CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE
for products purchased at Dickow Cyzak
PLEASE READ ALL PRODUCT LABEL INSTRUCTIONS!
Products available at DICKOW-CYZAK TILE CO.: KRC-7, Limelift, X-14 Mildew & Soap Scum Remover, Gel Gloss, Aqua Mix Miracle Cleaner, Aqua Mix Grout Sealer, Aqua Mix Speed Strip
ACRYLIC TUBS AND WHIRLPOOLS
Acrylic offers a high gloss surface which is impact resistant and will retain its luster with proper care. Abrasive cleaners are to be avoided. If these products damage a surface as hard as porcelain enamel, you can imagine the damage even one cleaning can do to a much softer acrylic surface. In general, the cleaning recommendations outlined for porcelain enamel hold true for acrylic fixtures. However, do not use Zud cleaner on acrylic to remove stains. KRC-7 can safely be used on acrylic for occasional stain removal.
Should an acrylic surface become dull or develop a stain that cannot be removed with a mild detergent, use a very fine white automotive rubbing compound followed by a high grade paste wax. This should remove the stain and restore the original luster. Minor scratches and surface burns can also be removed by using this procedure.
Plaster adhering to the surface is best removed with a soft (popsicle or tongue depressor) stick. Bath mats, if used, should be removed after each use. Never use aggressive solvents such as acetone on acrylic as they will quickly attack the surface and cause stress cracking.
WHIRLPOOLS require special maintenance to keep the circulating system clean. About once every three months the system should be purged as follows: Fill the whirlpool with hot water and add two teaspoons of dishwasher detergent (such as Cascade), not laundry detergent, and one half cup of household bleach. Run the Whirlpool system for two minutes. Drain and refill the Whirlpool with cold water and circulate for five minutes, then drain.
One common abuse, in spite of our literature, is that using bubble baths, bath oils or other therapeutic additives in the whirlpool can cause excessive foaming and possibly damage whirlpool components which may cause them to malfunction.
BATHTUBS (REFINISHED)
The following instructions have been compiled so that you can have many years of enjoyable use and hassle free maintenance.
General Cleaning Instructions – For normal, everyday cleaning, we suggest the use of mild soap and water, with a soft wash cloth. Do not use a product not listed below, and test on a small area in the corner of the skirt before applying to the entire bathtub. Always review the individual cleaners instructions.
- Recommended Cleaner : SCRUB FREE
- Other Usable Cleaners – Formula 409, Glass Plus, Simple Green, Mr. Clean, Tilex, Diluted Pinesol, Diluted Spic and Span
- Also dish washing soaps : Dawn, Joy, or Ivory.
Always rinse bathtub thoroughly after cleaning.
Do not use: Any cleaners containing any abrasives, ammonia or aerosol cleaners.
Use of these products will cause a dull surface and/or easily recognizable chemical crack. This will void your product warranty.
There is no need to use abrasive cleaners as they will dull the gloss over a period of years; in extreme cases where the recommended cleaners do not work, you may use scrub pad Chore Boy.
CAST IRON FIXTURES - AMERICAST TM
As with any smooth surface, AVOID USING ABRASIVE CLEANERS on your cast iron fixture. Abrasive cleaners will scratch and dull the surface. Quality Kohler enamel is fused to red hot cast iron. The resulting glass hard surface and lustrous depth of color is beautiful to look at and easy to care for. Do not use abrasive cleaners on these units. We recommend only the use of the following cleansers be used:
Lysol - Dow Bathroom - KRC-7 Cleaner - Top Jobs – FANTASTIK Bathroom - NEW SPIC AND SPAN PINE
- For stubborn rust spots in Safeguard, purchase one of the following cleaners: Naval Jelly or KRC-7 Cleaner.
- Routine Cleaning – Rinse with detergent and water. Use liquid dishwashing soaps like Palmolive or Dawn.
- Hard Water Cleaning – Clean with heavy duty liquid laundry detergents like liquid Tide (One tablespoon required for cleaning bath tub).
STUBBORN STAINS – No rinse formula Spic and Span can be used in solution or dampened granular form.
DO NOT USE liquid Spic and Span Pine cleaner, Lysol Basin Tub and Tile Cleaner or Dow Disinfectant.
SLIP - RESISTANT SURFACE CLEANING
Routine cleaning – Liquid laundry detergents, like Tide, applied with a nylon bristle brush and rinsed with water.
Rust Spots – Zud - Make paste with water and allow the mixture to stand for an hour or so. Rub vigorously with nylon bristle brush and rinse thoroughly.
Hard Water Mineral Deposits – KRC – 7 available at Dickow Cyzak Tile – follow the directions above. NEVER USE STEEL WOOL.
Tincture Type Medications (Mercurochrome or Iodine) - Use rubbing alcohol followed by an all purpose liquid household cleaner, rinse thoroughly.
Wax Pencils, Shoe Polish, and Crayons – Remove with mineral spirits – followed by an all purpose household cleaner. Rinse thoroughly.
Removal of Instruction Stickers – Use Painters Naphtha.
CARPET
Care and Maintenance
A regular carpet maintenance program extends the life of the original appearance of your carpet.
Spot Removal
In between professional cleanings, you may have to spot clean your carpet. If you have a spill or spot, you must act quickly to minimize staining. The best cure for a spill is a speedy response. If a spill becomes a stain, it will be much more difficult to remove. Here are some tips for carpet stain removal.
CERAMIC TILE
Cleaners containing acid or bleach should not be used for routine maintenance. Acids, even a light solution of vinegar and water, will etch and eventually damage tile. Acids will also cause cementitious grout to deteriorate and strip the pigmentation from colored grout.
Cleaning can be divided into two categories: Routine Cleaning and Heavy D uty Cleaning. Please keep in mind Heavy Duty Cleaning is usually necessary only when tile has been neglected or subjected to heavy use.
Routine Cleaning: Use Aqua Mix Miracle Cleaner, a high concentrated non-acidic phosphate free cleaner that eliminates soap scum buildup and hard water deposits when used regularly. Also, Super Shine All and Once & Done can be used.
Heavy Duty Cleaning: Use Aqua Mix Speed Strip, a highly concentrated alkaline heavy duty cleaner and degreaser. It affectively removes grease, soap scum, body oil and algae. Also New Beginning can be used.
Grout may periodically require detailed attention because of its porous textured surface. Also, grout joints are normally recessed below the tile surface. Simply running a mop across the tile surface does not always clean the grout. To remove any ground in dirt, directly agitate the grout joint with a scrub brush. This procedure may be done periodically during routine cleaning of your tile.
FAUCETS
To keep your new faucet looking beautiful, please follow these simple care instructions:
Do: Simply rinse the faucet clean with clear water and dry the faucet with a soft cotton cloth. Once clean, rinse faucet again with clear water to thoroughly remove cleaner, or polish and blot dry with a soft cotton cloth.
Regular and routine cleaning will reduce the need for heavy cleaning and polishing.
Decorative Finish Faucets – Do not use abrasives cleaners or even mild abrasive cleaners. Mild soap and water is recommended along with an occasional cleansing with a product containing polymer resins in which bond to the surface. This will increase the durability, water resistance, and life of the fixture. Faucet Brite and Flitz are both products which accomplish this.
Please note that some hair sprays are alcohol base. (They are a better alternative for the environment than aerosol cans but more harmful to your decorative faucet.) This does not necessarily harm the finish, but if let to dry on the faucet, it would be harmful over time.
One last note: Toothpaste does a great job on teeth, but most are unfortunately abrasives. Do not let toothpaste dry on drains.
GROUT (SEALING TILE)
Tile grout is porous and is subject to staining if not sealed. AQUA MIX GROUT SEALER, available at DICKOW-CYZAK TILE (see recommended instructions for time of sealing), is resistant to staining and recommended for sealing porous cementitious grout joints. Use of this sealer simplifies maintenance on interior and exterior installations.
MARBLE (MOLDED)
For cleaning and polishing, use a non-abrasive detergent or household cleaner. We recommend using Gel Gloss for polishing and maintaining a high gloss finish.
SHOWER AND BATHTUB ENCLOSURES
Two primary materials are used to manufacture your new enclosure: Tempered glass and anodized aluminum. To assure long lasting finish on the enclosure squeegee it down after each use. Use a rubber blade squeegee. Never use a scouring agent to clean the aluminum or the glass.
For occasional concentrated cleaning efforts, Comet Non-abrasive Bathroom cleaner works extremely well. Be sure that any overspray falling on the aluminum frame is rinsed thoroughly and dried. Many over the counter cleaners if applied to aluminum and left on will harm the metal finish can cause permanent damage, even though their directions indicate safe use on shower doors.
SWANSTONE
Swanstone can withstand the toughest abuse and scrubbing with mild household detergents and abrasive cleaners. Deep scratches are easily removed with fine grit sand paper or abrasive pads.
TOILET BOWL SEATS
Toilet seats can be damaged when cleaned with certain aggressive chemical cleaners. Avoid aerosol and pine cleaners such as Lastoll, Lysol, Pine Sol and Listerol. Also avoid cleaners with high concentrations of methyl and ethyl alcohol.
Toilet seat manufacturers recommend cleaning toilet seats with mild soapy water and rinsing them with clear water to avoid soap scum buildup (especially at the hinges) and drying with a soft cloth.
VINYL
Manufacturer products recommended.
VITREOUS CHINA
TOILETS, LAVATORY BASINS, URINALS AND FINE FIRE CLAY SINKS
Vitreous china employs a fired porcelain surface and, therefore, should be cleaned in a manner similar to that detailed for porcelain enamel. However, mineral buildups and hard water stains are more likely to develop on vitreous china products as they are in constant contact with water. The recommended procedure to remove these stains is to turn off the water supply valve and remove any standing water with a sponge. Then KRC-7 cleaner should be applied to the stained area and scrubbed with a nylon brush. We also have found that Vanish, when used as directed, will remove most stains from bowls.
Toilet manufacturers do not recommend the use of in tank toilet bowl cleaners as the chlorine of these cleaners may damage the rubber and plastic tank trim components.
