How to clean porcelain pavers? Our advice in a complete guide
Beautiful, functional, ideal for any type of outdoor application, safe, durable and completely recyclable. The reasons that made you choose porcelain for your outdoor living area were endless, and now that your patio, pool deck, walkway or rooftop is completed, there is only one question left to answer: "how to clean porcelain pavers?"
Contrary to what you might think, cleaning and maintaining your porcelain pavers is pretty simple. Forget those endless days spent sealing, cleaning and bleaching your patio, because porcelain pavers will make your life easier and your outdoor living area even more beautiful. Follow our guide to get the best results with minimal effort.
How to clean porcelain pavers after installation
When installing porcelain pavers over concrete, cleaning following installation is very important. A one-time deep cleaning action that cannot be skipped as it will remove all grout left in excess, and therefore prevent that the residual "grout haze" will retain dirt making your floor more difficult to be cleaned in the future. A one-time practice that will ensure that your outdoor floor will always look as good as new with quick and easy occasional cleaning sessions.
The first cleaning starts immediately after grouting the joints. During this step, it is important to remove the excess grout with a sponge and clean water. After 12/48 hours, the grout in the joints will have harden significantly leaving a noticeable residual “haze” over the pavers which will have to be removed. To do this, use a diluted acid cleaner, specifically made for removing “grout haze”, combined with a soft scrubbing pad (for this step, refer to the instructions and dilution rates provided by the acid cleaner's manufacturer, as processes and methods may vary depending on the brand you will be using to clean porcelain pavers after installation).
After having removed the grout residue, it could be necessary to rinse the floor multiple times to ensure that all grout residue and acid/water composite are removed.
Please note that for areas in which the grout residue has not been removed properly and therefore has strongly adhered to the floor, multiple sessions with the water/acid solutions may be necessary. You can help yourself with a floor washing machine to reach even the most difficult spaces between tiles.
Important tips on how to clean porcelain pavers with ordinary cleaning
One of the most important features of porcelain pavers is the ease with which you can take care of them. In fact, thanks to the outstanding characteristics of porcelain, Landmark Ceramics' porcelain pavers are exceptionally resistant to staining, and therefore can be usually washed with just water or with a mix of diluted natural detergent and water (Be aware of products that say they don't require rinsing, as this step is an essential part of tile maintenance). In order to remove dirt, you can also utilize power washers by paying attention to use a wide and medium/gentle stream to do not damage the floor or the joints.
In order to minimize the risk of damaging the floor, to clean the porcelain pavers we recommend to:
- Never use abrasive products such as steel wool, hard-bristled brushes or abrasive scouring pads: these items could scratch the tiles or weaken the grout, and more importantly, lose tiny fragments that can get stuck on the surface and cause rust stains;
- Even though porcelain pavers are resistant to the most common acids (ie. lemon juice, vinegar and hydrochloric acids), avoid solutions that contain a high level of acids or other aggressive products, which could alter the color of the tiles or mortar.
- Avoid oil-based and wax-based cleaners that could change the anti-slip property of the pavers.
- Remove regularly by sweeping, blowing or vacuuming all debris that could have an abrasive effect on the pavers.
How to clean porcelain pavers if water and natural detergent do not work
If you notice stubborn stains that ordinary cleaning with water and natural detergent cannot remove, you don't need to work on the entire flooring but you will only need to treat the localized area of the stain using the proper products and methodologies, because each type of stain has its own recommended detergent solutions, as shown in the sections below.
How to clean porcelain pavers from stains given by substances such as cement, grout or wall paint
For stains given by residue of cement or grout you can use detergent with an acid basis such as “Deterdek” by Fila Chemicals or “Keranet” from Mapei.
How to clean porcelain pavers from stains given by substances rust
For rust stains you can utilized the detergent “No Rust” produced by Fila.
How to clean porcelain pavers from stains given by substances such as wax, animal or vegetables fats?
These substances should be easily removed with water and natural detergents but, for the tougher stains, you can use “PS87” and “Filacleaner” by Fila.
How to clean porcelain pavers from stains of organic nature such as flower pot stains given by dirt or fertilizer residues or stains given by wine, coffee or soft drinks
If water and natural detergent do nor work, you can use the “SR/95” and the “Fila Nospot Spray” by Fila.
How to clean porcelain pavers from stains given by silicon oils, machine oils, resins, glazes or glue
These kind of strains can be removed using professional detergents such as the “Filasolv”, “PS87” or “Zerosil” by Fila.
How to clean porcelain pavers from stains given by tire marks
You can remove tire marks by simply usijng hand cleanser or CIF ammoniacal or the “PS87” and “Filasolv” prodcuts by Fila.
How to clean porcelain pavers from chewin-gum
Gum can be removed by scrapping them off with a scraper after having hardened the gum through freezing.
By following our tips on how to clean porcelain pavers, your outdoor will shine like the first day and you can protect it from damage with few simple steps.
Our porcelain pavers are designed and produced using the best raw materials and the latest technologies to guarantee you the minimum effort in cleaning and maintenance, so you can enjoy your moments of relaxation and fun without worries and without wasting too much time. If you still don't have clear ideas and would like to have the opinion of an
expert, contact us to tell us about your problem and we will find together the solution.
