Have you ever been on a perfectly paved patio or seen an immaculate outdoor kitchen with porcelain slabs? If so, you may already be a fan of this wonderful architectural stone.
At Stonecera, as providers of the raw beauty of natural stone and clean, comfortable design at the highest level of engineered materials, we know why porcelain slabs are a staple among top designers and selective homeowners.
Not only are they simply beautiful and a way to express your outdoor style, like our exquisite Ash Black Granite, but they also possess the secret of durability! Are you intrigued? The secret is the simple but essential art of cleaning.
Just like natural stone requires specific care to maintain its richness and character, knowing how to clean your outdoor porcelain tiles will help to enhance their beauty and ensure they look great for years to come.
Follow us through the details on how to clean outdoor porcelain tiles so your outdoor porcelain investment can shine in all its glory.
Debunking the Myths
A. Let’s Talk Porcelain: Separating Fact from Fiction in Tile Care
At Stonecera, we are very enthusiastic about the lasting quality and incredible performance of our porcelain tiles, and we understand you are too. You chose porcelain for its durability, its aesthetics, and how it improves your space, like Kandla grey sandstone paving.
And while it is true that porcelain dishes itself well with the rigours of daily life, there exists an expectation, appetite, and/or inclination to do as little as possible to its performance, assuming that its inherent toughness negates the need for some routine maintenance.
The same concept holds for porcelain. A well-constructed piece of furniture can last decades (or longer), but you would still dust and polish it now and then to keep it looking new, which makes it essential to know how to clean porcelain tiles outdoors.
Similarly, while porcelain tiles and accessories are very resistant to day-to-day wear and tear like yellow bricks, failing to promptly address some periodic maintenance may leave some conditions which will become less palatable after time and/or leave you wondering whether you made a wise investment when you’re just seeing the results of the accumulation of stains, grime, grease, etc.
It’s important that you change the mindset that porcelain is a set it and forget it option. Porcelain is not a fragile option but merely requires that we respect its beauty, and with just a little routine care now and then, we can continue to reap its aesthetic benefits for many years.
Restoring the original beauty you fell in love with is not hard; it just requires a little bit of your time and perhaps very little money. All the silky smooth, non-porous beauty of the porcelain tile you imagined with your purchase you can still obtain with just a little touch of positivity.
B. Less Chore, More Shine: The Simplicity of Maintaining Your Porcelain
We understand the importance of your time. We will not suggest a complicated cleaning routine that takes several steps, specialised tools or hours of your time. We want your cleaning agenda to be simple and effective. Your Stonecera’s porcelain tile should never feel like a chore to keep looking beautiful, like rustic slate.
The key is to adopt a few simple habits in your cleaning routine that will help in the long run while learning how to clean porcelain outdoor tiles. We believe that anyone can maintain a sparkly clean and beautiful porcelain surface with only a few commonly available items and a little thoughtfulness to support the process.
The “Clean Slate” Method: Your Unique Cleaning Guide
Let’s begin with how to clean porcelain tiles outdoors in a way that looks and feels hassle-free for you.
Step 1: The Sweep Sanctuary:
Action: Regular dry sweeping or vacuuming
How To: To avoid the one-day hassle, begin with cleaning your outdoor porcelain slabs or wall claddings using a soft brush or broom. This way, you can clean the loose debris regularly and prevent the dust from settling onto its surface.
What to avoid: Do not scrub the surface hard and dry clean the surface with a soft brush or cloth.
Materials required: You can use a dry cloth, a broom, a soft brush, or a soft cloth, or for some big areas, a vacuuming machine can be a great idea.
Step 2: The Gentle Wash Wave:
Action: Damp mopping with mild detergent.
How To: This process of how to clean outdoor porcelain tiles is what plays a vital role. You can do this at least twice or thrice a week to not only clean porcelain but grey limestone paving as well. All you are required to do is take mild detergent or a pH-neutral cleaner, mix it with warm water and wash the surface off, ending by thoroughly rinsing and drying it off. Keep in mind the mop gently gliding over the tiles.
What to avoid: Do not use any acidic cleaner or adhesive on the surface, as it may damage the porcelain’s surface and result in discolouration.
Materials required: You can use a stone-specific cleaner, a mild detergent, or a pH-neutral cleaner.
Step 3: The Spotless Serenity:
Action: Address spills and stains promptly.
How To: We all know that spills and liquids are the major reason behind the dirty surfaces of our outdoor porcelain tiles or granite slabs. So what we have to do is, while learning how to clean porcelain tiles outdoors whenever we see them or have them, we have to take some quick actions to prevent our surfaces from staining. Rinse the surface with water, and if you can still see the mark, use cleaner or detergent to gently scrub it, then rinse it again with clean water. Finish by drying it off.
What to avoid: To clean the spill quickly, do not scrub it hard and use a soft brush or soft cloth to clean the surface.
Materials Required: A soft brush, mild detergent or stone-specific cleaner, a wiper, or a drying cloth.
Step 4: The Grout Guardian:
Action: Cleaning grout lines.
How to: When you are learning how to clean porcelain outdoor tiles, you must know that grout lines are also the ones that we should pay attention to. They can be cleaned easily and can give your Abbey porcelain tiles a new touch. All you have to do is take some baking soda and mix it with water to create a paste, apply the paste on the grout line, leave it for 20 minutes and then clean it off thoroughly using a dry cloth.
What to avoid: Avoid using any harsh chemicals or scrubbing the grout lines hard. Instead, clean it gently to avoid any scratches on the surface.
Materials Required: Baking soda, dry cloth, water, soft brush, or a gentle scrubber.
The Final Finish – Leaving a Lasting Impression
So here, let’s wrap up the process and learn how to clean outdoor porcelain tiles. where we have learnt about the detailed cleaning, when to do it, and how to address the spills. Outdoor porcelain tiles are quite low maintenance and can be cleaned easily using commonly available products and with some gentle methods.
It is always recommended to avoid the use of harsh chemicals and adhesives that can potentially damage the surface. Here is also an unsaid rule: if you begin the cleaning little by little daily, then you won’t have to do it all at once.
Regular cleaning is useful to keep your porcelain slabs clean, and weekly cleaning with a mild detergent will make them look pristine. SO hope you all have understood. How to clean porcelain outdoor tiles easily without any hassle.
FAQs: How to Clean Outdoor Porcelain Tiles
Q1. What should you not use on porcelain tiles?
Ans. Outdoor porcelain tiles are usually easy to clean, but using adhesives, acidic cleaners, ammonia, or a bleach-containing cleaner is what you can avoid using on your porcelain slabs, as it may damage their surface and can also result in discolouration.
Q2. How many years does porcelain tile last?
Ans. If maintained and cleaned well, porcelain tiles can last for almost 50 years to come. They offer a lasting performance while adding property value and improving the overall outdoor aesthetics.
Q3. What is the best thing to clean outdoor tiles with?
Ans. Using a mild detergent solution mixed with warm water or using a stone-specific cleaner is what works best for cleaning outdoor porcelain tiles, as they effortlessly clean the surface without requiring much time and effort.
Q4. How to make dull porcelain tile shine?
Ans. To make your porcelain tiles shiny, you can use lemon juice in your cleaning detergent, which can remove the dirt from the surface easily. Lemon has natural cleaning and acidic characteristics that help in restoring the shine.
Q5. Do porcelain tiles lose their shine?
Ans. No, porcelain tiles that contain the polish and gloss won’t lose their shine even after exposure to dirt and changing climatic conditions for long.
