Metco presents Metclean and Metpick

If ceramic products are fired correctly, their surfaces become compact and easy to clean because they are free from areas where dirt can lodge and stick.

When the surfaces are machined they change completely, and often their cleanability is dramatically reduced. This phenomenon is mainly attributable to the emergence of microporosity, where solid dirt - especially the part that is not soluble in water or detergent - gradually builds up and soils the tile. The paler the colour of the tile, the more evident this effect is.

To address this problem, Metco has developed the products Metclean and Metpick, which serve to fill this open porosity with different solutions.

The methods for testing the soilability of the tiles are standardised and codified according to UNI parameters which describe the soiling agents, the contact time and the cleaning agents. In order to simplify practical demonstrations of the effectiveness of Metclean in the field, two soiling methods were adopted: footprint and felt tip pen.

In the first case, two ceramic bodies (one treated with Metclean and the other untreated) were repeatedly trodden on, making sure that they were dirtied evenly. They were then both cleaned with water and detergent. In the second case, a line was drawn on the treated and untreated bodies with an indelible black felt tip pen, after which they were cleaned with alcohol and solvent.

Metco can supply specific products for any kind of surface. The most commonly used today belong to the following ranges:

• Metclean: pore-filling and anti-stain treatments for polished tiles;
• Metpick: acid-resistant and pore-filling treatments for honed tiles;
• Metsoap: multipurpose cleansing detergents.