Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Re-sealing 1x1 ceramic tiles?

We have a home built in the 50's, with what I'm assuming is ceramic tile floors in the bathrooms. I have managed to clean the grout and gotten it back to white, and was thinking that the next step should be to seal it.

However, after reading on several different forums, I keep hearing that I should only seal the grout and not the tiles when dealing with ceramic tiles.

At the risk of sounding lazy - I really don't feel like it's worth the effort that will go into sealing the grout around each 1-inch by 1-inch tile. I guess I was hoping to find that there is something I could just brush or mop onto the entire floor?

Is there an option for tiles like this? Should I just leave it un-sealed? We plan to re-do the bathrooms sooner or later, and the tile on the floors is not in great condition and there's really not much glaze/shine left on them. My main concern is keeping the grout clean.

Any suggestions? Can I seal the whole floor without ruining the tile and/or making a huge mess/problem? Or should I just leave it alone?

Hi GaPeach,and welcome to the forums.

Yes, there are sealers that you can use for both the grout and the tile. Wipe on with a sponge. Go to a tile dealer or a flooring store and request the product.

Connie

Any tile and grout sealer will do the job. Seal everything, that's the only way to do it with 1" tiles. Apply the sealer, let it soak into the grout for a few minutes, then wipe up what remains on the tile with a bath towel type fabric.:)

You can't seal ceramic because the sealer won't penetrate it. Thus you end up with sealer only on the grout. I have seen sealer applicators that have small tips on them, so that it's like you're drawing on the grout lines with a fat pencil.

Thanks, guys! That's exactly what I needed to know.