Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) is frequently used for baseboards because of its durability and low cost. The fact that MDF is a compressed cardboard kind of substance is a significant drawback of the material. When exposed to water, MDF expands like a balloon. The MDF will look bloated and unappealing as the paint chips off and swells. Once MDF has expanded and dried, it will never return to its previous size or shape, rendering it useless. Even if you sand down the MDF and paint it, the baseboards will never look as smooth and uniform in shape as they did when you first put them in.
When attempting to clean tile and grout, homeowners face a problem if they don’t want to risk damaging the baseboards. Cleaning tile and grout is no different from cleaning any other dirty surface in that water and cleaning solutions are required. Some people will try to prevent water damage to their MDF by covering it with blue painter’s tape. The MDF will quickly absorb the water the blue painter’s tape has absorbed. The blue painter’s tape can also peel paint off the MDF baseboards when removed after cleaning the tile and grout. When cleaning the tile and grout, it is best to use waterproof tape, such as duct tape, to prevent water from seeping onto the baseboards. Water can still sneak under the MDF baseboards, causing them to swell and bend, even if you seal them with duct tape. Duct tape will also remove any paint previously applied to the MDF.
If you want to protect your MDF baseboards while cleaning your tile and grout floors, taping them off first will not cut it. Silicone caulk applied between MDF baseboards and the tile and grout can prevent damage to the baseboards from mopping the floor. The silicone caulk will seal off the space under the baseboards, where water could cause them to expand and rot. Water damage to MDF baseboards is typically caused when water seeps in from underneath the baseboard rather than seeping in on the surface. MDF baseboards are not painted at the bottom. Therefore, they have no defense against moisture absorption.
Although caulking the MDF baseboards before washing the tile and grout is a possible solution, doing so is labor-intensive, and you’ll need to wait at least 24 hours for the caulk to dry before cleaning the tile and grout. To preserve the MDF while cleaning the tile and grout, caulking the floor and waiting for the caulk to dry might not be an acceptable solution. One option is to use very little water and minimal cleaning solution when washing the tiles and grout.
Careful use of water and cleaning solutions allows tile floors to be cleaned with MDF baseboards. Scrub the edge of the tiles where they meet the baseboards with the cleaning chemicals using a scrub pad. Avoid getting water and cleaning solution under the MDF baseboards by using only a tiny quantity and wiping it up with paper towels or a cotton towel. This method may take you much longer to clean the tile floor, but you won’t have to worry about damaging the baseboards.
When cleaning tile and grout, using the proper chemicals and methods is essential. Prestige Tile Care is where interested parties in the Seattle, Washington, area can learn more about the company‘s tile cleaning services.
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