If the discoloration is caused by dirt or grime, cleaning the tiles with a pH-neutral cleaner and a soft-bristled brush may be enough to restore their original color. Remove efflorescence: If the discoloration is caused by efflorescence, you can remove it with an acidic cleaner or a solution of water and vinegar.
Cleaning and Maintaining Discolored Tile Floors
The easiest way is by using a solution made from one part bleach and two parts water. Mix the solution in a bucket and immerse your discolored floor tiles. Using a soft-bristled brush, scrub lightly, then rinse thoroughly.
The most likely cause for this is moisture.
There are several potential ways that moisture can cause discoloration: Moisture from the ground comes up through the floor until it reaches the floor surface. This moisture normally evaporates and goes unnoticed.
Refinishing is a much better option to replacing ceramic tile. It is not only more practical, but also less expensive than new tile and you avoid the mess of removal and replacement. It is also far superior to a porcelain tile repair kit.
In short, yes, you can! Resurfacing tile floors is a great way to give them a new lease on life without replacing the tiles entirely. It's also much less expensive than replacing the flooring altogether. However, there are a few things to keep in mind before you decide to resurface your tile floors.
Use Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the most useful kitchen ingredients you can use to remove hard water stains from bathroom tiles. The all-purpose cleaner is mildly acidic in nature and perfect for removing stains from your bathroom. White vinegar also prevents the growth of germs, mold, and mildew in the bathroom.
A shower floor or walls may become discolored if there is puddling of water. This is most commonly caused by improper application of the modified thinset on the membrane.
Although ceramic tiles with more porous bodies can also show discoloration. The floor tiles are more likely to show discoloration than tiles on walls, but you can get discoloration on walls particularly where the wall tile meets the floor tile.
Refinishing your tiles is an amazing way to keep them looking gorgeous for years. In fact, reglazing has been proven to last for more than 10 years, if you take care of your bathroom tiles.
Miracle Method has an over 32 year reputation for quality, durability and customer service. The Miracle Method technical training teaches the details that set Miracle Method apart from other refinishers. Technicians are insured professionals, not part timers or contract laborers.
Note: Porcelain and ceramic surfaces are bleach-safe and will not be harmed or fade from bleach as with some other nonceramic surface materials.
Baking soda is efficient enough to clean the bathroom tiles on its own. Its ingredients are powerful enough to eradicate dirt and stains on the tiles. Apply baking soda on the tiles and leave it alone for a few minutes. After that, all you need to do is clean the tiles.
Bleach is safe when used as directed
It is safe for use on typical hard, nonporous surfaces in showers and bathrooms like glazed ceramic tile, vinyl, stainless steel, fiberglass and sealed grout. To protect surfaces, always follow instructions and don't use a stronger dilution or longer contact time than recommended.
Tile refinishing is the fastest, easiest, and most affordable way to change tile color without replacing it. A new coating goes over the grout and tile, creating a fresh glaze that instantly revitalizes the room. Tile refinishing is long-lasting, and it costs significantly less than new tile.
The best process for re-coloring ceramic tile involves properly cleaning and bonding a hi-tech acrylic coating to the original tile surface. This process is most often called refinishing, resurfacing, or reglazing. The best refinishing results are produced by professional refinishers.
So, in short, you can tile over tile as long as you're working on a fairly sound surface. The surface of the existing tile should be free of mold and mildew, completely level (including grout), and without any warping or strangely-placed tiles that might otherwise interfere with a smooth new layer.
While hydrogen peroxide is not normally used for cleaning surfaces, there is nothing in normal glazed porcelain that it would damage.
Avoiding Damage to your Tiles
To care for the tiles properly, always avoid: harsh chemicals, such as bleach and acid, including lemon and vinegar, for routine cleaning; these can cause damage to the tiles and grout if used regularly and are also health hazards as well as posing danger to other property near the tiles.
Strongly acidic products, like citric acid or neat vinegar, can affect the finish. Always dilute your cleaning solutions to make sure they're safe for your tiles, and avoid these cleaners entirely on natural stone or unglazed ceramic. Don't use bleach or ammonia-based cleaners on your ceramic tiles either.