How To Clean Saltillo Tile Properly
Are you still falling for the "clean your floors with vinegar and warm water" b.s.? You gotta be kidding me! I'm blown away by how often I hear or read about cleaning with vinegar.
Saltillo tile care and maintenance is not done with a mild acid and mop; sorry, terracotta lovers, these are a high-maintenance tile. Vinegar comes in all flavors; ask your terracotta floors what their flavor is before you choose your cleaner ( Vinegar raspberry).
Ok, I'm done. Truth is, every floor is unique to its owner. Basically, some people are dirty as f#ck, and some people's floors are older and over time they have gotten dirtier evenly throughout time. Traffic patterns and how well a tile was sealed in its beginning are really important in determining the dirtiness level of a floor.
So, What SHOULD I Use To Clean My Saltillo Tile Floor?
Ultimately, just use a common degreaser that you can buy at a local store, mix with hot water, get on your hands and knees, and scrub with green scrubbers and nylon brushes. Yes, I said to get on your hands and knees, use vinegar or a degreaser, and that mops are not always sufficient. You've got to get down and scrub the top of the saltillo tile and grout at least every 3 months if you have heavy traffic and every 6 months if you have low traffic.
To wrap this up, I've tried every cleaner you can imagine. When I first started my tile restoration journey, I tried vinegar, commercial grade vinegar. For terracotta clay and saltilllo tiles, they are among the few I know for a fact that it does not clean the coating sealers that these terracotta saltillos are sealed with.
Saltillo and Talavera tile & Mexican Tile Design
3/4 of every project we restore has Mexican floor tile combined with Talavera inserts. They get covered with layers of shiny sealer and it needs to be removed just like the Saltillo and surrounding grout. They have some porosity, which's why the sealer can bond to them just like it does to the super-porous saltillo.
I've seen the Talavera tiles around pools, hot tubs, floors, backsplashes, bathrooms, showers, etc. If the talavera tiles are on walls, counters, & showers, these areas will need a penetrating sealer to fill the pores, making them waterproof and adding to longevity, especially in high-water and high-moisture areas.
My experience is that they chip easily on the floor tiles outdoors due to constant moisture and UV exposure, and are not sealed with a shiny sealer, which provides a protective coating over the surface. So when table legs or vacuums hit an edge, it slides off because of the sealer.
Outside tile will have a penetrating sealer, which doesn't provide surface protection because it seals from the inside out, not on the surface. Indoors or outdoors, your saltillo Mexican tiles need to be sealed for protection and longevity.
Can Talavera tile be used on floors? It can and now you know how to seal and protect your talavera tile. Use you imagination when designing your new terracotta floor , sky's the limit there's tons of pattern, colors , shapes, sizes, just remember seal your tiles ASAP to keep them from staining. Pinterest has the best place to find ideas, I suggest you start there and then show your ideas to you installer.
Stop wasting your time, energy, and money, on solutions that JUST DON”T WORK!
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Email or Call Fritz Wittman
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We refinish terracotta tiles in all cities and counties throughout northern and Southern California such as Berkeley, Oakland, San Jose, Marin, San Francisco, Sacramento, Daly City, Tiburon, Belvedere, Carmichael, Natomas, Davis, Fanta Rosa, Napa, Petaluma, Rancho Santa Fe, Palos Verdes Estates, Venice Beach, San Diego, Las Vegas, Reno, Walnut Creek, Santa Monica, and much more!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you clean Saltillo tile with vinegar?
Vinegar is generally not recommended for Saltillo tile because it may not properly clean sealed surfaces and can potentially affect some finishes over time.
What is the best cleaner for Saltillo tile?
A degreasing cleaner mixed with hot water is often more effective for cleaning Saltillo tile, especially when combined with hand scrubbing and proper maintenance.
How often should Saltillo tile be deep cleaned?
High-traffic Saltillo floors should usually be deep cleaned every few months, while lower-traffic areas may only need deep cleaning twice per year.
Does Saltillo tile need to be sealed?
Yes, Saltillo and terracotta tile should be sealed to help protect against moisture, stains, dirt buildup, and long-term deterioration.
Can Talavera tile be used on floors?
Yes, Talavera tile can be used on floors, backsplashes, bathrooms, and other surfaces when properly sealed and maintained.