Germs, disease and bacteria is everywhere. How can you protect yourself and family from the dangers that you can’t see? Did you know that tile is a natural repellant to the problems listed above? Using tile in your home is a low maintenance solution that looks wonderful. Let me show you why tile should be your finish material of choice.
Naturally Resistant To Microbial Growth
Man-made tile (such as porcelain, ceramic and glass) are made of inert materials and are resistant to bacterial growth. Actually, the entire assembly for tile installations are very resistant to bacteria growth. Bacteria needs a very acidic environment to grow and tile installations are very alkaline. Properly installed tile will naturally have a strong resistance to mold and mildew growth.
What do I mean by tile assembly?
The tile assembly includes concrete board, thin set mortar and cementious grout. Cement naturally falls on the high end of the PH scale (alkaline). Mold, mildew and bacteria need a low PH to survive (acidic). How does a tile assembly, then grow mold you might ask? The short answer is improperly installed tile. When water containing skin cells is trapped in the substrate, the PH can change from high to low. This is the perfect environment for mold to grow (humidity, food source and temperature). This is why it’s important to hire only qualified installers to build shower assemblies. Our bathroom remodeling procedure.
Caring For Your Tile
Proper tile maintenance is very easy. My typical recommendation is warm water, a nylon bristle brush and elbow grease. Because tile is so resistant to bacteria, I don’t recommend any harsh chemicals. If you want to use a chemical, be sure it’s PH neutral. A cleaner on one extreme or the other on the PH scale will deteriorate your grout and open poors. That will make it easier for future stains to penetrate and the cycle will continue.
Wrapping Up
What do you think of tile? Is it something you currently have in your home? If you have a question regarding tile installation post it in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you. For great tile selection in Columbia Missouri, check out Legacy Bath & Tile.