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Tile Floor Cleaning
updated: Sep 25, 2012, 9:04 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

Does anyone know a good way to deep clean a Saltillo tile floor?

I have a small floor that has many stains and spots and would like to truly deep clean it before re-sealing. I know it's porous but looked so great when I first laid it down and sealed it, but has become kind of dirty looking over the years.

I wonder if a steam clean type machine would work? Or is a acid wash or something necessary? Or maybe it's just not possible to deep clean Saltillo... Any contractors out there have some good advice?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 323868	2012-09-25 09:21 AM
We had the same problem. After numerous attempts at cleaning by professionals, acid baths, etc. I told my wife I was going to paint it with a Behr concrete paint. She said, "Go ahead - we've tried everything else." So I followed the instructions, TSPd the floor and painted the tiles. Everyone who has seen it said, "You should have done this years ago!" I didn't paint the grout a lighter shade, but it would look wonderful if I ever decide to do it. Try this on a small inconspicous place on your floor - you may like it as well as we did!
COMMENT 323890	2012-09-25 09:58 AM
Consult a tile expert at one of the major tile retail stores. Sometimes those stains penetrate so deeply they can't be removed. Maybe Servicemaster can help, I would give them a call too. Good luck:-)
COMMENT 323893	2012-09-25 10:01 AM
The only thing that will draw oil stains out of a pourous surface like unsealed (or poorly sealed) saltillo is called a "poultice". Use this on the darkest stains, then use a saltillo sealer stripper to remove the old sealer and a weak vinegar or muratic acid solution to clean the rest. You might bleach them a bit with the acid requiring a light stain added to the sealer. Final note, top coat sealers are glossy and slippery, but provide a better shield to stain than a penetrating sealer. Whatever you do, don't paint them...the only avenue then will be removal.
COMMENT 323934	2012-09-25 11:33 AM
893 - "Whatever you do, don't paint..." Why not? Painting is an interesting option like I mentioned above. Just be aware that you'll be changing the whole "look" of the surface. We tried a small section behind a refrigerator to see if it would work well.
COMMENT 323960	2012-09-25 12:55 PM
@893 gives the good advice, however we did paint our saltillo tiles summer of 2006 - they still look great (I did paint the grout a deeper color).
COMMENT 323982	2012-09-25 01:22 PM
Would you paint your hardwood floors because they have scratches? Painting beautiful aged saltillo because you didn't protect it properly and don't want to put the elbow grease into resurrecting it is a crime. Since it appears this person installed it themselves, they should have known their limitations and installed lookalike porcelain tiles.
COMMENT 324033	2012-09-25 03:17 PM
982 very good advice....install the look alike porcelain. There are some excellent imitations out there that are easy to care for and last forever.
COMMENT 324178P	2012-09-26 07:05 AM
OP here, thanks for all the advice, keep it coming! I love natural "aged" looking Saltillo floors and I know they are popular throughout SB. This floor now just looks dirty, though; not that cool "aged" look like in the courthouse and many houses. Yes, I did install and seal myself over 10 years ago, but did not re-seal often enough. I rented the place out for a while, and one of the tenants just thrashed the place, floors included, unfortunately. I think it's too late to "install" porcelain, unless you mean over the existing tile? I guess if the porcelain "veneers" (like teeth?) we're real thin, it could work...but removing Saltillo seems a daunting task. I wish I could see pictures of what you mean by painting over it. Is it a solid color or a faux-Saltillo paint job you are talking about? I don't think I would like a solid color. 893, where can I get this "poultice"? Is it helped by heat? I think most of the sealant is worn off the tile at this point, and I want to put new sealant down, but want to see if I can clean the existing tile a bit beforehand. Not much, just the main traffic area about 200sqft if possible. Thanks again, everybody, very helpful advice!
COMMENT 324189	2012-09-26 07:44 AM
Home Depot has all the products you need. Just don't listen to anyone that works there.
COMMENT 324195P	2012-09-26 08:05 AM
Or you can go to a local tile place and talk to the skilled people who work there... worth every penny.
PETER	2012-09-26 08:33 AM
We have a lot of Saltillo tiled floors in our house and we have used a local company Harbor Seal both to do the original sealing and to recondition the floors as needed. Nice people and reasonable prices.
COMMENT 324208	2012-09-26 08:45 AM
I love Continental Janitorial. I've worked with them for the past 10 years and they always have the best solution. Ask for Rudy or Carlos (father and son). Office line: 805-687-0884
COMMENT 324298	2012-09-26 11:14 AM
I scrubbed mine (tile by tile, with a scrub brush, on my hands and knees--ugh!) with a strong mixture of water and Oxy Clean (from the grocery store, usually used for laundry) and then sealed it. It really made a difference.
COMMENT 324356	2012-09-26 01:09 PM
Harbor Seal? I'd hire them just out of appreciation for the name.

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