Ceramic/Porcelain Tile, Granite/Marble/Travertine, Cleaner, New Jersey NJ

Shaw Ceramic Porcelain Tile Floor Cleaner

Mohawk FloorCare Essentials Tile Floor Cleaner

Congoleum

When you're choosing tile, it's important to understand the difference between porcelain and ceramic.

What's the difference? It's simple. Porcelain is a type of ceramic itself. It is formed from finer clay and minerals, creating a denser tile that is fired at higher temperatures, helping make porcelain more water-resistant.

Both ceramic and porcelain have many inherent qualities that make them a great flooring choice for busy, active families. Tile from Shaw Ceramics is resistant to stains, odors, bacteria, and scratches. It is also naturally hygienic, easy to clean, and always beautiful.

Mix up your tile with imaginative patterns to keep your floor anything but boring.

Choose a unique tile layout to add interest to your floor. Easy to create and offering endless variety, ceramic patterns create depth and add visual interest.

Choose bold color or a subdued neutral. Try alternative colors for a dramatic, two-toned effect. Mix sizes and shapes to create something completely unique. Repeat patterns or make them random. No matter how you lay our tile, mix it up and it's sure to make a statement.

Maintenance

Proper maintenance is the key to a trouble-free ceramic tile floor.

Damp mop weekly

Wipe down your ceramic tile floor with a damp mop at least once a week (or more often for heavy traffic areas) with R2X Hard Surfaces Flooring Cleaner from Shaw's line of Floor Covering Care Products. If R2X Hard Surfaces Flooring Cleaner is not available, a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar to 2 gallons of clean tap water can be used. Never use a detergent or soap, because it can dull the surface or promote the growth of mildew.

Caution: Wait at least 72 hours after installation (to allow new ceramic tile and grout to dry) before damp mopping.

Use protective mats

Good quality entry and exit mats will help protect your ceramic tile from premature wear. They trap the dirt, sand, grit, and other substances such as oil, asphalt, or driveway sealer that would otherwise be tracked onto your floor. Mats are also suggested at heavy pivot locations, such as in front of your kitchen sink or stove.

Add protective pads to furniture

Protect your ceramic tile by affixing felt or similar pads to the legs of any metal, iron, wood, or plastic furniture that will be placed on it. Exterior metal furniture, which rests on tile floors or patios, may rust and cause staining.

Use recommended sealers and cleaners only

We do not recommend cleaners other than Shaw's own line of floor care products or the vinegar solution described above. They may cause unwarranted damage to your ceramic tile and/or grout.

Check cure time before adding grout sealer

Unless noted otherwise on its packaging, grout should cure for at least 28 days before applying a sealer.

Use a penetrating sealer on quarry tiles

Shaw's quarry tiles are the only Shaw tiles that need a penetrating sealer. These sealers are absorbed into the tile, forming a stain resistant shield just below the surface. Most sealers will darken or change the appearance of the tile, and resealing is usually required every 12 to 18 months. None of Shaw's other tiles will need a sealer, as they are not porous enough to absorb it.