Care & Maintenance Guide Porcelain Stone® Cleaning & Maintenance For Porcelain Stone® Tile Products

Crossville Quality Contractors or installers should also wait until the sealer before proceeding to the entire floor! grout joint has fully cured, usually 7 to 10 days Our Porcelain Stone® tile is produced utilizing • Install the sealer/grout release prior to the before using acidic cleaners. the most advanced equipment under very exten- grouting process as outlined in the manufac- sive and exacting process controls. Quality begins Once the initial cleaning has been thoroughly turer’s written product usage instructions. with the finest raw materials available in the completed, our daily maintenance procedures can Some key points: United States. The ball clays, and kaolin be followed for continuous and long-lasting beauty. • Allow adequate cure period typically 1 to 4 combined with our innovative research and Crossville recommends a two-bucket mopping hours. development program assures every Crossville approach as exemplified by the WaveBrake® • All excess sealer (do not allow to pond) must user of the finest porcelain tile available. mopping system offered by Rubbermaid®. For be removed at the time of application by Crossville is focused on maintaining its commit- specific details call (800) 347-9800 or go to wiping or buffing with a clean dry cloth. This ment to quality so our products meet and exceed www.rubbermaidcommercial.com/wavebrake is very important for impervious porcelain surfaces. your expectations. As with every interior surfacing Special Grouting Situations material, our products require nominal care in • After the grout achieves its set, clean the floor order to maintain a satisfactory appearance and Over the last 2 to 3 years significant changes with a solution similar to Aqua Mix Heavy Duty acceptable sanitation. These guidelines have been have occurred to the grout products available in Tile and Grout Cleaner or Miracle Porcelain prepared so your particular Crossville installation the marketplace. and Ceramic Tile Cleaner or a product recom- will look beautiful for years. • polymer enriched grouts mended by the grout release manufacturer. • epoxy grouts Due to the surface texture of CROSS-SLATE®, Initial Cleaning And Maintenance • epoxy emulsion grouts CROSS-TREAD®, and other highly textured The single-most important step for future • polyurethane based grouts Crossville Porcelain tile, it is advisable to use a daily maintenance involves the complete grout release, if only to improve the cleanability • micro particle technology finely grained sand removal of grout and construction dirt after of the grout from the surface of the tile. and glass spheres Crossville products have been installed. Grout Properly applied, these methods will provide a Due to these and other factors some rethinking manufacturers print instructions for proper mixing, clean tile installation free of grout residue while on the traditional non-recommendation of sealer/ curing, and cleaning of grout on each container. providing significant time savings to the clean-up impregnator applications has become necessary. These directions must be followed. In most and maintenance process on polished and cases, Crossville Porcelain Stone can be cleaned This reappraisal has prompted a specific exami- unpolished porcelain tile surfaces. successfully by scrubbing the installation with nation of today’s new generation of grouts that Of course, these are general recommendations. hot water and a neutral detergent, followed by are integral to all tile installations. Current grout- Any specific recommendations suggested by the a thorough rinsing, then removing the rinse ing materials combine very small particle size with individual manufacturers should be followed. water with a wet vacuum or dry toweling. If grout adhesion based polymers and resins that provide: In the event grout residue or build-up does residue still remains, further cleaning of the tile • very effective joint/void filling happen to occur on newly installed unprotected should be accomplished in consultation with the • very strong bonding agents grout manufacturer and Crossville. tile, reclamation of the floor through a timely and The resulting grout film if allowed to remain on aggressive cleaning effort is necessary. Please Some grout manufacturers distribute proprietary the tile surface can be very difficult to remove! note the recommended methods and materials products which they recommend for the removal • These films come at the end of the installation listed below: of their particular grout from the surface of tile. These products can be diluted for removal of light • Very often this film collects and holds the full • Employ a heavy (75 to 90 lb. head weight) deposits of grouting materials with the possibility variety of construction dirt and debris. swing type floor scrubber of using stronger concentrations when more • The “New” tile floor can have a dull appearance. • Equip the unit with a heavy duty Green floor aggressive cleaning is required. • Light colored tile, will appear dirty from the start. stripping pad Equipment recommended for more aggres- • This condition will only get worse, until such • Grout manufacturer’s recommended grout sive cleaning are floor scrubbers or floor buffing films are removed, or better yet, kept from haze remover used in conjunction with the floor machines equipped with a nylon pad or brush. A becoming established in the first place. machine wet vacuum should be used to pick up suspended Before grouting, regardless of the grout color • Make note of areas where significant grout grout residue and construction dirt completely. chosen, Crossville strongly recommends that a residue is visible Acid washing is rarely recommended, and test patch be done by the contractor to determine • Work the floor in smaller more manageable is not usually necessary to successfully clean if the grout or grout pigment will contaminate the sections a new installation if the cleaning is done in a surface of the tile. • Allow the grout haze cleaner adequate dwell timely fashion. Caution should be exercised If the test patch shows a tendency for staining (10 to 15 minutes) time prior to floor scrubbing when using acid, or acid-based cleaners as or difficulty of removal when following the grout activity they can adversely affect the grout. manufacturer’s instructions (particularly if the • Using the floor cleaning equipment, thoroughly If a customer insists on use of an acid for cleaning tile is light in color and the grout material is in scrub the section, repeat of this process may the installation, he or she should be cautioned to contrast to the color of the tile or composed be necessary use sulfamic acid or phosphoric acid mixed in a of urethanes, epoxies or epoxy emulsions) • Follow promptly with the removal of the dirty solution according to manufacturers’ instructions. the application of a penetrating sealer/grout slurry through the use of a wet vacuum. DO It is important that before the acid solution is release (Ex: Miracle Sealants 511 Impregnator NOT MOP as this will only serve to redistribute placed on the floor, the grout joints be thoroughly 800-350-1901 or AquaMix Ultra-Solv the dirty slurry on the floor saturated with water first. Grouts which contain 877-278-2311) is recommended. latex can actually bond more strongly to the • The cleaned section should now be thoroughly • Some combinations of polished porcelain tile rinsed and revacuumed possibly twice to insure tile surfaces if cleaned with acid. Latex or (micro pores) and these highly formulated/ polymer modified grouts should be cleaned with a all dirty slurry and cleaning residue has been hybrid grouts should be small scale tested and removed solution recommended by the grout manufacturer. may require more than one coating of protective

2 • Dry buff the finished floor to a dry uniform requirement. Top coating finishes also will show General maintenance and cleaning of Crossville finish, using the floor scrubber with a soft white traffic patterns as the finish becomes scratched Porcelain Stone tile will vary depending on the pad or fleece pad. or wears away. Some finishes may even peel off surface texture and soil load. General cleaning in spots. should be performed first by sweeping or Penetrating Sealers Problems most frequently encountered with the vacuuming to remove loose soil or other surface For polished tiles, the use of a penetrating type use of top coating finishes are: contaminants. Depending on the soil load, a sealer is required prior to grouting. A penetrating 1. Wear patterns are easily developed over time. more tailored cleaning process may be required. sealer is one that does not leave a coating on top Select the type of cleaner based on the type of 2. Finish applied to a floor which has not been soil on the floor. After using a cleaning solution of the tile. Rather, these sealers assist in filling properly cleaned will cause the floor to the microscopic surface pores. follow with a thorough rinsing. Please refer to the look hazy. Cleaning Chart for suggested cleaners/detergents. The grinding involved in the polishing pro-cess 3. Finishes applied to textured surfaces will wear produces microscopic surface pores on unevenly on the raised areas as compared to There are six steps that are critical and should all polished tile products. Penetrating sealers can the low areas. always be remembered for the successful fill these pores, making the tile even more maintenance of porcelain tiles: impervious to surface staining, resulting in easier 4. Improperly applied finishes can turn a milky maintenance. Penetrating sealers do not alter white color. 1. All spills should be cleaned as quickly as the appearance of our Crossville products since 5. Multiple coats of top finish can cause possible. Use damp mopping to clean up they are designed only to fill the microscopic discoloration of the tile surface. spills. Damp mopping uses approximately pores and not to coat the tile. Slip resistance When problems such as these occur, the finish 1 gallon of cleaning solution (mixture of also should not be affected. must be stripped off of the tile and a new coat of water and detergent) per 600 square feet. Proper application of penetrating sealers is finish reapplied. This is a costly and unnecessarily An easy way to prepare for damp mopping important. Follow the manufacturer’s application repetitive procedure. is to wring out the mop prior to use. guidelines. If you have questions prior to Proper Care During Construction 2. Use wet mopping daily to clean the floors. application, contact the manufacturer directly. Wet mopping uses approximately 1 gallon The following is a suggested application Since Crossville products are considered to be a of cleaning solution (mixture of water and procedure for a penetrating sealer: finish material, they should not be installed until detergent) per 300 square feet. An easy way to all heavy construction is completed. prepare for wet mopping is to NOT wring Between the installation and putting the floor out the mop prior to use. into service, it is imperative to properly protect 3. Use only the recommended dilution of 1. Surface must be thoroughly clean and free of the tile and grout in order to avoid construction- detergent. More is not always better; higher any foreign matter that may prevent the sealer related cleaning problems. Generally, there is a concentrations of detergent in the cleaning from penetrating. build-up of dirt and debris on every construction solution will only make it more difficult to rinse. 2. Apply in a circular motion using a clean rag, an site. This dirt and debris may cause the grout, applicator or a dense sponge, working sealer and sometimes the tile, to be adversely affected. 4. Allow the proper dwell (remain on the floor) tightly into tile surface. Crossville recommends that a protective cover time. The detergent solution must be given 3. One thin application should be sufficient. be put over the tile surface to safeguard the time to act on the soil load. Generally 5-10 appearance. The cover could include uncolored minutes is sufficient. 4. Completely remove excess sealer from the Kraft paper, cardboard, plywood, or any other surface within 3 to 4 minutes using a clean 5. Always agitate the floor when wet mopping clean covering that will not damage the integrity cotton cloth, rag or absorbent paper towels. to ensure soils are removed. Use a nylon of the installation. Do not use plastic as it may Penetrating-type sealers must not be allowed pad, bristle brush, or deck brush after the not allow the grout and thin-set to properly cure, to dry on tile surface. cleaning solution has been applied. The and it also may become extremely slippery as Dual Tool by Tuway (www.tuwaymops.com Penetrating sealers are applied only once, and construction dust settles. Proper and diligent care or 1-800-537-3750) allows you to agitate generally do not require constant maintenance must be used to maintain the protective cover and mop in one simple step. through reapplication. during construction. This will insure a quality Top Finishes And Waxes appearance when the floor is opened for 6. Rinse thoroughly with clean, clear water continuous use. to remove the dirty detergent solution and Crossville’s dense, low-absorptive, porcelain body emulsified soil. Rinsing is a critical step in the inhibits the penetration of contaminants and, therefore, Chemical Resistance maintenance procedure. Remove the rinse is a tile that is easy to maintain. The low absorptive Crossville tiles are chemical resistant to both water with a wet vacuum, dry mop or toweling. nature of our porcelain tile not only inhibits dirt and strongly acidic and strongly alkaline chemical If dirty detergent solution is not removed and stains, but also prevents top finishes and most products, with the exception of hydrofluoric is allowed to dry on the surface, a coating will chemicals from penetrating the surface. acids or compounds containing fluoride form which is very difficult to remove. Top finishes, those that become a coating over salts and derivatives. Hydrofluoric acid is the In addition to the above steps, slightly different the tile and grout joints, are not recommended only acid which will attack our tiles, due to their cleaning techniques should be administered for by Crossville for its Porcelain Stone tile. They will molecular structure. change the appearance of the tile by coating the each of the surface textures offered by Crossville: surface and giving matte finished tiles a shiny Daily Maintenance Unpolished Matte Finish, Polished, CROSS- SLATE®, CROSS-TREAD®, CROSS-SHEEN®, finish. When a particular type of tile is selected for In keeping with Crossville’s long-standing position CROSSDOT®, CROSS-GRIP®. the coefficient of friction values, the values can be on sustainability we highly recommend the use changed by the application of the finish. Rather of low VOC, non-hazardous, and non-polluting The use of auto-scrubbers and/or wet than improving the ability to maintain the surface, products for cleaning and maintaining your tile extraction machinery can make routine top finishes will increase the maintenance and grout. cleaning easier and more efficient.

3 CROSS-SHEEN® And Unpolished 4. Dry thoroughly with a soft oe buffing pad the tile, then sweep diagonally to the Matte Finish Tile cloth to increase the shine and prevent tile to ensure complete removal of all water spots. foreign material. Crossville’s CROSS-SHEEN® finish is not a 2. Saturate the surface with a neutral glaze, but rather a special surface preparation CROSS-GRIP® sprayed on the tile before firing. CROSS- detergent cleaning solution and hot water CROSS-GRIP® is another special-purpose, SHEEN® closes the pores, resulting in a and agitate. Looped-end, tail-banded high coefficient of friction tile designed permanent surface finish that has a high mops, such as the Super Stitch Blend to maximize safety in food service and degree of stain resistance. Mop from Rubbermaid (800-347-9800), similar installations. are the most durable for textured surface The following represents a simple procedure The cleaning regimen for CROSS-GRIP® tile. Allow the cleaning solution to remain for maintaining CROSS-SHEEN® and unpol- is the same as for CROSS-TREAD® and on the floor for 5-10 minutes. Scrub the ished matte finish tile floors with a moderate CROSSDOT®. floor with a brush in a circular motion. soil load. For best results: Dual-surface floor scrub brushes with side 1. Sweep or vacuum the floor of all loose dirt LAMINAM® by Crossville™ bristles by Carlisle SMP (800-654-8210, and other foreign materials. Laminam tiles are porcelain, with all the carlisleSMP.com) are ideal for cleaning 2. Saturate the floor with a mild cleaning same features and benefits as Crossville’s textured floor tile and cove base. solution and hot water, agitate, and allow it other porcelain tile. Based on the finish and 3. Rinse the floor with clean, clear water to to dwell (remain on the floor) 5-10 minutes. texture of the selected tile, the cleaning and suspend contaminants and completely Do not allow cleaning solutions to dry. It maintenance portions of this document apply remove any soiled cleaning solution. may be best to complete small areas at to Laminam as well. 4. Remove rinse water with a wet vacuum or a time. Some exceptions follow: dry toweling. 3. Remove the dirty cleaning solution and • Polished and Satin finishes of Laminam re- In high-traffic areas, or areas where the rinse the surface with clean, clear water. quire a penetrating sealer prior to grouting. surface is exposed to a heavy soil load, it 4. Buff with a dry mop or towel. • Filo collection contains metal in the glaze may be necessary to scrub the floor once a If the Crossville CROSS-SHEEN® or and is therefore more susceptible to day and damp-mop at intervals during the unpolished finish product is extremely dirty, scratching so or scouring powder business day. a more aggressive cleaning method may be cleansers should not be used. When occasional deep cleaning is required necessary: for particularly dirty or stained areas, the 1. Sweep or vacuum the floor of dirt and other Stone Look Tile & CROSS-SLATE® use of a wet vacuum in conjunction with foreign material. Crossville’s natural stone-look and a stiff bristled deck brush is recommended 2. If there are difficult-to-remove con- CROSS-SLATE® tile has a subtle textured (XTRACT melamine floor pads as a replace- taminants on the surface of the tile, surface. The cleaning and maintenance ment for standard floor scrubbing pads on an first attempt to identify the specific procedures for stone-look tile are the same orbital machine also work well – spill or contaminant. Different surface as for CROSS-SHEEN® and unpolished matte www.americomfg.com). contaminants require different cleaning finished tile. There is also an array of power washing and methods and chemicals (see chart). The use of cleaning machines and wet- auto scrubbing equipment by that can greatly 3. Saturate the floor with cleaning solution extraction equipment can be used on our improve the speed and efficiency of cleaning and hot water, agitate, and allow it to dwell various tiles and textures. large commercial, exterior or transitional (remain on the floor) 5-10 minutes. After surface areas available from:. CROSS-TREAD® and CROSSDOT® the dwell time, scrub the cleaning solution • Windsor (800) 444-7654 – windsorind.com with a floor machine equipped with a When public safety and insurance factors • Betco (888) 462-3826 – betco.com nylon pad or bristle brush. For residential are a concern, Crossville offers its • Tornado ( 800) VACUUMS – tornadovac.com applications and small areas, use a hand CROSS-TREAD® and CROSSDOT® tile for • IPC Eagle (800) 486-277 – ipceagle.com brush or nylon pad. improved slip resistance. While these tiles 4. Remove the dirty cleaning solution and are adeptly suited for their requirements, it is HYDROTECT® Fired On Coating rinse the surface with clean, clear water. necessary to pay additional attention and take Crossville tiles with Hydrotect® can be This can be accomplished with a mop or a adequate care when cleaning these textures. cleaned with any of the normal cleaning wet vacuum. It may be necessary to rinse The undulation of the surface makes it practices described in this document (based the tile several times to thoroughly remove necessary to clean the entire surface, on finish and texture use the applicable the from the surface. including the low points, which necessitates some additional, practical dirt removal procedures). Hydrotect’s fired on coating Polished Tile procedures. Standard damp-mopping may is resistant to most chemicals and staining not effectively clean these finishes. Also, it agents in the same way as porcelain tile. The For Crossville polished porcelain tiles, please one consideration that must be observed is follow these instructions for general cleaning: is necessary to thoroughly rinse the tile to completely remove all dirty cleaning solution. that the Hydrotect coating must not be waxed 1. Sweep or vacuum the floor of loose dirt. or sealed in order to be effective. An untreated, dry dust mop may be more For cleaning of CROSS-TREAD® and CROSSDOT® surfaces, please follow these Care should be taken to completely remove effective than a soft-bristle broom. all grout residues in order to allow for the 2. Mop with a mild cleaning solution. Use instructions (this procedure is also applicable to any heavily textured porcelain tile products): full effectiveness of the Hydrotect coating. 50% less detergent concentrate than one If a grout release is used, it must be a grout would use on an unpolished floor. 1. Sweep or vacuum floor debris. If sweeping, release that is completely removed by the 3. Rinse the floor thoroughly with clean, use a soft-bristle broom. Sweep in two water in the clean-up phase of grouting, clear water. directions. First, follow the direction of such as Aquamix’s “Grout Release”.

3 4 Suggested Cleaners

Suggested Cleaners For Problem Stains Custom Building Products, Tilelab & Aquamix In keeping with Crossville’s long-standing position on sustainability, we highly recommend Seal Beach, CA 90740 the use of low VOC, non-hazardous, and non-polluting products for cleaning and maintaining 800.272.8786 tile and grout (for specific problem stains, please use the following stain removal chart). custombuildingproducts.com These products are used by tile and maintenance professionals and may not be readily aquamix.com available in all areas. Most household cleaners are sufficient to clean common stains Fila Chemicals USA Corp. as long as they conform to the standards set forth in the Daily Maintenance Section. In 10800 NW 21st St. # 170 the case where stain removal becomes a problem, contact a cleaning and maintenance Miami, FL 33172 product supplier or your local tile distributor for professional suggestions. 305.513.0708 In keeping with its commitment to quality, Crossville® will offer its Technical Service www.filasolutions.com Department for individualized assistance. This department can assist you in the proper installation and maintenance of all Crossville® Porcelain Stone® tiles. Contact Crossville Miracle Sealants Co. Technical Services at 931.484.2110. 12318 Lower Azusa Rd. Arcadia, CA 91006-5872 Crossville® recommends the use of professional cleaning and maintenance products. If 800.350.1901 ext. 3013 additional information or assistance is required on a contaminant not listed, or if you need miraclesealants.com to find out where the products are sold, please call us, or contact one of the following:

STAIN FILA CUSTOM AQUA MIX MIRACLE SEALANTS COMMON Food Groups Mustard Fila PS87 TileLab Concentrated Stone & Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Cleaner Mr. Clean® Ketchup or Grout & Tile Cleaner Tile Cleaner or Neutral Floor Cleaner® Mayonnaise Fila SR95 or Tile & Stone Cleaner 409® Tea Bags Grout Deep Clean or Spic and Span® Ice Cream Liquid Poultice Fantastic® Beer/Wine or Comet® Orange Juice Finish Sealer Stripper Windex® Grape Juice Lysol® Coffee Soft Scrub® Coke Mr. Clean Magic Eraser® Soy Sauce Bar Keepers Friend® Oil & Grease Vegetable Fila PS87 TileLab Heavy Duty Heavy-Duty Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Cleaner Mr. Clean Mineral or Stripper & Cleaner Tile & Grout or Neutral Floor Cleaner Petroleum Fila No Spot Cleaner Tile & Stone Cleaner 409 Wax Sealer or Spic and Span Meat Grease Liquid Poultice Fantastic Hydraulic Oil or Comet Trans. Fluid Finish Sealer Stripper Windex Linseed Oil - Fila No Paint Star Lysol Lipstick Fila PS87 Soft Scrub Rubber or Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Shoe Polish Fila No Paint Star Bar Keepers Friend® Paint (Oil Based) Markers/Graffiti Felt Tip Fila PS87 TileLab Heavy Duty Sealer & Coating Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Cleaner Comet Ink or Stripper & Cleaner Remover or Soft Scrub Water Marker Fila SR95 Mira Strip Mr. Clean Permanent or Neutral Floor Cleaner Fluorescent Tile Restor ZUD Crayon - Fila PS87 or Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Finish Sealer Stripper Bar Keepers Friend® Water-Based Agents Water Base Fila PS87 TileLab Heavy Duty Sealer & Coating Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Cleaner Mr. Clean Paint or Stain or Stripper & Cleaner Remover or Neutral Floor Cleaner Deterdek Finish Sealer Stripper Comet or Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Tile & Stone Cleaner Bar Keepers Friend® Tile Grout Cement Deterdek TileLab Sulfamic Acid Crystals Heavy Duty Acid Cleaner (HDAC) White Vinegar Latex or Sulfamic Acid Cleaner or or Lime-A-Way Polymer Fila PS87 or Phosphoric Acid Substitute Phosphoric Acid Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Grout Haze Remover or or Bar Keepers Friend® Grout Haze Clean-Up* Finish Sealer

Epoxy - Fila CR10 - Sealer & Coating Remover - Epoxy Grout Film Remover

*For problem stains, it may be necessary to use an abrasive powder compound in conjunction with the above cleaners: With Heavy-Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner or Grout Haze Clean-Up, use Aqua Mix Poultice. Please be careful to follow manufacturers recommended procedures when using any cleaning product. To ® download a copy of “How to Care for Porcelain Stone tile,” be sure to visit our web site at CrossvilleInc.com.

5 Crossville, Inc. PO Box 1168 Phone 931.484.2110 Care & Maintenance Crossville, TN Fax 931.456.2956 Guide 38557 E-Mail [email protected] Web CrossvilleInc.com

Crossville Cross-Sheen®

Cross-Sheen® is a unique proprietary finish that is not a glaze. It is a special surface preparation that is sprayed on to the tile surface prior to firing. The dense porcelain tiles are then fired at 2,200 degree Fahrenheit, the treatment actually lowers the melt point on the top layer (1mm) closing and fusing the surface pores, giving the tiles a permanent and integral surface finish. Cross-Sheen® (UPS) finish imparts a subtle glow that enhances the color of the tile and also allows graffiti, stains and scuff marks to be easily wiped off the surface. This remarkable finish is on every tile Crossville manufactures*. Cross-Sheen® is recommended for interior floors and walls and exterior walls, including high-traffic areas and areas where a low level of maintenance is desired. Cross-Sheen® is not recommended for exterior paving. Cross-Sheen® is recommended for interior floors and walls and exterior walls. Please check individual series for usage areas.

Permanent Marker Graffiti Clean-up

Cross-Sheen® (UPS) finish allows permanent marker and other inks, stains, and scuffs to be removed with water.

Spray Paint Graffiti Clean-up

Even more aggressive graffiti and spray paint can be removed with a mild cleaner.

*Excluding Polished (PO) and Honed (HON) finish tiles

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