Cleaning your floors does not have to be a daunting task. With the right tools and proper technique, you will be able to make your floor spotless and fresh. But the tools you are going to use, and the way of cleaning depend on the type of flooring you clean. Yes, you can take a canister vacuum and go over it, but that may not be the best way. In this article, we are talking about 5 ways to clean tile floors.
Tile floors are a great choice for any room where you can potentially spill something. You can usually find them in kitchens and bathrooms, but there is no rule. What is important with this type of flooring is regular maintenance. They are usually in high-traffic areas and if you want them to last longer and look new, you should clean them properly. Since there are several types of tile flooring, we decided to share some tips with you so you can provide the best care for your floors.
1. Basic Tile Floor Cleaning
Of course, starting from the basics is always a good idea. So let us begin with the simplest way that most of you probably know. Still, we will go over it, for those of you who may be new to the tile cleaning world.
First, you should vacuum your floor, or sweep it every day. Take your regular upright vacuum and go over the entire room to pick up dirt, hair, food crumbs and other dirt particles. You should always do this before mopping since you will make the process easier. If you mop without vacuuming you will have to drag that dirt around and ultimately pick it up (gross!), so we recommend vacuuming.
The next step is to mop the floor with warm water. If you have not had any spills and there are no stubborn stains, this part should be relatively easy. If you use a vacuum for tile floors, some of them have a mopping mode as well. So you can use the same tool for both of these steps. In any case, the water should be warm and you can even add cleaning solution. Not only will it leave the whole room smelling fantastic, but it will also help clean any stains on the tiles.
If you would like to up the shine, the last step is to use a damp dusting cloth to sort of polish the floors and make them shiny. Alternatively, you can leave the floors to dry for themselves, but they will not be so polished.
2. Cleaning Stubborn Stains from Tile Floors
If you come across any stain on your floor, you will need an efficient way to clean it. The best way to deal with stains is to remove them right after they appear. if you spill juice it can become sticky and attract more dirt. And if your dog pees on the floor, you should definitely clean it right away and disinfect the area. Here are several options.
Mop the floor with a special solution made from the warm water and half a cup of vinegar. If that does not work, try making a paste from 50/50 mix of warm water and scouring powder. With a clean cloth, rub it into the stain and leave it for 10 minutes. Scrub it with a brush and use warm water to remove it.
A great way to prevent staining is by removing it right away. A cordless vacuum can help you with that since it is quickly up and running. If it can pick up wet spills, even better.
3. Cleaning Mildew from Tile Floors
This is another problem which can occur with tile floors – mildew. But it should be easily fixed. Take a 50/50 mix of water and ammonia and scrub wherever the mildew is. Make sure there is enough air in the room while you are cleaning. This is also a good idea to prevent mildew, so air the room out every day.
4. Cleaning Grout in Tile Flooring
You can use a mixture of water and baking soda, and rub it into the grout with a toothbrush. it is a bit tedious, but it is the best way to really get in there. You can also try with a more unconventional method and use a pencil eraser. Of course, you can only do this if you have a small section of the grout to clean. If these more natural ways do not work, 72/25 mixture of bleach and water should do the trick. But you cannot do this with colored grout so make sure you keep that in mind.
The bleach should also not touch the tiles or it could damage them. Needless to say, but we will say it, make sure you protect your hands and eyes since bleach is not a joke.
A robot mop can help you a lot with keeping the grout clean, so you may want to consider adding it to your cleaning arsenal.
5. Cleaning Stone Tiles
Since they require a bit different approach, we decided to mention a specific way of cleaning them. First, if you want to use any cleaner, make sure they are made for natural stone. Slate tiles can be cleaned with a mild cleaner, but it should not contain vinegar or lemon, nor should you use it on these floors. Same goes for marble tiles, but you should also be careful not to scrub them too hard because you can scratch them. As for granite tiles, they also need a pH-neutral cleaner, and you can polish these tiles to get that luxurious look.
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed these 5 ways to clean tile floors and that you will find them helpful if you are a proud tile floor owner. Consider getting a vacuum for tile floor to help you in your cleaning adventures. Good luck!