Brick Flooring Maintenance
With few exceptions, brick floors today are made of thin brick tiles, not full bricks, but the substance is the same. Bricks are man-made pressed and baked material that is a lot more porous than it looks. It is actually one of the higher maintenance kinds of tiles out there, because of the necessary resealing and waxing. Brick should be cleaned frequently to prevent dirt from getting ground into it.
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Proper Sealing
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Both the face and grout of brick flooring has to be chemically sealed to make it resistant to dirt and stains. Ideally, it should be sealed right after it's installed, then resealed annually. Clean and dry the surface well before resealing. Buy clear masonry sealer from your local home improvement store, and apply the sealer to the floor with a brush as instructed. After the first coat dries, apply a second.
Cleaning
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Clean your brick floors regularly, using a two-step process. First, vacuum, with the vacuum cleaner set on the ``floor'' setting (so there's no rotating brush). Get up all loose dirt and dust, paying special attention to the grout lines between the bricks. Follow up by mopping with warm water and 1 cup of white vinegar, then letting it air-dry. (Don't use harsh chemical cleansers or abrasives on your brick floor.)
Waxing
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Brick floors should be treated with wax regularly to provide additional protection and make cleaning easier. Make sure the floor is clean before waxing. Get a solvent-based wax polish, and apply it in a thin, even layer. Let it dry thoroughly before walking on the floor.
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