped, but a wet saw can effectively cut through the thickest glass tile. Wet saws release a steady stream of water as the blade cuts to decrease friction and are more time-effective and have less of a chance of damaging glass tiles.


Wet saws allow you to cut squares out of larger pieces of tile quickly and evenly, but isn’t great for cutting curved or irregular shapes. You can rent wet saws from home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s for about $50 a day.


Use a glass tile blade on the wet saw to cut your tile. A glass diamond blade will create a smoother cut in the tile and ensure an even edge. Glass tile blades have a finer and softer blade, which means it will take longer to pass through the saw, but will result in a better edge on the glass tile pieces you cut.


Use a straightedge and washable marker to draw cutting guidelines. Washable markers are easy to clean up later, but will still draw clear lines for you to follow with your wet saw. Use a straight edge as a guide and form straight lines with your marker where you want to cut the glass tile. Make sure the lines are straight and even. You can always just wipe the marker away and form the lines again.


Put on rubber gloves for extra grip. Because the wet saw uses water to reduce friction and cool the blade, the glass tile could become slippery to hold with your hands. Use a pair of rubber gloves to increase your grip on the glass. Don’t use leather or fabric gloves because they’ll become soaked in water. Latex gloves work fine, too.

How Cleaning Wood and Composite Tiles?

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Sweep the wood or composite tiles every few days. Try to sweep your tiles every day or as soon as you notice dirt, leaves, or grime. Use a soft, natural bristle broom to remove the debris that’s on the tiles. Regular sweeping will prevent your tiles from becoming caked with dirt or stained.


Wash the tiles with soap and water at least once a month. Fill a 5 US gal (19 L) bucket with water and a few squirts of mild dish soap. The water should be soapy and bubbly. Dip a mop into the soapy water and wring it out. Mop the tiles until you’ve removed the dirt. You can use a string mop or sponge head mop. Just avoid using a scratchy or abrasive mop on the tiles.


Rinse the tiles. If you’re cleaning a large space, take a garden hose and rinse the tiles with clean water to remove any soap residue. If you’re cleaning a small area, you can dip the mop in clean water and wring it out. Mop over the tiles so they’re rinsed with the clean water.


Remove any grease stains. As soon as you notice an oily stain, wipe up whatever caused it. Dip a sponge or soft cloth into soapy water and wash the stain. This might remove the stain on its own. If not, use a deck stain remover that’s specifically made for wood or composite tiles. You’ll need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The longer the stain sits on the tile, the harder it will be to remove. That’s why it’s important to clean up the stain quickly.


Deep clean your tiles twice a year. In addition to keeping your wood and composite tiles swept and clean, you should try to deep clean the tiles in the spring and fall. Buy a tile cleaner developed for wood or composite. It should contain sodium hypochlorite. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Sodium hypochlorite will prevent mold and mildew from growing on your tiles.

How Cleaning Unpolished/Unglazed Porcelain Tiles?

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Use a dry dust mop to sweep the floor. Start by removing any dirt and dust on the surface of the floor. You should use a dry dust mop instead of a broom, as the broom could scratch the tiles. Make sure you use the dust mop in any corners of the room and between the tiles. Removing the surface dirt and dust will make cleaning the tiles easier.

Mop the floor with a mild cleaning solution. You should then use a mild cleaning solution on the floor to get rid of any stains and dirt. You can use a commercial cleanser or make your own solution using water and vinegar. Combine ¼ cup white vinegar with two gallons of warm water to make a home cleaning solution. Mop the floor and let it sit for five to ten minutes. The vinegar will help to disinfect, deodorize, and clean the tiles.

You can look for commercial cleaner at your local hardware store or in the cleaning aisle. Make sure the cleaner is made for use on unpolished or unglazed porcelain tiles.

Scrub and rinse the floor. Once you apply the cleanser, you should let it sit on the floor for about 10 minutes. Then, use a soft bristle brush to scrub at any stains. Scrub in circular motions at the stains until they are removed. You should wipe away any remaining cleaner solution on the floor and then rinse it well with hot water. Do not let the cleanser sit on the tiles after 10 minutes, as it could damage the tile.

Dry the floor well. Use a clean towel to dry the floor. Make sure you dry it thoroughly, with no water spots or puddles of water on the floor. You can also open windows in the room and use a fan to dry the floor.

Repairing Cracked Tiles

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Fill hairline cracks with epoxy or tile filler. You can repair hairline cracks without having to replace the only tile, as long as the wall tile is still firmly set. You can use specialized ceramic tile repair kits, but a two-part ceramic epoxy will work fine. Mix the two components together using a piece of scrap wood, then spread over the crack using a clean rag. Wipe up the excess using a second rag. Take care not to get the epoxy in the grout lines between tiles.

Add color to hide the repair. There are two ways to make the repair invisible: Before filling, mix the epoxy with epoxy tint the same color as the tile. Or, after filling, paint over the repair using an oil-based enamel paint marker. Select a replacement tile for more severe damage. Purchase a replacement casstle tile for any damage wider than a hairline crack. Bring the tile to a home repair store to find a match for size, shape, and pattern. Note the thickness of the tile as well. A thinner replacement will need a layer of mastic to raise it.

Remove surrounding grout. Carefully cut away the grout around the broken tile. A grout saw will make this task go faster, but you can use a hammer and chisel instead. Work slowly all the way around the tile, to allow for safe removal without damaging the surroundings. Break away the rest of the tile. Use a hammer and large chisel to break the tile apart. Angle it away from you and start from the center to reduce damage to backing. Wear gloves and safety glasses. Lay down cloth to protect surrounding surfaces from ceramic shards.

 

Replace tile adhesive. Scrape off the existing adhesive using a putty knife. Spread a new layer of thin-set mortar onto the wall or floor. Follow label instructions for mixing the mortar. You may need to wear a dust mask. Press in the new tile. Make sure the tile is flush by tapping it in place with a rubber mallet, or a piece of wood wrapped in cloth. Scrape out any excess mortar from the grout lines with a screwdriver.

Replace the grout. Let the tile dry overnight, or as specified in your mortar instructions. Mix the grout, then add a thin line around the tile using a plastic putty knife. After a week, apply grout sealer over the grout to protect from moisture.

How to Clean Stone Tile?

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Stone tile is durable and waterproof, which makes it a popular choice for flooring. Although it is a popular choice, stone tile needs to be cleaned often and maintained properly to remain in good condition. For a routine cleaning, you can do things like mop your floor with warm water and detergent. Spots should be attended to immediately, and the cleaner used for spots depends on what has been dropped. Along with the tile itself, the grout should be cleaned regularly for an overall clean and shiny floor.

Make a paste with baking soda and water. You will need to use baking soda and water. Combine the baking soda with a small amount of water. Add more water or baking powder if necessary until a paste is made. Saturate the grout. Apply the paste directly to the grout. Use enough paste so that the dirty grout is saturated with the baking soda and water. The paste should only be applied to the grout. Do not put it on the tile.

Let the paste sit. The amount of time you allow the paste to sit depends on how dirty the grout is. If the grout is only slightly dirty, you can allow it to sit for a few hours. Allow the paste to sit overnight if the grout is very dirty. Scrub the grout. Once you have let the paste sit, scrub the grout with a toothbrush. You may have to use a little force if the paste has hardened. Scrub until you see clean grout underneath.

If your grout is really dirty or if you have a lot of cleaning to do, you may wish to purchase a grout brush. Grout brushes have stiffer bristles than toothbrushes, so they can remove stubborn dirt more efficiently. You can get one for about $3 to $10 USD at a hardware or home supply store. Wash off the paste. Pour water onto the remaining paste. Rinse the grout off until all of the paste is gone. Use a towel to wipe off the paste. Dry with a towel. You can use oxygen bleach on the grout if it doesn’t turn out as clean as you’d like after the paste.