Cleaning and maintenance

Mosa tiles are easy to clean and maintain provided the correct methods and products are used. There are two types of cleaning: initial cleaning; immediately after installation, and regular cleaning, when the space is in use.

Download the General cleaning advice.

Basic cleaning

Grout the joints according to the of the grout manufacturer’s instructions. When the grout has hardened sufficiently, wash down the tiles with a damp sponge and leave for one minute. This will soften the cement residue. Then wipe the surface with a clean, firm sponge which is wrung out frequently in clean water. The water needs to be replenished frequently.

If there is still cement residue after the joints have dried and hardened (after at least 24 hours), Mosa recommends that you apply the appropriate mixture of cement-residue remover and water. Rinse with plenty of clean water. Cement residue which has not been properly removed will attract grime and make the tiles difficult to clean.

Recommended products for removing cement residue*

HMK Möller-Chemie
HMK R59HMK R63 (for stubborn cement residue)
www.moellerstonecare.com

Lithofin
KF cement-residue remover
www.lithofin.com

Cement residue can only be removed if the joint has sufficiently hardened. This process can take several days depending on the type of grout. Mix the cement-residue remover in the proportions indicated by the manufacturer. Apply it to the floor, scrub it in gently and give it time to react as stated in the instructions. Then scrub it gently again and rinse with plenty of clean water.

Protecting the joints
Before applying an acidic product such as a cement-residue remover it is advisable to wet the floor until the joints are saturated with water. This will protect the joints against the acidity.

Waterproof joints
Waterproof grout has been used with increasing frequency in recent years, for grouting ceramic wall and floor tiles. Waterproof grout is a fairly flexible material with good adhesion. The required waterproof standards are achieved by adding a percentage of synthetic binding agent and additives to the grout powder. This mixture is highly adhesive and can leave a stubborn film of cement on the surface of the tiles, particularly textured tiles. A prompt and thorough rinse with plenty of clean water will help to prevent the cement residue from sticking to the surface.

Textured tiles
Cement film or residue is easier to remove from textured tiles ( Mosa RL, RG or anti-slip) if you apply a temporary protective layer beforehand, such as:
HMK Möller-Chemie
HMK P23*
www.moellerstonecare.com
This ‘protective layer’ can be easily removed at the same time as the cement residue and will not tarnish the surface of the tile.

* Products available from our preferred suppliers.

General cleaning

Floors should be cleaned daily or at regular (weekly) intervals depending on the nature of the space and the amount of grime.

Floor tiles
Floors that are subjected to normal use can be cleaned with a mild acidic product, such as a bathroom detergent. This will remove traces of lime, urine and soap. The acidic bathroom detergent should be alternated with a mild alkaline detergent. This will remove walk-in grime and other stains caused by everyday use. An acidic detergent should, on average, be used more often than a mild alkaline detergent in wet areas (e.g. kitchens and, bathrooms, etc). In dry areas (e.g. halls and living rooms) an alkaline detergent should be used on average, more often than an acidic detergent. The detergents should be diluted and applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Apply the detergent to the floor, scrub it in gently (in order to reach the deeper parts of textured tiles) and allow it to react. Then scrub the floor gently again and rinse with plenty of clean water.

Wall tiles
Wall tiles should be washed down regularly with water and a mild detergent and, if necessary, a low dosage lime remover. Decorative elements should be treated with extra care. Acidic lime or cement remover can tarnish natural stone inserts and decorative strips. Recommended maintenance detergents*

HMK Möller Chemie
HMK R59 (bathroom / tile cleaner)
HMK P15 (mild alkaline maintenance liquid)
HMK R57 (mild alkaline detergent)
www.moellerstonecare.com

HG International
HG blue (bathroom cleaner)
HG Quick / Remover (mild alkaline detergent)
www.hginternational.com

Lithofin
KF bathroom cleaner
Wexa (mild alkaline detergent)
www.lithofin.com

* These products are available from our preferred suppliers.

Warning
Before using acidic detergents, such as cement-residue removers, it is important to ascertain whether the surface is acid resistant (grout, decorative elements made of e.g. natural stone, stainless steel etc.).

Professional cleaning

In general, only professional detergents should be used which do not leave a shiny or greasy film on the surface, as this will only attract grime.

Scrubber/vacuum machine
This system is ideal for large areas and surfaces that need frequent cleaning (e.g. supermarket floors, halls etc.). A mechanism at the front applies the detergent*. The machine brushes the floor then clears the detergent with a vacuum fitted at the back. The main drawback of this mechanised cleaning system is that the detergent only gets a short time to react. During intensive cleaning the vacuum should be switched off during the first run, when the detergent is being applied. When the detergent has had enough time to react, the machine can spray the floor with clean water and vacuum it in a second run.

* The detergent should be low-lather and specially formulated for scrubbing-vacuum machines.

Mechanised single or multidisk machines
Larger areas can best be cleaned with a single or multidisk machine, which is fitted with one or more pads or brushes. Pads are generally used for flat floor tiles and brushes for textured tiles. The pads and brushes have different levels of roughness (indicated by white, red, blue and black). The colour of the pad or brush to be used depends on the intensity of the dirt. The water should then be cleared with a squeegee or a water vacuum cleaner.

Manual; cloth, mop, scrubber
It is easier to clean smaller areas manually. A cloth and a ‘squeegy’mop are usually sufficient. Apply the diluted detergent and give it time to react. The best results for textured floor tiles (anti-slip) are achieved with a manual scrubber. The floor requires only gentle scrubbing. Where there is a floor drain, it can be rinsed with plenty of clean water and a squeegee. Where there is no drain, vacuuming the excess water is preferred. A water vacuum cleaner is recommended for a coarser textured floor tiles (R12 and higher).

No rights may be derived from these recommendations. Users should apprise themselves beforehand of the product features, guidelines and safety instructions of the manufacturers by reading the product and safety information.
All recommendations are based on current state-of-the-art knowledge. This advice contains information about Mosa products, properties and applications, and therefore may not to be used as a guarantee for the stated recommendations. Mosa will not be held responsible should this information be used as a guarantee.