Here’s a list of frequently asked questions and their answers:
How do Seal-Guard® products work? What do they do?
Our sealers are impregnators that penetrate tiles and grout to seal them and protect them against oil- and water-based stains. They also help stop soiling. Our impregnators are not coatings, so they will not form a film or membrane over your tiles or grout and they will not scratch, loosen or peel off.
Are Seal-Guard® products easy to use?
Absolutely! The Seal-Guard® product range is easy to understand and consists of a number of high-quality, user-friendly and unique products for both professionals and consumers.
Where can I buy Seal-Guard®?
Our products are only available from specialised dealers. Contact us to find a retailer near you. Specialised dealers also offer Seal-Guard® products in their online stores.
What is the best way to apply the products?
You can apply our products with a lambswool applicator, roller, brush, mop, pressure sprayer, etc.
Can Seal-Guard® be used indoors and outdoors?
Yes, all Seal-Guard® impregnators are UV-resistant and are therefore suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
For which surfaces can I use Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer?
You can use Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer for grout lines, ceramic and porcelain tiles, all types of natural stone, such as marble, granite, travertine, slate, limestone, bluestone, sandstone, basalt and quartzite, as well as for concrete, terrazzo, terracotta, brick, stucco and other tile and masonry surfaces. The Seal-Guard® aerosol can is ideal for protecting small areas and is often used to finish new bathrooms, to prevent dirty joints, mould, mildew and limescale or to combat moisture problems and/or to help clean older bathrooms. On top of that, the Seal-Guard® aerosol is so easy to use that it is also often used on kitchen splashbacks to protect the surface against olive oil splatters. With the Seal-Guard® aerosol can, just spray and go!
Why is Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer superior to other products on the market?
It is the only sealer that can be applied to damp grout lines 20 minutes after grouting. Of course, the product can also be applied to dry joints (old & new joints). Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer is easy to use, requires no rollers or brushes for application and needs only one coat for good protection. Seal-Guard® is cheaper per square metre than other products on the market. Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer was voted "best new product of the year" by the Australian Tile Council (ATC) in 2003 and is sold worldwide.
What is the difference between Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator and Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone?
Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator is fast-drying. Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone dries more slowly.
Do I have to wait a long time after laying my new natural stone floor before impregnating it with Seal-Guard®?
No, all Seal-Guard® solvent-based and water-based impregnators remain breathable, which means you can impregnate your new floor with Seal-Guard® shortly after it has been installed and cleaned. The vapour permeability of Seal-Guard® allows water to evaporate and the floor to continue drying, preventing liquids from penetrating into the floor and protecting your floor from oil- and water-based stains. In practice, this means that you can impregnate your floor with Seal-Guard® as soon as the top layer has dried and been cleaned (free of grout haze, floor-care product residue, etc.), so that Seal-Guard® can penetrate the pores of the natural stone and the grout.
Can I use Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator and Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone before grouting?
Absolutely! Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator and Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone are ideal for pre-treating porous floors before grouting, making it easier to remove grout haze. Thanks to Seal-Guard®’s rapid repellent effect, which sets in immediately after the product has dried, it can lead to major speed gains. This can result in significant cost savings for contractors, for instance, as tilers will not have to come back 1 or 2 days later.
How can I clean my brushes?
After using Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator or Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone, you can clean your brushes with white spirit first, before continuing with warm water and soap. After using the water-based Seal-Guard® 24/7 Stone Impregnator, all you will need is warm water and soap.
What is the coverage of Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator when sealing grout and tiles?
1 litre of Seal-Guard® covers up to 40 square metres, depending on the application method used and the porosity of the tiles and grout.
Will Seal-Guard® products change the appearance, colour or texture of my tiles, or will it give them a wet look?
No! All Seal-Guard® products are sealers that penetrate the pores of grout, tile and stone surfaces. They do not leave any residue on surfaces and do not need to be wiped off, as silicon-based products do. The treated surface will look exactly the same, and its colour and texture will also remain the same, because our products dry invisibly. Seal-Guard® will not alter glossiness, the friction coefficient or the smoothness of your surfaces.
Which product can I use to clean the floor before impregnation?
Seal-Guard® All Clean was developed precisely for this purpose. Seal-Guard® All Clean is suitable for cleaning dirty old and new stone surfaces and removes minor grout haze, limescale, oil and grease, floor-care product residue and general dirt. Seal-Guard® All Clean is acid-free and is therefore also suitable for calcareous surfaces such as marble, travertine, bluestone, concrete, terrazzo, etc.
Which products can I use to clean the tiles after the sealer has been applied?
Use acid-free, mild detergents or clean water. Use a damp cloth or mop. Aggressive cleaning agents containing chlorine or abrasive powders are not necessary. Seal-Guard® Stone Clean is ideal for daily maintenance of your stone surfaces and supports the protection of surfaces impregnated with Seal-Guard®.
Are there step-by-step instructions for using your products?
Before using the Seal-Guard® impregnator, thoroughly clean the surface to be sealed with Seal-Guard® All Clean. If you are using Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator, apply one coat, wait for 60 minutes and then apply the second coat. If you are using Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone or Seal-Guard® 24/7 Stone Impregnator, wait for five hours before applying the second coat. Buff the surface before completely dry. Only surfaces made of dense materials, such as polished natural stone, will have to be buffed afterwards. Depending on the size of the surface to be treated, it is best to use a lambswool applicator or pad. After impregnation, you can use Seal-Guard® Stone Clean for daily maintenance.
Can I use Seal-Guard® for my outdoor swimming pool? Won’t the chlorine affect the sealer?
All our products are suitable for this purpose. Neither chlorine nor saltwater will affect the life expectancy of our products.
Can I seal only the grout lines in my bathroom? If I spray the tiles, will it be visible?
Sure, you can only seal the grout lines if you wish. We recommend using Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer (our quick-drying product). Any overspray that ends up on the tiles will dry invisibly.
What is the life expectancy of your products?
On vertical surfaces (walls), our products last a lifetime. On floors, etc. they will last several years, although highly trafficked and frequently used surfaces such as shower floors are best checked annually and resealed if necessary.
Which product should I use on ceramic or porcelain tiles?
For small areas, we recommend using Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer (our quick-drying product). For larger areas, we suggest Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator (quick-drying) or Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone (slow-drying). Because Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone dries slowly, you will be able to see where it has been applied and work with it accordingly.
Is it better to seal ceramic tiles before or after grouting?
There are two types of ceramic tiles: glazed and unglazed. There is no need to seal glazed tiles because they are not porous. In that case, you only need to seal the grout lines after the tiles have been laid. When using unglazed ceramic tiles or other types of tiles or stone, Seal-Guard® can be applied before grouting to facilitate the removal of grout haze later on, and then again after grouting to complete the sealing process. Lightly spray the product onto the tiles before grouting to easily and quickly remove any grout later and to prevent grout stains. After tiling and grouting, apply an extra coat of Seal-Guard® to the tiles and joints (see instructions on the packaging).
Does the sealer affect paint?
Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer does not affect paint, because the spray is fine and dries quickly. When using the liquid Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator or Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone, it is best to cover painted surfaces first. Clean any overspray that ends up on a painted surface with a damp sponge or cloth immediately.
Is Seal-Guard® suitable for use on worktops, such as kitchen tops, tabletops and washbasin countertops made of natural stone, concrete and terrazzo?
Absolutely! All Seal-Guard® products are suitable for this purpose and will protect your surfaces made of natural stone, concrete and terrazzo against oil- and water-based stains.
Why two coats?
Seal-Guard® products are invisible after drying, so we recommend applying two coats, in case a spot was accidentally missed when applying the first coat.
Can Seal-Guard® be applied to silicone caulk?
Absolutely!
Is Seal-Guard® a silicone product?
No, Seal-Guard® does not contain silicones.
Do you manufacture both solvent-based products and water-based products?
Yes, Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator and Seal-Guard® Impregnator for Porcelain & Stone are solvent-based products. Seal-Guard® 24/7 Stone Impregnator is a water-based impregnator.
Can I fill cracked bathroom tiles with Seal-Guard®?
No, Seal-Guard® cannot be used to fill cracks in bathroom tiles. Seal-Guard® does not act as a filler, but it will seal hairline cracks.
I have ceramic tiles, is it better to seal both the tiles and the grout lines?
If the ceramic tiles are glazed, they are not porous and don’t need to be sealed. If they're unglazed, they will have to be sealed. In both cases, we recommend sealing the grout lines. Use Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer or Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator (liquid). Spraying over the surrounding glazed tiles is no problem, as Seal-Guard® dries invisibly. In fact, it will even help keep the tiles cleaner, for easier maintenance.
I have terracotta pots. Can I use this product on the inside of the pots to reduce water absorption?
Absolutely! Spray it on the inside of your terracotta pots to reduce water absorption. Use Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer or apply any other type of Seal-Guard® impregnator with a brush.
The tiles and grout lines in my bathroom are about three years old. Can I still seal them?
Absolutely! You can still seal the tiles and grout lines in your bathroom. However, you should first clean your bathroom thoroughly and remove all soap residue, mould and mildew. When using an aggressive cleaning agent, thoroughly rinse the surface to be treated with water to remove all residue of the cleaning agent. To remove mould, use regular bleach. You can use Seal-Guard® All Clean to remove soap residue. Now you can seal your bathroom with Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer or with Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator.
I used Seal-Guard® in my shower area and now the silicone caulk won’t stick. What should I do?
If a surface was treated with Seal-Guard® before caulking, it is quite possible that the silicone caulk won’t stick. The best thing to do is apply the silicone caulk first and the Seal-Guard® sealer on top of it. If you have already treated the surface with Seal-Guard®, remove it before applying the silicone caulk. First use a generous amount of white spirit, before rinsing thoroughly with plenty of water, scrubbing with a brush and cleaning with a cloth. Apply the silicone caulk to the cleaned surface. Once the surface is dry, you can re-seal it with Seal-Guard® Grout & Tile Aerosol Sealer or Seal-Guard® Gold Label Impregnator.
