Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Hard Floor Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: AshWhite on April 20, 2013, 10:28:25 am
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At the moment, when cleaning run of the mill ceramic tiles in a kitchen/bathroom, I start by treating the grout with an acid, scrubbing with a grout brush, rinsing, then cleaning the tiles with an alkaline and a rotary/brush. If I used something like Aqua ix HDTG cleaner, would I get results in half the time? Apologies if it's a stupid question - but I've always based my cleaning on using an acid to etch the grout, and an alkaline to clean the grime off the tiles - obviously one solution can't be both.
Thanks
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If you use hdtg with a 320 honing powder and use your brush it will clean the grout out at same time. If the grout is really bad I give it a brush through while the gear us on the floor dwelling with my hand brush.
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Just be careful using honing powder if there glazed ceramic as It could damage the glaze not done any myself but Kevin told me this.
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At the moment, when cleaning run of the mill ceramic tiles in a kitchen/bathroom, I start by treating the grout with an acid, scrubbing with a grout brush, rinsing, then cleaning the tiles with an alkaline and a rotary/brush. If I used something like Aqua ix HDTG cleaner, would I get results in half the time? Apologies if it's a stupid question - but I've always based my cleaning on using an acid to etch the grout, and an alkaline to clean the grime off the tiles - obviously one solution can't be both.
Thanks
Ash
There is no point in using acid on grout unless you intend to use a grout colorant afterwards to help it adhere.
Essentially what the acid does is to attack the cementitious properties of the grout and punch micro holes into it by etching. My method and indeed the method Steve mentions is to
1. Pre wet the grout (This stops the cleaner from being absorbed and becoming useless sub surface)
2. Apply diluted Aqua Mix Hevy Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner and allow it to dwell for 20-30 minutes and then agitate.
3. Then vac up, rinse and vac up again.
4. If the grout is particularly dirty you can either add Aqua Mix NanoScrub or Honing Powder to the Aqua Mix HDT&G Cleaner to boost it prior to agitation stage as both of these act as an abrasive and therefore shave a few microns off the top of the grout.
5. If you do use step 4 then I recommend to rinse twice to ensure full removal of any solution.
Finally as an add on try to upsell the customer into having the grout sealed as well to earn a few more pennies.
Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics
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Just be careful using honing powder if there glazed ceramic as It could damage the glaze not done any myself but Kevin told me this.
Phil
Good Point! However in actual fact I was referring more to polished porcelain than ceramic tiles. Honing Powder especially the higher grits are usually OK on glaze. That said as always I advocate doing a test area first when feasible.
Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics
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Thanks for the replies gents, much appreciated.
Just out of curiosity - what does everyone use for scrubbing grout which is tight against walls etc? Can't really get the weight behing the salmon brushes on a pole - are there handheld versions abailable?
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I think you would always need to brush edges Ash as obviously a rotary is round and edges are square just have good dwell and a bit of honing then scrubb like hell lol.
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I do use a brush, one of the V shaped salmon brushes - but you cant get the pressure on them to scrub tight against baths/sinks etc - could do with a handheld version.
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If the grout has had the dwell time and you have pre wet it it needs very little scrubbing however the grout Colorant brushes We sell are great for getting in the corners and the edges and the normal V Shape grout brushes are fine if you sakr the long handle off.
Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics
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Kev you still doing 10% off for trade sales, if so how do we buy?
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Ash just prespray with a decent chem,leave to dwell and hit it with spinner tool. Brings them up like new every time.
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I dont have a spinner. Did you find an sx-12? I have tried powerburst & enzyme spray which is ok
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Yep i use rv 360i, but just got an sx too.
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Is the T&G head on the rv360i any good? and what pressure are you using it at? and why the sx12 if you've got the rv360i? :)
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Kev you still doing 10% off for trade sales, if so how do we buy?
Ash
No We do 20% trade discount. Give the office a call tomorrow on 0121 705 5333 and they will sort your Trade Account.
Kev Martín
Marblelife Ltd
Tiling Logistics
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The Dwell time thats the secret. ;)
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And aggitation ;)
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360 is great for carpets but only so so on hard floors, ive even amended the old head which was good on the 360 on to the 360 i and its still not great, by that i mean it cleans but does not leave it dry enough. The sx leaves it a lot drier
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I semi-fancy an RV360i, but know its just an indulgence not a necessity. Might keep my eyes peeled for an SX-12 or turbo hybrid.
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It comes into its own on big carpet areas or trashed commercial Ash