1950s tile bathroom floor lost it's shine
by
Anna B
+15
I have a 1956 ranch home. The bathroom wall and floor tiles in the house are original and in mint condition. My problem is the floor tiles. I cannot seem to bring any kind of a shine to them after I clean them. It's like they have a film on them. I realize they are not glossy like the wall tiles, but there must be some way to remove the dullness. Thanks!
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Judy, let me know what you used for your floor tiles, if it worked and how it turned out! i am strugglinnggggg with a project - i have 50's small square floor tiles that i am trying to even out, clean, save and make something for an xmas present of some sort! maybe a mirror or tray. I would like to know what you did to clean and if it worked Cat S.
Are you using your tiles on a surface other than the floor?
Floor tiles from the 1950s are most likely asbestos-containing tiles. They've got that rather dull surface, can get blotchy with age, are naturally antiskid and fire resistant, but for heaven's sake don't create dust with them (hard scrubbing, steel wool, sandpaper, etc) unless you're properly equipped and following the federal guidelines for that kind of work. The problem with jumping on it amateurishly won't even appear for 20 years, when it's far too late to learn better. So, please, follow the guidelines. They save a lot of lives.
They should be waxed regularly with a buffer. A vinegar solution of 1 cup to 1 gallon of water with a few drops of dish soap, is ideal for cleaning them. If you dont like the blotching, the thing to do is put new flooring right over the top. It makes a great underlayment, and you really don't want the difficult and dangerous work of removing them; if you must, best hire a pro with the right gear and disposal equipment.
I'm an old nurse and lifelong DIY nut. I won't do anything more with old tile than clean it and I hire someone properly equipped to do anything else.
Floor tiles from the 1950s are most likely asbestos-containing tiles. They've got that rather dull surface, can get blotchy with age, are naturally antiskid and fire resistant, but for heaven's sake don't create dust with them (hard scrubbing, steel wool, sandpaper, etc) unless you're properly equipped and following the federal guidelines for that kind of work. The problem with jumping on it amateurishly won't even appear for 20 years, when it's far too late to learn better. So, please, follow the guidelines. They save a lot of lives.
They should be waxed regularly with a buffer. A vinegar solution of 1 cup to 1 gallon of water with a few drops of dish soap, is ideal for cleaning them. If you dont like the blotching, the thing to do is put new flooring right over the top. It makes a great underlayment, and you really don't want the difficult and dangerous work of removing them; if you must, best hire a pro with the right gear and disposal equipment.
I'm an old nurse and lifelong DIY nut. I won't do anything more with old tile than clean it and I hire someone properly equipped to do anything else.
Isabel, you mentioned the tiles should be waxed and buffed regularly. Is there a particular wax you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Judy, Isabel is correct, most likely asbestos, no creating dust, take a look at this link for some wax recommendations! Good luck and take care.
https://info.waxie.com/blog/bid/95034/cleaning-maintaining-and-encapsulating-asbestos-tile
Hello Judy,
Maybe the floor was never meant to be shiny in the first place. Why not consider tiling over them if you really want a shiny floor. You can buy a floor sine, but it wears away where the traffic is and you end up with a dirty looking floor, (I know because my Aunt used to put a liquid polish on here floor. After a while it never looks clean.