How to clean bath tiles that absorb water?

michaelmkchu

I have tiles in my bathroom that seem to stay dirty no matter how much I mop with warm water and dish soap. They also seem to absorb water, rather than have it bead.

Because it stayed dirty I tried vinegar and now there's a spot that's lighter, but I am unsure if I've just discoloured my tile or if it is clean. 

The bathroom was renovated around 10 years ago, I only just moved in.

Main question:

1) How should I clean these tiles? Dish soap and degreaser don't seem to work.

2) Is vinegar cleaning the tiles or doing damage?

Picture of my bathroom tiles

EricL

Hello @michaelmkchu 

I suspect that years of overzealous cleaning have stripped the glaze coating on the surface of the tile. It is the only reason you would see water get absorbed on the surface of the tile. Generally speaking, the tile glaze serves as the waterproofing shield, but when this covering has been worn down water will pass through the tile. Because the internal structure of the tile has been exposed any cleaning agent will simply sit on the surface and get absorbed by the tile. 

The vinegar you used has had a bleaching effect on the surface and that is why the colour has gone a bit lighter. You could try to dry clean the surface with a stiff bristle brush, but I don't think you'll be able to get the dirt out of the pores of the tile. If you are not ready to redo your tiles, I suggest coating the tile with CPC 220ml Shower Plug Sealant. This will temporarily coat the surface of your tile and prevent water from going through, but at some point, it will be necessary to replace the tiles in the bathroom.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric