How to clean terracotta tiles without damaging the sealer

Step by step: how to clean terracotta tiles without damaging the sealer

1. 1

   Find out if the tile is sealed

   Put a few drops of water on a tile in a low-traffic corner. If it beads up, the tile is sealed; if it darkens and soaks in within a few minutes, the sealer is worn or was never applied. Unsealed terracotta stains easily, so clean it with plain water and reseal soon.

2. 2

   Sweep or vacuum the grit

   Use a soft broom, dust mop or a vacuum with the brush roll off. Grit acts like sandpaper on the soft clay and on the sealer, so get it all up before any water goes down. Pay attention to the grout lines and the edges of the room.

3. 3

   Mix a pH-neutral cleaner

   Dilute a pH-neutral cleaner made for sealed terracotta or natural stone in warm water, following the label. A few drops of clear dish soap in a gallon of warm water works for light cleaning. Fill a second bucket with clean warm water for rinsing.

4. 4

   Damp mop a small section at a time

   Wring the mop until it is barely damp and clean about 3 by 3 feet at a time. Do not flood the floor; terracotta is porous and puddles can soak into worn spots and grout. Rinse the mop in the clean bucket often.

5. 5

   Scrub stubborn spots gently

   Work a dirty grout line or a sticky spot with a nylon pad or soft brush and a little cleaner. Never use steel wool, which scratches the surface and leaves metal bits that rust. Wipe the loosened dirt up right away.

6. 6

   Rinse with clean water

   Go over the floor once more with a mop dipped in plain warm water and wrung out. Leftover cleaner leaves a film that dulls the tile and attracts dirt. Change the rinse water when it looks cloudy.

7. 7

   Dry the floor

   Wipe the floor dry with old towels under your feet or a dry microfiber mop. Drying stops water spots and keeps moisture out of the clay. Keep foot traffic off until it is dry to the touch.

What not to use on terracotta tiles

Do not use acidic or harsh cleaners on terracotta. Stone and terracotta supplier Limestone.com’s terracotta cleaning guide recommends cleaners made for clay surfaces with a neutral pH, and says acidic cleaners, such as those with vinegar or ammonia, should never be used. Bleach and citrus cleaners are just as hard on the sealer, so stick to products labeled for sealed terracotta or natural clay tile.

How often should you seal terracotta tiles?

Check the sealer every year and reseal when water stops beading. Tile maker Jeffrey Court says its terracotta field tiles come pre-sealed and should be resealed with a high-quality sealer annually or as the sealer manufacturer recommends. Outdoor and wet areas usually wear through sealer fastest.

Roca Tile’s tile care page notes that sealing may be necessary for some quarry tile, Saltillo tile and natural stone, says to ask your tile supplier or maker whether your tile needs sealing or stripping, and says to check with your tile and sealer makers that the sealer suits the tile. A penetrating sealer keeps the matte, natural look; a topical coating adds sheen but wears in traffic lanes and eventually needs stripping.

• Clean the floor and let it dry for at least a day before sealing.
• Test the sealer on a spare tile or hidden corner to see how it changes the color.
• Apply thin coats with the applicator the label calls for, and wipe off any excess before it dries.

White haze, stains and small pits

Most terracotta problems come from minerals, oil or worn sealer, and each needs a different fix.

• White, powdery haze. Often efflorescence, salts drawn up from below as the tile dries. Brush it off dry and let the floor finish drying; if it keeps coming back, ask a tile pro about moisture under the floor.
• Oil and grease spots. Blot right away. On sealed tile, a little dish soap solution usually lifts them; set-in oil on unsealed tile may need a poultice made for stone and tile.
• Small pits. Small divots are part of the character of handmade terracotta. If one bothers you, ask your tile supplier before sanding, then touch up the sealer over the spot.

For grout lines that stay dark, see our grout cleaning guide, and use only the pH-neutral methods on terracotta.

Mistakes to avoid

• Mopping with vinegar, which eats away the sealer over time.
• Using a soaking-wet mop or a steam mop on porous tile.
• Skipping the dry sweep, so grit scratches the floor as you mop.
• Leaving cleaner residue on the floor, which makes it dull and sticky.
• Putting rubber-backed rugs on sealed terracotta.
• Sealing over a dirty or damp floor, which locks the dirt in.