Caring for Your Decorative Tiles: Tips for Everyday Beauty

Glazed decorative tiles are remarkably durable. Their glassy surface resists water, everyday stains and fading, and azulejos installed centuries ago still decorate churches, palaces and houses across Portugal today, proof of how well a glazed tile lasts when it is treated sensibly.

Most tile care comes down to two things: cleaning the glaze gently and protecting the grout. Here is a practical routine for walls, backsplashes and floors.

Understand what you are cleaning

A tiled surface is made of two very different materials. The glazed face of the tile is dense and does not absorb liquids. The grout between the tiles is usually cement-based and porous, so it can absorb water, grease and dirt. Almost every care rule follows from these two facts.

Everyday cleaning

For routine cleaning, less is more:

• Wipe the tiles with a soft cloth or sponge and warm water.
• For grease or soap residue, add a few drops of a pH-neutral cleaner or mild dish soap, then rinse with clean water.
• Dry glossy tiles with a soft cloth to prevent water marks, especially in hard-water areas.
• On a kitchen backsplash, wipe splashes while they are fresh; cooked-on grease takes far more effort later.
• On floors, sweep or vacuum regularly. Grit carried in on shoes acts like sandpaper and is the main cause of wear on any glazed floor.

What to avoid

Most damage to glazed tiles comes from the wrong products rather than from everyday use. Avoid:

• Acids, including vinegar, lemon juice and many limescale removers, which can etch cement-based grout and dull some glazes.
• Abrasives such as scouring powders, cream cleansers, scouring pads and steel wool, which can scratch or haze the glaze.
• Bleach and strong solvents, which can discolour grout, particularly coloured grout.
• Waxes and oil-based polishes, which build up on the surface and attract dirt.

If you are unsure about a product, test it first on a spare tile or in an inconspicuous corner.

Protect the grout

Grout needs more attention than the tiles themselves. Cement-based grout should be sealed with a penetrating grout sealer once it has fully cured, following the sealer manufacturer’s instructions, and resealed periodically. A simple test tells you when: place a few drops of water on the grout, and if it darkens and soaks in, it is time to reseal. Epoxy grout is non-porous and does not need sealing, which makes it worth considering for busy kitchens and showers.

To clean grout, use a soft nylon brush with a pH-neutral cleaner and rinse well. In showers, good ventilation and a quick squeegee after use are the best defences against mould. During installation, ask your tiler to remove grout haze promptly with a damp sponge, because it is much harder to shift once it has hardened.

Finally, check the flexible sealant where tiles meet a bath, basin, shower tray or countertop. These movement joints should be filled with silicone rather than grout, and when the silicone cracks or discolours it should be cut out and renewed so that water cannot get behind the tiles.

Floors, interior use and repairs

Floors

For interior use only. Consider kitchen backsplashes, bathroom walls and indoor feature walls. Ask our team to confirm suitability for floors, shower walls or other wet areas before ordering. Outdoor installation is not supported.

Interior use only

All Bassani’s tiles are for interior use only and are not suitable for outdoor installation. Inside the home they suit walls, kitchen backsplashes, bathroom and shower walls and indoor fireplace surrounds, and this simple routine keeps them looking their best for years.

Chips and replacements

A glazed tile can chip if something heavy is dropped on it. Rather than patching the damage, the best repair is usually to replace the tile. That is why we recommend keeping the spare tiles from your original order, so a matching replacement is always ready.

For more answers about installation, finishes and ordering, see our frequently asked questions or the full tile care guide.