Cleaning terracotta tiles - any tips / recommendations??

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Cleaning terracotta tiles - any tips / recommendations??

mattyb

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#205283 7-Nov-2016 12:37

Hi All,

I have some terracotta tiles on the floor of a rental property bathroom that have accumulated some grime, mould and whatever over the years. Anybody got any tips on what chemicals or methods to use for cleaning them? Including the grout? I could get them professionally cleaned but I'm not looking to spend much money and they don't need to be perfect.

Many thanks in advance.

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#1664943 7-Nov-2016 12:40

Water blaster? Works for washing machines...

mattyb

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#1664949 7-Nov-2016 12:50

timmmay:

Water blaster? Works for washing machines...

Water blaster inside?? That sounds like a recipe for collateral damage...

timmmay

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#1664970 7-Nov-2016 13:06

mattyb:

timmmay:

Water blaster? Works for washing machines...

Water blaster inside?? That sounds like a recipe for collateral damage...

If you're not careful, sure. Got a bit of water around the laundry but surprisingly little.

tdgeek

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#1664974 7-Nov-2016 13:12

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Grout

I googles to ensure grout is not damaged by bleach to white vinegar, they arent.

White Vinegar with baking soda, or bleach are bonza. Although Im sure I read somewhere that white vinegar might act on some tiles, i.e. dissolve some minerals. So perhaps google further if of interest. Cheap too.

Technofreak

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#1664986 7-Nov-2016 13:31

What about a Wet and Forget type of product?

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Fred99

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#1665137 7-Nov-2016 16:06

timmmay:

mattyb:

timmmay:

Water blaster? Works for washing machines...

Water blaster inside?? That sounds like a recipe for collateral damage...

If you're not careful, sure. Got a bit of water around the laundry but surprisingly little.

Bloody hell. 'nuff said.

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timmmay

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#1665154 7-Nov-2016 16:27

Washing machine looks like new inside!

Coil

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#1665158 7-Nov-2016 16:30

timmmay:

Washing machine looks like new inside!

Honestly i have to vouch for you on that one.
When i was living with the mother we had a washing machine no older than 2 years full of soap scum and grime (top loading simpson 7.5KG, High end of the range.) God knows how but i think its due to people using too much fabric softener and overfilling it. (Points to self and sister)

I cleaned it all out by taking the water blaster into the laundry and giving it a blast and then pumped all the dirty water out of the machine into the sink with a little pump from an old pool.

Fred99

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#1665335 7-Nov-2016 20:36

Hot wash occasionally reduces soap scum buildup.

Cold (as in dead cold) wash isn't very effective anyway, even with "cold wash" powders. If you can adjust the cold temp up to at least 15 deg by adding some hot, you'll get a better wash, and reduce scum buildup.

I'm just trying to think how fast I'd need to be able to run if I fired up the waterblaster to clean something indoors. SWMBO's getting on a bit, but if I stumbled or tripped then decapitation - or worse - from whatever implement she'd grabbed in anger would be a fairly swift and certain exit from my life as part-time janitor.

MadEngineer

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#1665366 7-Nov-2016 21:45

Ask the rental agency

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

mattyb

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#1665456 8-Nov-2016 07:51

tdgeek:

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Grout

I googles to ensure grout is not damaged by bleach to white vinegar, they arent.

White Vinegar with baking soda, or bleach are bonza. Although Im sure I read somewhere that white vinegar might act on some tiles, i.e. dissolve some minerals. So perhaps google further if of interest. Cheap too.

I was thinking bleach might be an option, but I'm uneasy as I may damage or discolour the tiles. Guess there's only one way to find out!

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tdgeek

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#1665457 8-Nov-2016 07:55

mattyb:

tdgeek:

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Grout

I googles to ensure grout is not damaged by bleach to white vinegar, they arent.

White Vinegar with baking soda, or bleach are bonza. Although Im sure I read somewhere that white vinegar might act on some tiles, i.e. dissolve some minerals. So perhaps google further if of interest. Cheap too.

I was thinking bleach might be an option, but I'm uneasy as I may damage or discolour the tiles. Guess there's only one way to find out!

Quick google shows bleach might be a concern, but thumbs up for white vinegar and baking soda

mattyb

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#1665458 8-Nov-2016 07:56

Technofreak: What about a Wet and Forget type of product?

Not a bad suggestion but they don't seem to have a specific tile cleaner. Maybe I'll go into one of their stores and ask.

mattyb

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#1665461 8-Nov-2016 08:07

tdgeek:

mattyb:

tdgeek:

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Grout

I googles to ensure grout is not damaged by bleach to white vinegar, they arent.

White Vinegar with baking soda, or bleach are bonza. Although Im sure I read somewhere that white vinegar might act on some tiles, i.e. dissolve some minerals. So perhaps google further if of interest. Cheap too.

I was thinking bleach might be an option, but I'm uneasy as I may damage or discolour the tiles. Guess there's only one way to find out!

Quick google shows bleach might be a concern, but thumbs up for white vinegar and baking soda

Any idea what ratio? Vinegar:soda:(water)?

mattyb

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+1 received by user: 19

#1665462 8-Nov-2016 08:08

MadEngineer: Ask the rental agency

I'm the owner - doing a reno and want to reuse existing tiles.

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