my guess is the tile has not been sealed,porcelain (unlike ceramic)needs to be sealed .cleaning is another issue.stop by your local home depot or tile store for some "tile lab"stain remover,it's a paste that will remove most stains without scrubbing......when its all clean seal with a good penetrating sealer like "surfaceguard" good luck

Thank you Carpetman!

I will give it a go; I bet you are right on as always

Have a Merry Christmas!

-k2 in CO

Hello again Carpetman and everyone else!

Well we tried the Surfaceguard sealer and the stains still happen, aaarrrggghhh!--although maybe a little less so. This is after we carefully put down coat after coat until we'd used a whole quart.

Imagine our disappointment when we realized that a spilled frozen blueberry had left its mark.

We did call the tile store and they told us the same thing--to use Surfaceguard, and that porcelain tile DOES have microscopic pinholes that allow stains to penetrate. But so far the sealer hasn't done all that much.

I've heard that there is an oil-based sealer as well, but I'm hesitant to use it on countertops--and equally hesitant to try it AFTER we've already put down water-based. But I'm definitely at a loss here...

Thoughts?

Thanks again,
-k2 in CO.

let me do a little more research,i'll post a reply monday

Thank you C-man, I anxiously await!

-k2.

checked with a few of my tile buddies,they all think you now have done every thing correctly.(but the tile still stains) so we think you should try "511 impregnator" available from most tile outlets and home depot.it's the oil based sealer you heard about,if you use a cutting board(dont prep food on the tile) you should do fine...good luck

Hey there carpetman,

OK, we shall try the 511.

We do VERY MUCH appreciate your taking the time to ask your tile buddies!

There wouldn't be any ill-effects (compatibility problems) from our having already put on the water-base would there?

Thank you again Carpetman! I just LOVE this board!

-k2 in CO.

k2, where are you in Colorado?

There are several places around Denver you can get a better, much longer-lasting sealer for your porcelain tile than 511. The molecule size of 511 may be too large to penetrate into the porcelain.

Funny, I can't convince tile installers that porcelain EVER needs to be sealed. I guess you are living proof.

well, if a tile installer thinks porcelain tiles do not need to be sealed, they are half right, a glazed porcelain does ot need to be.