Terracotta Floor Care

The broad category of clay ceramic tiles contains several subcategories and one of the oldest is terracotta.

Terracotta floor care.

Terracotta is italian for baked earth or baked clay. Do not use a metal mop head which could potentially scratch and harm the terracotta tiles. Terracotta tiles give your room a rustic character while also looking authentic against roughly plastered wall or exposed stone. Sealed terracotta has a protective coating usually added after installation that makes it more impervious to stains and easier to clean.

Tiles water pipes and in the manufacture of household pottery and ornaments. How to seal terracotta tiles. With proper care and maintenance terracotta tiles are going to serve you for many years to come. This will darken the tiles a little so to get an idea of the finished colour wet the tiles to assess the effect.

Terracotta translates from italian as baked earth and as a category of ceramic tile it refers to tiles created from a particularly porous and easily shaped clay with a high iron content that gives the tiles their characteristic reddish brown color. As much as we love the material it seemingly clashes with today s millennial pink terrazzo infused scandinavian chic decor or so we thought. Take terra cotta floors for example. Sweep regularly and mop with a mild household detergent preferably a non ionic detergent designed to clean greasy dirt without leaving residue on the tile s surface.

Accumulations of dust dirt and sand will eventually break down the sealant which normally happens after two or three years. Cleaning tips for terracotta tile flooring do not use acids vinegar ammonia contain solutions as it may break down the sealant and not good for the surface. Test your terracotta tiles for porosity by placing water in the middle of a tile. Since the earliest of times it has been widely used in building and construction.

If after 15 minutes the water has soaked into the floor the tiles will need to be impregnated with boiled linseed oil. To care for a terracotta floor or red floor tiles valmour recommends to protect them and afterwards care for them either in a traditional or in an innovating way to begin with protect your terracotta with tile protector impregnator louis xiii. Care maintenance of terracotta floors. Dust or vacuum your terracotta tile floor regularly to keep it clean.

However the amount of maintenance depends on the type of terracotta floor tile. In its simplest form terracotta is moulded clay that is left to dry in the sun until it becomes hard. Very easy application does not modify the appearance of your floor and protects perfectly against stains of water wine coffee etc apply on a dry and greaseless floor in 2 coats to obtain permanent protection. Use a soft rope mop or soft sponge head mop with warm water to clean when the floor starts to look dull or grimy.