Material
Porcelain tile
The densest common tile, effectively non absorbent unless it is polished, set in grout that absorbs freely.
- SurfaceNon porous
- WashingSpot only
- Colour run riskLow
- Reviewed7 September 2026
What porcelain tile can and cannot take
- Heat Use with care
- Water and soaking Tolerates it
- Acids, including vinegar Use with care
- Strong alkalis Tolerates it
- Solvents Use with care
- Chlorine bleach Use with care
- Abrasives Use with care
Always test on a hidden area first and let it dry before you treat the visible mark.
General rules for porcelain tile
Porcelain is the most stain resistant tile in common use and the grout beside it is not, which is the same picture as ceramic with the tile half made even easier.
The one thing to check is whether the porcelain is polished. Polished porcelain has micropores opened at the surface by grinding, it is usually factory sealed, and a spill left on it can leave a shadow that a glazed tile would not.
Mild neutral cleaner, soft brush on the joints, rinse and dry.
Check the label
Porcelain is fired denser than ceramic and absorbs almost nothing even where it is unglazed. Polished porcelain is the exception: polishing opens micropores in the surface, which is why polished porcelain is usually sealed and why it can stain when ceramic will not.
Stains on porcelain tile
- Baby sick Lift the solids, blot the liquid and wash with warm water and a little washing up liquid. Porcelain is fired...
- Blood Blot first, then use cold water and a tiny amount of compatible detergent. Work from the edge, rinse or blot...
- Body oil Lift free oil from porcelain tile, then clean a small area with a maker-approved mild detergent solution and...
- Breast milk Blot the spill, identify the finish and use a controlled cold clean only where permitted. Where the maker per...
- Coffee Wipe coffee off porcelain tile promptly with a soft cloth. Check the finish and maker care rules first. Do no...
- Cooking grease Lift and blot cooking grease from Porcelain Tile, then use a small amount of diluted washing-up liquid only i...
- Deodorant Lift loose deodorant from porcelain tile with a dry white cloth, then wipe the remaining film with cool water...
- Hair dye Blot hair dye from Porcelain Tile, test the mildest compatible cool detergent route, clean inwards, remove re...
- Motor oil Blot motor oil from Porcelain Tile, absorb as much as possible, then use a small amount of diluted washing-up...
- Nail polish Lift free polish gently if the face permits contact. A maker-approved mild damp wipe can clear loose residue,...
- Period blood Lift any tissue with a spoon edge, then blot. Use cold water and a tiny amount of compatible detergent for th...
- Pet urine Blot until nearly dry, then use only the cool-water quantity porcelain tile can tolerate. Use a labelled pet...
- Tomato sauce Lift tomato sauce from Porcelain Tile, then wipe or blot inwards with a tested cool detergent solution. Remov...
Porcelain is clay fired at a higher temperature and to a lower water absorption than ceramic.
Density is the point
A porcelain body absorbs less than half a percent of its weight in water, which is why it is used outdoors and in wet rooms. A milk spill has nowhere to go.
Polishing changes that
Grinding a porcelain tile flat opens tiny pores at the surface. Polished porcelain is therefore usually sealed at the factory, and once that wears it can stain in a way that glazed porcelain never does.
The grout is still cement
And still dissolved by acid, so the rule against vinegar and limescale removers on a tiled surface holds regardless of how tough the tile is.
Large format means fewer joints
Which is a genuine advantage here, because the joints are the vulnerable part.
Sources
What we checked and when. Where a manufacturer instruction disagrees with anything here, follow the manufacturer.
-
Cleaning grout, Tile Council of North America
trade body
Tile trade body guidance that grout manufacturers do not advocate the use of acids because acids attack the cement in the grout, that grout is alkaline based and is dissolved by acids, that mildly alkaline cleaners are preferred over acidic ones, that oil and wax based cleaners leave a film that attracts dirt, that alkaline cleaner not properly rinsed leaves a sticky residue, and that cementitious grout should be sealed to prevent staining.
Checked 7 September 2026
-
Quarry tile care and maintenance, Daltile
manufacturer
Tile manufacturer guidance that quarry tile is sealed before grouting and resealed regularly to protect against staining, that routine cleaning is multi purpose products or plain soap and water, that no rinse enzymatic and acid based cleaners are avoided because the combination of heat, food contamination and cleaner makes the grout soft and permanently damages it, and that a soft bristle brush suits the textured surface.
Checked 7 September 2026
-
How to clean terracotta tiles, Walls and Floors
retailer
UK tile retailer guidance that terracotta is a highly porous unglazed clay tile that must be sealed to resist staining, that cleaning is done with warm water and a mild pH neutral detergent rather than anything acidic or bleach based, that harsh chemicals strip the sealer and leave the tile open to staining, and that the floor is dried rather than left wet.
Checked 7 September 2026