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Effective Terracotta Floor Cleaning Services

Published: November 4, 2026 • 9 min read • Dublin Team: 01 444 0146
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Effective Terracotta Floor Cleaning Services

Oh yes, the terracotta floors. Often confused with ceramic floors, cleaned with the wrong cleaning product, ignored until it changes colour and hated by some because they don`t understand what it is actually. And still, terracotta floors are coming back into fashion bigger and better than before.

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What Is Terracotta Flooring?

Terracotta is a traditional type of clay based ceramic flooring that has been used for thousands of years. The name terracotta means “baked earth”, which accurately describes how these distinctive tiles are produced.

Terracotta floor tiles are primarily made from natural clay, which contains minerals such as iron, silica, alumina and other naturally occurring compounds. The clay is shaped into tiles and then fired in a kiln at high temperatures. Iron within the clay produces the characteristic warm red, orange, brown and earthy colours associated with terracotta.

Unlike highly vitrified porcelain tiles, traditional terracotta remains relatively porous and absorbent after firing. This natural porosity means untreated terracotta can quickly absorb water, oils, dirt and staining substances. For this reason, terracotta floors are normally treated with an appropriate impregnating or protective sealer.

Terracotta flooring is valued for its natural appearance, warm colours and individual variations. No two traditional tiles are exactly identical, giving terracotta floors their distinctive rustic and Mediterranean appearance.

Ignoring The Signs For Sealing It

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With our Effective Terracotta Floor Cleaning Services, you’ll experience the difference that professional care can make.

Our Effective Terracotta Floor Cleaning Services not only enhance the beauty of your floor but also protect it from future damage.

Using our Effective Terracotta Floor Cleaning Services ensures your floors remain in peak condition.

To maintain your terracotta floors effectively, consider our Effective Terracotta Floor Cleaning Services.

Our Effective Terracotta Floor Cleaning Services can help restore the beauty of your flooring.

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As mentioned above, terracotta floors are not a new invention. The Chinese were using it a few thousands years back to create floors, statues and wall tiles. It was a material that was locally abundant. It is not certain when the Europeans started using terracotta for flooring, but it is definitely not recent. Many of the buildings affected by the Pompeii volcano had terracotta floors and walls. 

Back to our times for now. The terracotta flooring is usually found in oldish houses, classy houses and nowadays, in fancy houses. The terracotta floors are just like a sponge if left untreated and in a relatively short period of time can stain very badly and can absorb dirt. But if it comes with a glazing or if the owner of the terracotta floor seals it regularly, the terracotta floors are some of the most durable and easy to maintain types of floors. 

The pores of the terracotta floors have to be sealed to reduce liquid and dirt absorption to a minimum level. There are hundreds of types of sealers, impregnators, polishes and topical protectors from as many brands. The terracotta floor can be sealed with bee wax, oils, solvent impregnators, solvent protectors, waterproofing agents, water based floor polishes, water based floor waxes, etc. Pretty much any type of sealer works with a terracotta floor because the surface is very absorbent.

A terracotta floor that absorbs all the water from the mop when a mop is used to wash it, a terracotta floor that seems to accumulate alot of dirt out of nowhere, a patchy looking terracotta floor or a stained terracotta floor, is a neglected and unsealed floor. The more dirt that fills up the terracotta floor will make it harder and harder to extract it at a later stage. All terracotta floors will require polishing or refreshing of the pre-existing sealers once in a while, based on a level of usage, to prevent permanent damages. 

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The Cleaning Of The Terracotta

The good thing about terracotta flooring is that it can be cleaned with pretty much any type of cleaning product. Assuming that the surface is unsealed. The sealed terracotta floors will require a deep cleaning with alkaline cleaning products that safely break down and dissolve the dirt from the pores without removing the pre-existing sealers. The terracotta floors that do require full removal of all pre-existing finishes, should be stripped off with water based floor sealers if a water based floor protector or polish was used to seal it or solvent based floor strippers if a solvent protector or sealer was used to seal it.

***Many terracotta floors across Ireland were sealed with floor lacquers or nearly unbreakable solved based patio protectors that cannot be stripped. In those cases, the floor has to be sanded or sand blasted***

Our Effective Terracotta Floor Cleaning Services are designed to keep your floors looking new.

  1. Pre-spray the entire area or particular areas with a mixture of the cleaning detergent and warm water. Remember, terracotta floors are like a sponge. They will absorb your cleaning detergent before you even get a chance to scrub it.
  2. Agitate the surface with a soft brush to break down the dirt that hides inside the pores. The tool needed for scrubbing can vary from surface to surface. The flat terracotta floors can be scrubbed with black or green scrubbing pads while the uneven terracotta floors will need to be scrubbed with brushes.
  3. Extract the waste as you move along. Wet, scrub, extract the waste fast. If you don`t move fast enough, the floor will just absorb the dirty water and store it inside the floor.
  4. After the cleaning operation, the area should be allowed to ventilate nicely for a period of time to make sure that all the inside water also evaporates. Sealing a very wet terracotta floor can create patchy finishes or water salt deposits under the protector.

Sealing It

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The type of sealer needed to seal terracotta floors is usually dependent on the type of finish you are looking for. Some sealers dry up invisible, others dry out wet look, some are matt, some are semi gloss, some are very glossy, some glaze the surface, some sink inside, etc. Depending on the porosity of the stone, to fully seal a terracotta floor, you might need to apply 3 to 20 coats of sealer.

Some solvent based sealers are a bit thicker and can actually fully seal the terracotta floor in 2-3 coats while the very liquid water based floor polishes are likely to sink inside the stone and you will need to keep applying coats until the stone pores are actually full and the polish cannot sink any longer. 

***Sealing terracotta floors is a very time consuming operation and it requires patience and a bit of knowledge. This is the main reason why the terracotta floors have lost their appeal with the domestic market for years. Hard to seal and costly to maintain***

Be Eco-Friendly With An Terracotta Floor

Terracotta floors are considered an eco-friendly flooring option because they are manufactured primarily from natural clay, one of the most abundant raw materials available. Traditional terracotta tiles contain relatively few synthetic ingredients and can have a very long service life when properly maintained. Their durability reduces the need for frequent replacement, helping to minimise material consumption and construction waste. Terracotta also has excellent thermal mass, meaning it can absorb heat and release it gradually, potentially supporting more efficient indoor temperature management. Locally manufactured terracotta can further reduce transportation impacts. At the end of its lifespan, untreated terracotta is largely mineral based.

Hire Floor Cleaning Dublin To Sort Out Your Terracotta Floors

All of the above is possible if you are in good shape, own the right equipment and you have the time needed. Deep cleaning and sealing terracotta floors is not easy and most of the diy attempts are not completed to a high standard. Just call us today and allow Floor Cleaning Dublin to do its magic. We have completed thousands of terracotta floor cleaning projects just like yours. 

Essential FAQs About Terracotta Floors

1. Are terracotta floors porous?
Yes. Traditional terracotta is naturally porous and can absorb water, oils, dirt and staining substances. Proper sealing is essential to reduce absorption and make the floor easier to maintain.

2. How should terracotta floors be cleaned?
Terracotta should normally be cleaned with a pH neutral or manufacturer approved cleaner. Strong acidic or highly alkaline products can damage protective sealers and may affect the appearance of the floor.

3. Do terracotta floors need to be sealed?
Yes, in most cases. A suitable penetrating or surface protective sealer helps prevent staining, moisture penetration and deeply embedded dirt. The appropriate sealer depends on the type and condition of the terracotta.

4. Can old terracotta floors be restored?
Yes. Many dull, heavily soiled or previously coated terracotta floors can be professionally deep cleaned and restored. Old coatings, wax, ingrained dirt and residues may need to be removed before resealing.

5. How long can a terracotta floor last?
A properly installed and maintained terracotta floor can last for many decades and potentially considerably longer. Regular cleaning, suitable maintenance products and periodic resealing help protect its distinctive warm, natural appearance.

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