Tile is considered to be easy to care for and requires very little maintenance when compared to other flooring options. By taking a few preventative measures and following simple routine cleaning tips, you can easily keep your tile floors looking pristine.

Ames Tile – Nepal Slate Random Sticks

Routine Care for Porcelain and Ceramic Tiles

• Vacuum and sweep regularly to remove dust and debris.
• Clean your floors weekly with a neutral PH cleaner that does not contain ammonia, acid, or bleach.
• Change mop water frequently while cleaning floors.
• Glazed ceramic backsplashes in bathrooms can be cleaned with multi-purpose bathroom cleaner as long as the cleaner is also suitable for grout.

Grout Sealing

• Cementitious grouts should be sealed after installation to prevent staining.
• Epoxy grout does not need to be sealed since it is already chemically cured.
• Neither sealing or using epoxy grout is a 100% perfect solution to prevent grout staining and discolouration.

Routine Grout Cleaning

• Use a grout compatible or neutral PH cleaner to clean the grout.
• Deep cleaning with professional strength grout cleaner is recommended every 6-12 months. More frequent cleaning is recommended for areas with heavy exposure to soap and grease.
• If deep cleaning does not remove grout stains, try an epoxy-based grout stain to return it to the original colour.

Natural Stone

Since natural stone products are porous and soak up liquids, they require more maintenance than ceramic or porcelain tiles. Following proper maintenance guidelines is necessary to keep your natural stone beautiful.

Ames Tile – Filed and Honed Travertine

Natural Stone Sealing

• Sealing is strongly recommended for all natural stones. Since fine grout particles can stain tiles, it is recommended to seal both before and after grouting.
• Sealers will not make your natural stone stain proof. They will provide a temporary barrier that allows you to clean the stone before stains can penetrate the stone.

Natural Stone Routine Maintenance

• Vacuum and sweep regularly to remove dust and debris.
• Only clean using a neutral PH cleaner designed for cleaning stone. Cleaning products that use acid, ammonia or bleach can etch or discolour natural stone.
• When trying out a new cleaner, it is highly recommended to do a test spot in an inconspicuous area such as under appliances.
• Clean up all spills immediately to prevent them from penetrating the stone’s surface

For this edition of the MIRA Wine Club we let a few staff favourites take centre stage. We hope our staff favourites become a couple of your favourites as well.

Cassini Cellars 2012 Sauvignon Blanc
Nominated by: Kelsey Myers, Marketing and Sales Support Manager

Cassini Cellars is a BC-based winery located in the Golden Mile bench between Oliver and Osoyoos. The winery has developed a reputation among BC wine lovers for producing bold and flavourful wines. This Sauvignon Blanc hold true to their signature style. Highly recommended for those who love the tropical flavours and acidity of popular wines like Kim Crawford or Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc’s but want to try something local instead. Beautiful aromas of passionfruit and grass prepare you for flavours of apple, tropical fruits and citrus zest on the palette. It finishes with the crisp acidity classic Sauvignon Blanc’s are known for. This is an easy-drinking wine that would be great on its own or paired with seafood or chicken dishes.

Therapy Vineyards 2011 Freud’s Ego
Nominated by: Kelsey Van Dam, Sales

It’s another Okanagan based winery – can you tell we have a tendency to buy locally? Therapy Vineyard has made a home in beautiful Naramata Beach. Taking cues from the winery name, all the wines are named with humourous references to common psychology terms – freudian, rorschach, ego etc. While the winemaker may have fun with the naming, he is serious about their wines. Freud’s Ego is a blend of grapes harvested from all over the Okanagan. The types of grapes used in the blend are the proprietor’s secret. It boasts an inviting nose of black currant and white pepper. It’s an easy drinking red wine with soft tannins, a smooth finish and a complex blend of red fruit flavours. Therapy Vineyards provides a great technical description of how the wine was made on their website: Freud’s Ego winemaker’s notes