Drilling Into Tile
By: Amanda Campbell
Updated: March 2, 2011
Drilling through tile can be extremely tricky one wrong move and you can end up cracking the tile and find yourself with a much bigger job than you originally planned. However if you do need to drill into your tile, if you want to hang a towel rack in your bathroom for example here are some quick tips that will help.
First use a marker and put an ‘X’ on the exact spot where you want to drill. Next take a hammer and a sharp nail and gently but firmly hammer the nail into the tile, but only slightly. What you are trying to do is break the glaze so that your drill bit won’t slip and slide on the flat tile surface. Once you’ve broken the glaze you’re ready to drill. Be sure to use a masonry drill bit.
Here are some more quick tips we found for you when it comes to cleaning your ceramic tile walls.
Regular cleaning can be done with detergent and water, and rinsed; or commercial household cleaners or bathroom cleaners used according to label directions.
Do not use scouring powders or other abrasives, which can scratch the finish.
Special cleaning may be needed for ceramic tile in bathrooms if there is a buildup of: soap scum, a rough white coating, or mildew.
Remove soap scum by sponging with a mixture of 1/2 cup packaged water softener, plus 2 tablespoons rottenstone plus 1 cup hot water; or use a solution of 1-2 tablespoons trisodium phosphate in 1 gallon hot
water. Rinse.
Remove mildew by cleaning with a dilute solution of chlorine bleach in water, following label directions on bleach. Rinse well. Or you may want to use a mildew-retardant household spray.
The rough white coating is a buildup of mineral from hard water (like you would get in a teakettle). Dissolve it with a commercial tile cleaner and wipe off.
Occasionally a dark varnish-like stain may build up in a tile shower that has not been cleaned regularly. It is a build-up of body oils and soap scum and very hard to remove. Cover the spot with full-strength liquid laundry detergent and let it stand for a couple of hours. Then sponge it off with water. If it still doesn't all come off, leave the detergent on longer and scrub with a brush. Don't use on porcelain enamel tubs or fiberglass or plastic surfaces as it may damage them.
First use a marker and put an ‘X’ on the exact spot where you want to drill. Next take a hammer and a sharp nail and gently but firmly hammer the nail into the tile, but only slightly. What you are trying to do is break the glaze so that your drill bit won’t slip and slide on the flat tile surface. Once you’ve broken the glaze you’re ready to drill. Be sure to use a masonry drill bit.
Here are some more quick tips we found for you when it comes to cleaning your ceramic tile walls.
Regular cleaning can be done with detergent and water, and rinsed; or commercial household cleaners or bathroom cleaners used according to label directions.
Do not use scouring powders or other abrasives, which can scratch the finish.
Special cleaning may be needed for ceramic tile in bathrooms if there is a buildup of: soap scum, a rough white coating, or mildew.
Remove soap scum by sponging with a mixture of 1/2 cup packaged water softener, plus 2 tablespoons rottenstone plus 1 cup hot water; or use a solution of 1-2 tablespoons trisodium phosphate in 1 gallon hot
water. Rinse.
Remove mildew by cleaning with a dilute solution of chlorine bleach in water, following label directions on bleach. Rinse well. Or you may want to use a mildew-retardant household spray.
The rough white coating is a buildup of mineral from hard water (like you would get in a teakettle). Dissolve it with a commercial tile cleaner and wipe off.
Occasionally a dark varnish-like stain may build up in a tile shower that has not been cleaned regularly. It is a build-up of body oils and soap scum and very hard to remove. Cover the spot with full-strength liquid laundry detergent and let it stand for a couple of hours. Then sponge it off with water. If it still doesn't all come off, leave the detergent on longer and scrub with a brush. Don't use on porcelain enamel tubs or fiberglass or plastic surfaces as it may damage them.
