Cleaning the floor after intallation
Cleaning the porcelain tiles with pure water is not enough and we strongly recommend not to use substances such as naphtha oil, vinegar etc… Specifically designed cleaners are required in order to remove the calcareous wastes of mortar and grouts that adhere to the dirt. The ideal solution, after a first roughing out cleaning, is to wait for the consolidation of the grouts and to use the recommended detergents following the instructions.
Routine maintenace
| DIRT TYPES | DETERGENTS |
|---|---|
| Oils and vegetable and animals fats, beer, wine, coffee, food wastes. Nicotine, tea, shoe polish etc. | Specific alkaline-based detergents, caustic soda, potash |
| Inks, rust stains, felt pen | Specific acid-based detergents, muriatic acid, oxalic acid |
| Oils and mineral (mechanical) fats, tyre/tyre rubber, resins or paints, candle wax, synthetic shoe polish | Solvents: trichloroethylene, niter diluent, turpentine, acetone |
| General greyness, colour loss due to dirt accumulation | Acid and solvent detergents |
| Daily cleaning | Common detergents free from waxes or perfumed oils |
Examples of cleaning products
| DETERGENTE | CARATTERISTICA | PRODUTTORE |
|---|---|---|
| CB 90 | NEUTRAL ALCOHOLIC | GEAL |
| 814 | BASIC | CHESTERTON |
| PS 87 | BASIC | FILA |
| SERVICE ALCALE | BASIC | GEAL |
| TILE CLEANER | SLIGHT ACID | FABER CHIMICA |
| CEMENT REMOVER | ACID | FABER CHIMICA |
| DELTA PLUS | ACID | KERAKOLL |
| DETERDEK | ACID | FILA INDUSTRIA CHIMICA |
| KERANET | ACID | MAPEI |
| PH 0 | ACID | FILA |
| SERVICE SOLVACID | ACID+DISSOLVENT | GEAL |
| CHESTERTON | ph. (781) 438.7000 | www.chesterton.com |
| FABER CHIMICA | ph. (+39) 0732.627178 | www.faberchimica.com |
| FILA | ph. (+39) 049.9467300 | www.filasolutions.com |
| GEAL | ph. (+39) 0574.750365 | www.geal-chim.it |
| KERAKOLL | ph. (+39) 0536.816511 | www.kerakoll.com |
| MAPEI | ph. (+39) 02.376731 | www.mapei.com |
General porcelain tile cleaning suggestions
Make sure the professional layer has carried out a proper cleaning with the specific products to remove all installation residues. As for daily cleaning, do not use products containing wax or perfumed oils, most suitable for the traditional glazed tiles (for example bathroom tiles).
The surface of REFIN’s porcelain stoneware tiles is completely vitrified and compact; their superficial absorption is at the lowest levels (lower than 0·5%), therefore it is possible to use aggressive cleaners with no particular restrictions by simply following the supplying company instructions.
Any further waterproofing or aesthetic treatment, which may be carried out after installation, must undergo a preventive test since, as previously mentioned, porcelain stoneware tiles do not usually need such kind of treatments.
The installation rules are to be considered valid either for GL surfaces and UGL surfaces, while the cleaning procedures are easier for the former ones thanks to the glaze presence even if the same methods can be used as REFIN’s tiles are acid and base resistant.
