Home Care Topics
The Home Care department within IKW provides competent answers to questions concerning hygiene, washing and cleaning.
Information for manufacturers
IKW Recommendations "Cement-based joints in bathrooms" (2004)
Many different demands are made on ceramic coverings in bathrooms. They must not only be sealed and laid in accordance with the generally recognised codes of practice so that the subsurface is protected against moisture penetration and the tiles do not break loose from the adhesive bed, but the joints, too, are subject here to a permanent visual assessment by the users of the bathroom. The grout is affected by the use of different cleaning and maintenance products and under certain circumstances even damaged, because grouts are acid-sensitive due to their composition. The limescale deposits to be removed can, however, only be removed with acidic cleaning products.
For this reason several conditions must be taken into account both in processing and subsequent cleaning in order to ensure the desired visual effect and fitness for use of the joints in the long-term.
The text of the recommendation can be downloaded in German as a PDF file here.