Metclean: the new Metco line's products

Metco has developed and rigorously tested a series of products called Metclean, which depending on the type of surface (polished, honed, satin finished) provide a permanent solution to specific problems caused by encapsulation of soiling elements, whether they are of mechanical (physical) or chemical origin.

Metclean acts at the level of the micropores, without forming surface films but instead creating a seal that is an integral part of the tile. As the product has zero photosensitivity, it does not give rise to the problems that other coating solutions (thermofused films) are susceptible to over the years.

All Metclean integrated cleaning and surface treatment products are available in two versions, one waterborne and the other solvent-based. They can be used both in industrial processes (directly on the line) or at the time of installation with the aid of specific machinery to rapidly achieve a satisfactory result even in the case of large surfaces (such as hotels or shopping centres).

In an industrial context, the application should ideally be located at the end of the last squaring operation and after removal of the polishing residues and excess water.

Metclean 24 or Metclean 10 is applied to the tile using a suitable device equipped with a motorised silicone roller. The tile is then passed through a kiln to allow the water (or solvent) to evaporate. When dry, the tile passes underneath an array of horizontal brushes to remove excess product (wet process with washing water recycling), after which the surface is dried by means of air blowers or equivalent systems. The tile now proceeds towards the sorting line without any visible signs of the treatment.

The Metclean line consists of:

- Metclean 10: Fluorinated compound based treatment. Specifically formulated to solve problems relating to floor tile installation, it offers temporary protection of between 30 and 90 days of normal washing. For these types of products, treatments are recommended subsequent to installation to restore the protection (to be used in situ).
- Metclean 24: Silane based treatment. It interacts with the pore and substitutes the empty part of the cavity, providing protection from dirt such as dust, rubber and graphite. Experimentally it has been shown to be a highly durable product.
- Metclean S1: Silane based treatment. Product with intermediate characteristics between Metclean 10 and Metclean 24.
- Metpik 01: Inorganic based treatment. Product with intermediate characteristics between Metclean 10 and Metclean 24, particularly suitable for honed products.