Tile Flooring

If you have tile flooring in your bathroom or kitchen, you’ve chosen a type of flooring that is durable and fairly easy to clean-at least compared to carpet. One added bonus is that tile flooring in any living space doesn’t seem to age as much as other types of flooring; it can look new even years after its been installed. All you have to do is some basic upkeep and cleaning to ensure that your tile flooring stays looking new.  The following article is an overview of cleaning techniques that can help you to maintain tile flooring, including both faux tile flooring and ceramic tiles.

How To

There are only a few hard and fast rules when it comes to cleaning tile. The most important is that the faster you clean up spills, the less likely they are to cause damage to your floor. You don’t have to sweep, vacuum, or mop your tile floor every single day. All you have to do is wipe up spills when they happen and then do a routine cleaning two or three times a week to prevent grime and dust from building up. If you don’t clean your tile floor for long stretches at a time, you run the risk of letting dirt and grime accumulate and the longer you do, the harder it will be to remove it.

The second thing you should do is mop your floor on a regular basis, usually at least once every two weeks. Always sweep the floor before you mop so that it is clear of dust and particles. You might think that you need to mop with a harsh chemical, such as bleach, but actually, warm water and a light cleaning solution are usually sufficient. Mop the tiled rooms in your house one-by-one and let them dry without letting anyone walk on them. They shouldn’t take more than five or ten minutes to dry completely. You can even use a different, dry mop to run over the floors so that they dry faster. That way, the grout will remain free of dirt particles or water damage.

Tips & Takeaways

Sometimes you might miss a stain or you might get a stain that is tough to remove. If that is the case, you can scrub the floor with a household disinfectant. There are a number of great floor cleaning products on the market and in most cases, they don’t have to be heavy-duty or contain harsh chemicals to get the job done. You can try a multipurpose surface cleaner such as Mr. Clean, Lysol, or Ajax. Simply pour a small amount into a bucket of warm water and use it to scrub out a stain. If all else fails, try using bleach. Clorox is a great bleach product. Keep in mind that bleach is extremely powerful; you only need to fill up the cap of the bottle and that should be enough.

Sometimes, you might need to remove dirt or stains directly from the grout between the tiles. Although this can seem like a pain, it’s a good idea if you want to keep the area between your tiles in tip top shape. However, sometimes a regular mop or scrub brush just isn’t small enough to get in between those cracks. Try using the eraser of a pencil to remove the stain. If that doesn’t work, apply a baking soda and water paste with a used toothbrush. Rinse off the grout once you’re finished scrubbing out the stain and you should notice that it’s taken on a whiter, fresher appearance.

Finally, whatever you use to clean your floor, make sure that you rinse it off after. Leaving soaps and cleaners on your tiles can end up damaging the floor in the end and it isn’t good for your health to breathe in these chemicals either. Rinse with a wet wash cloth or new mop in order to remove any residual product.