Like everything preparation is most important and the saltillos must be stripped of all the existing coating.
Sealing saltillo tile floors.
Promptly wipe up any spills to minimize staining risk.
Cleaning saltillo tiles with alkaline cleaner.
After you have scrubbed away all of the dirt and grime then you should thoroughly rinse the tiles and grout to remove all traces of the cleaning solution.
Saltillo when maintained properly can be a beautiful floor that can last for decades.
Use a broom for a very light sweeping and then use a vacuum.
Use a minimum amount of water on floor and dry promptly.
Topical sealers work best for sealing saltillo and they also give the dull saltillo tiles a glossy or matte finish.
Do not soak saltillo tile.
Regularly damp mop floor with water and glaze n seal neutral cleaner.
As necessary re apply floor polish to prevent wear thru of polish.
Sealing them with a topical sealer proved them with a protective water proof coating that makes them much easier to clean and maintain.
Ideally you want to use a tile sealer before any work is done with the tiles.
In tucson and throughout the southwest saltillo tile is a popular flooring choice.
A clear shine on your saltillo tiles will allow the true beauty of the saltillo to show.
Proper sealing of the saltillo will greatly ease the future clean up and maintenance of your saltillos.
If polish is properly maintained the saltillo tile should not require re sealing.
Unsealed saltillo tiles will quickly absorb all types of dirt grease spills and contaminates.
For long lasting beauty and long term durability you need to be very detailed when staining and sealing your saltillo tile floors.
The key is to choose the appropriate products to use on your floor and establish a routine floor maintenance schedule to keep it looking beautiful.
You will need to mix your solution of alkaline cleaner to some hot water followed by pouring directly to the saltillo tile flooring.
This helps prevent any staining during the installation process and helps prevent glue and grout entering the tiny pores of the tile.
That means sealing them with at least two coats before the tile setter begins installation.
Then allow that to sit on the tiles for approximately fifteen minutes it will help to loosen up the grime that has built up in the tiles.
The first step to sealing your saltillo mexican tile is to clean them of any type of dirt or debris.
A mop and bucket of hot water works well for rinsing a saltillo tile floor.
Saltillos also lend themselves to staining with any number of colors.
Once upon a time installers would soak saltillo tile in water prior to setting it with thinset.
It is important to make sure that the entire surface of the area you are going to seal is free from any dirt.
Sealing the saltillo tiles will help to prevent staining of the tile.
This was done to serve the purpose of what penetrating sealer accomplishes for the tiles now.
This is an imperative point.