Tommate tiles

[allencm]

Hi, I'm looking for a bit of help! Does anyone know how to remove a huge build up of red floor wax on old tommate tiles. I'd say they were just waxed over and over. I've tried starwax decapage and bleach but nothing seems to work. I'd be grateful if anyone has any ideas or if they dewaxed old tiles themselves. Going home at the weekend so if there was a product available in Ireland I could bring it out next time.
Thanks in advance
Catherine

[Sue]

No idea if it will work but you could try white vinegar. It does everything else so worth a go.

[opas]

I have been using salt and lemon juice for just about everything this year....bit messy but could be worth a try.


But Sue, don't think it shrinks tumble dyers

[Sue]

Our neighbour uses white vinegar to clean his patio tiles and hubby uses white vinegar, salt and washing up liquid as an animal friendly weed killer. White vinegar is also good for cleaning windows and mirrors. Seems to have endless possibilties other than shrinking tumble dryers. A multi tool, however, removes door frames or part thereof!!

[martyn94]

Much as I admire white vinegar, I'm not sure it's up to this. You might try a heat gun, followed up by, say, white spirits and wire wool. If you're lucky, it might be done within a matter of weeks.

[allencm]

Thanks for all they replies everyone. I have used vinegar as I'm a bit if a vinegar freak, using it to clean veg to cleaning windows but it made no difference to the floor, ditto the lemon juice. The heat gun sounds like fun but as its the whole house I think it would be taking on too much. I'll post in the new year if I sort something out.
Thanks again,
Catherine

[Helen]

Have you had a look on YouTube? There's usually a range of how-to videos for all manner of things!

I did a quick search just now and found a couple about removing wax buildup on floor tiles - you may well find others.

[martyn94]

Thanks for all they replies everyone. I have used vinegar as I'm a bit if a vinegar freak, using it to clean veg to cleaning windows but it made no difference to the floor, ditto the lemon juice. The heat gun sounds like fun but as its the whole house I think it would be taking on too much. I'll post in the new year if I sort something out.
Thanks again,
Catherine

In which case, just try white spirits and a cloth in an inconspicuous corner. The point is that wax is an organic product which doesn't dissolve in water (which vinegar mostly is): "hydrophobic" in the jargon, which is exactly why it was used on your floors in the first place. The acetic acid in vinegar is not going to have any useful effect.

If you had been lucky, it would have been shiftable with a water-based "detergent" - ie one with ingredients which allow organic compounds to dissolve when they otherwise wouldn't. But you have already tried that (the starwax product in your first post), and it didn't work. The remaining option is to use an organic solvent, like white spirits. I suggested it because it is widely available, cheap, not too toxic, and not too likely to burn your house down. But you will need to open all the windows and avoid naked flames.

[martyn94]

By way of afterthought, it is going to depend very much on your tomettes. The ones I have were fired at a high temperature and don't soak anything up very much. Others are more porous, so the wax will have "sunk in" more. If yours are like that, it will be hard work whatever you do. Which is why I suggested a heat gun to soften it up. In any event, as I've suggested, find a corner you won't notice, eg underneath some furniture, before you try anything serious.

[allencm]

Thanks again, just went on you tube, I think I need the professionals! Looks like a job you need to know what your doing. I'll just have to stop looking down! I've lived with them for years so another while won't kill me.