Durability and an easy-to-clean nature make ceramic tile a popular flooring option among homeowners. To protect and ensure your tile will stand up to the test of time and your family, follow these tips on how to clean and protect your tile floor.
General Care
Sand, dirt and grit can dull and scratch the surface of your tile. Prevent this by sweeping or vacuuming your tile floors at least once a week, twice if you can manage. You might find that dust mops can help you pick up more dirt than just an average push broom.
After you’ve removed all the loose dirt from the floor, you’re ready to mop. Use a mild detergent mixed with hot water. Follow the directions carefully on the bottle of your preferred cleaning solution and prepare it accordingly. The cleaning solution you choose here is entirely up to you and the needs of your family.
Avoid using a sponge mop when it comes time to mop your tile floor with the solution. Use a chamois mop instead. Sponge mops tend to push dirty water into the grout and soil it. Changing your bucket of cleaning solution often will stop a cloudy film from developing on the floor. If a film does appear you can remove it with an all-purpose cleaner.
If the top surface has been stained with coffee, grease or ink, there are easy solutions that you can do right at home to clean them up with ease.
For coffee, tea or juice stains, wash and clean the area with hot water and a mild detergent. After the area has dried, blot the stain with the corner of a rag that has been soaked in hydrogen peroxide.
For grease stains, wash the surface with club soda and water and/or a commercial floor cleaner.
For ink stains, soak a cloth in diluted bleach and lay it directly on top of the stain. Leave the cloth on top of the stain until it has been completely absorbed.
Clean and rinse the previously-stained area thoroughly once you have finished clearing the stains.
Grout
One thing unique to tile floors is the grout. Knowing how to keep the grout clean on your tile, especially in the bathroom, will save you a lot of time and money. You can sweep, mop and polish all you want, but if the grout hasn’t been cleaned, your floors will still look dirty.
Grout is porous and absorbs dirt, grease and other substances with ease. To keep your grout clean and help combat these unwelcome visitors from taking away from your beautiful tile, follow these simple steps.
Spray the crevices of grout between tile pieces with a commercial grade grout cleaner. Wearing protective gloves, take a sponge and scrub the solution into the grout.
For stubborn stains, allow the cleaning solution to sit for 10 minutes and follow up with an old toothbrush or scrub-brush to use on the grout.
If stains persist, mix together a paste using baking soda and water. Apply it generously to the stain and let it sit overnight. Come back the next day and scrub it with a nylon brush.
Do not use a metal brush as it will scratch and damage the surface of the tile.
After you scrub and wash away the paste, let the grout dry. Once it has dried, use a silicone-based grout sealer to resist future stains and dirt.