porcelain tiles showing some mottled marks after cleaning?

[xelaris]

it might not be "wax" as such but surely there are plentiful of chemicals/polishes out there which could be used to apply a cosmetic layer on defective tiles....the tiles looked perfect before the Swarfega - if anything the Swarfega showed the "true colour" of the tiles (can't blame it on Swarfega but on a dogdy seller?)

Thanks a lot for bothering...I've just checked the PH scale myself - all values above 7 are for bases (alkaline) substances... values around 7-9 are pretty common - then I wonder what happens if a drop of lemon (PH2) hits these tiles?!
Then, all this stories about porcelain being such a tough material? A bit of Swarfega and these fabulous tiles look like have been aged by 20 odd years in a few seconds of Swarfega wiping? (not even scrubbing as such and no abrasive sponge involved). I find it very hard to blame the Swarfega alone - maybe a combination of factors - e.g. the Swarfega + Microflex grout....or something else.

Unfortunately, I'll have to postpone the alkaline solution cleaning as there are still more work to be completed and the floor corners haven't been sealed (silicone along the perimeter)...if that Heavy duty pro cleaning fails, I will definitely consider using some polishing/tinting solutions.

 

[beanz]

I'm sorry but I don't understand why you'd use swarfega to clean tiles!?! It's abrasive in nature! Would you clean your car with it?
Have you got any spare tiles left? Have a good look, if you have. Try cleaning one (with something more suitable for the job), and see if any hidden marks appear...

 

[xelaris]

I'm sorry but I don't understand why you'd use swarfega to clean tiles!?! It's abrasive in nature! Would you clean your car with it?
Have you got any spare tiles left? Have a good look, if you have. Try cleaning one (with something more suitable for the job), and see if any hidden marks appear...

actually....I'll clean some broken bits of the original tiles with Swarfega once again (no grouting there); and see if that's the cause....
Still, being porcelain, the whole material should have the same colour - an abrasion shouldn't change the colour...unless there was a polishing layer on top - the solution would be to remove that layer completely (to achieve consistent colour) or re-polishing on top.

 

[AliGage]

They're not full bodied porcelain though are they? I think you've bleached or worn down the "painted" finished surface of the tile. The porcelain is underneath, i think you've made a mistake using an abrasive cleaner on the tile.
I can chase Deb Ltd back up in the week for you but i suspect in the meantime if you clean a spare tile or piece of tile with the cleaner you used you will get the same result.
You could see if you can get a singlular tile from porcelanosa and try it as well. I don't think the seller would go to the efforts of trying to disguise imperfections the way you are thinking. far too much effort. It would be easier for them to not mention the name of the tile and sell it as is.

 

[DHTiling]

actually....I'll clean some broken bits of the original tiles with Swarfega once again (no grouting there); and see if that's the cause....
Still, being porcelain, the whole material should have the same colour - an abrasion shouldn't change the colour...unless there was a polishing layer on top - the solution would be to remove that layer completely (to achieve consistent colour) or re-polishing on top.

Through bodied porcelain is the same colour from face to back but porcelain bodied tiles with applied finish are not ...

 

[AliGage]

Through bodied porcelain is the same colour from face to back but porcelain bodied tiles with applied finish are not ...

Exactly. Anyone thats ever chipped the cut on a tile running it through the wetsaw would recognise it. Some tiles that aren't full bodied (don't know if that's the correct term but a porcelain tile that pattern and colour runs the same throughout is what i call "full bodied") have a white undercoat under the coloured finish layer on the tile. I think what's happened here is the cleaner has "thinned" the top layer and the lighter marks are the "undercoat" showing through what's left of the finish coat.

I hope that all makes sense. If i can re-create the "chip" at work this week i'll take a picture and post it.

 

[xelaris]

Exactly. Anyone thats ever chipped the cut on a tile running it through the wetsaw would recognise it. Some tiles that aren't full bodied (don't know if that's the correct term but a porcelain tile that pattern and colour runs the same throughout is what i call "full bodied") have a white undercoat under the coloured finish layer on the tile. I think what's happened here is the cleaner has "thinned" the top layer and the lighter marks are the "undercoat" showing through what's left of the finish coat.

I hope that all makes sense. If i can re-create the "chip" at work this week i'll take a picture and post it.

Maybe you are right...this Porcelanosa model (Graphic Nature) is full bodied porcelain but the top looks slightly darker (quite noticeable if viewed from the "thickness" side). In fairness, the texture doesn't seem to have been affected - no scratches as such - but maybe the "finishing" has been partially washed or weakened by the cleaning.

btw: I've tried to clean a spare tile (same model) with Swarfega and also some other cleaners and I can't reproduce the same damage...

 

[xelaris]

Update:
I bought another box from the Porcelanosa showroom in Manchester (not any Ebay seller)....all the new tiles present this "defective" mottled/spotty pattern - maybe this is how these tiles were designed?....it might just be a question of taste?! If so, why the Ebay seller tried to cover up the original "design"?
Anyone keen on these mottled theme? Not me, nor someone I know who went to scrub the tiles thinking it was some wax residue....
There is no definite conclusion to this mystery....either the design is a bit of a hit and miss (more of a miss in my opinion)...or at Porcelanosa someone decided to smuggle some defective batches here in Manchester.