With their glossy finish and easy-to-clean surface, tile floors offer both style and function. But like all flooring choices, tiles require some maintenance to stay looking their best. Every day, our tile floors experience wear and tear, whether it’d be daily foot traffic or scratch marks from our furry friends. .
Not sure how to clean tile floors? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll show you how to clean tile floors, including the best products to use and some helpful tips and tricks.
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The Importance of Cleaning Tiles
With our busy schedules and never-ending to-do lists, it’s easy to relegate this task to the bottom of our priority list. But when you don’t clean your tile floors regularly, it can lead to some pretty serious problems.
First and foremost, uncleaned tile floors can quickly build up stuck-on stains. Other than detracting your home’s aesthetic appeal, dirty tile floors harbor bacteria and other allergens. If you have allergies or asthma, it’s important to clean your tile floors since they can aggravate these conditions.
Best Way to Clean Floor Tiles without Damaging Them
Sometimes, mopping tiles isn’t enough. Cleaning tiles require products capable of efficiently breaking down the dirt and grease buildup on the surface. This is especially true for high traffic areas like the kitchen and bathroom.
We have listed some of the best products to use for cleaning tile floors without damaging them. Let’s go through them:
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Deep Clean Floor Tiles With Vinegar
Vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner, and highly effective in deep cleaning tile floors. Vinegar’s acidity quickly breaks down dirt and grease, whilst naturally disinfecting your tiles surface. However, its harshness can also strip away your tile floor’s protective sealant. This is why it’s important to use a diluted solution of vinegar and water.
To deep clean your tile floors with vinegar, follow these steps:
- Mix ¼ cup of vinegar with one gallon of water.
- Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
- Spray the solution onto the tile floor and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Scrub the floor with a brush or sponge. Be gentle to prevent scratching the tiles.
- Rinse the tile floor with clean water.
Cleaning Tile Floors With Mild Detergent
Another product you can use to clean your tile floors is a mild detergent. Mild detergents are designed to break down dirt without the harshness of vinegar. The lower pH levels means they won’t damage your floors.
To clean tile floors with detergent, do the following:
- Mix your detergent with water in a bucket
- Take a mop and submerge it into the solution
- Proceed to wring and mop your tiles, getting into all the nooks and crannies.
- After, dry the floor with a cloth or towel
Removing Tile Floor Stains With Borax
Stains are unpleasant to the eyes, especially when they’re on glossier, shinier surfaces like tile floors. This is where Borax comes in handy. Borax is a powdery white substance that contains boric acid, a compound known to break down stuck-on, stubborn stains.
To remove tile floor stains with Borax, follow these simple steps:
- Mix one cup of Borax with a cup of water. Be sure to thoroughly mix the two ingredients.
- Pour the mixture onto a cloth and apply it to the stain.
- Let the solution sit for a few minutes
- When time is up, scrub the stain with a brush or sponge
- FInish by rinsing the tiles with clean water.
How to Clean Tile Grout
Over time, the grout between your tiles collects debris and dirt. Trapped dirt and grease can cause the grout to deteriorate, which will eventually require a costly replacement. One way to prevent this occurrence is to clean it as soon as possible using baking soda and water.
Baking soda can be found almost anywhere and is a great product to use for cleaning. It’s pH level is high, making it effective at breaking down dirt and grease that’s stuck in between tiles. To use this product, follow our step by step process:
- Create a paste by mixing baking soda with water
- Apply the paste to the grout and let it sit for 5 minutes. You’ll then notice the grout start to bubble.
- Scrub the grout with a brush or toothbrush once time is up. The bristles of the brush help loosen the dirt and grime.
- Rinse the area with clean water.
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FAQs For Cleaning Tile Floors
Now that you know the top ways to clean your tile floors, our FAQ should help fill in some of the gaps.
- Is it safe to use a chemical floor tile cleaner?
Floor tile cleaners come in a wide range of formulas, so it’s important to read the label before using application. While floor tile cleaners are generally safe, you’ll need to use the specific tile cleaner for your specific tile material. For example, you can’t use a ceramic tile cleaner for marble flooring. This can damage the surface of your flooring.
- What is the best cleaning solution for ceramic tile floors
Vinegar mixed with dish soap is the best product to use on ceramic tile floors. To clean ceramic tile floors, fill a bucket halfway with boiling water, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1/2 tablespoon dish soap. If you use too much soap, your floors will get dull due to the soapy residue, so be sure to follow the given quantities.
Rinse the mop head under hot running water to eliminate any residue from its last use. Proceed to mop the floors with the cleaning solution and wait for the floor to completely dry before walking on it.
- Are there any bad cleaning products for tile floors?
Tile floors are sensitive so you can’t just use any old cleaning product that’s collected dust in your cupboard. Harsh chemicals will damage the tile and grout, making them more susceptible to dirt and staining. In some cases, the chemicals can also eat away at the sealant, leaving your floors unprotected.
With that said, here are some cleaning products that can potentially damage your tiles:
Abrasives – Any cleaning product that contains sand or other gritty materials is a big no-no for tile floors. The abrasives can scratch the tile’s surface and ruin its beautiful, grand finish.
Ammonia – This is a popular cleaner, but also a known tile floor destroyer. Ammonia can strip the sealant from your tiles, leaving them unprotected and potentially leading to costly repairs.
Oil-based Cleaners – Another thing to look out for when cleaning your tile floors is using oil-based cleaners. Not only can they leave behind a greasy residue, but they can also harbor bacteria. This can lead to unwanted odors and even more cleaning problems in the future.
- How often do you clean tile floors?
To keep your tile floors looking their best, a combination of dry and wet cleaning is recommended.
Dry Cleaning – simply sweep or vacuum the floors weekly to remove any existing dirt or debris. You can start by vacuuming with a soft-bristle to collect any big pieces and then go over the floor with a dustpan and sweeper.
Wet Clean – mop the tile floors every 2 weeks using a pH-neutral tile cleaner and clean water. Diluted vinegar is also a good option for mopping tile floors. If you see any noticeable stains between cleanings, spot clean them immediately to prevent them from setting in.
Key Takeaways on How to Clean Tile Floors
- Tile floors endure daily wear and tear, regularly becoming stained from spills and tracked-in dirt.
- Dirty tile floors aren’t just ugly, but can also harm your health due to the accumulation of dirt, dust, and bacteria.
- Effective cleaning products include vinegar, detergent, borax and baking soda.
- Avoid using harsh chemicals, abrasives, and oil-based cleaners as they can damage the tile and grout.
- To maintain your tile’s luxurious appearance, vacuum and sweep weekly and mop with a pH-neutral tile cleaner every 2 weeks.
- Spot clean any stains that occur in between regular cleanings.
CalibreCleaning – Trusted Cleaning Services for Your Home
If dirty tile floors or other cleaning problems are getting you down, it’s time to call in the professionals. At CalibreCleaning, we offer a wide range of cleaning services to keep your home looking its best.
From deep cleaning services to regular maintenance, we can tailor a cleaning plan that’s perfect for your needs. Our house cleaning services span across Australia, including cities like Sydney, Hobart, Perth, and Brisbane. We also have bond cleaning or end of lease cleaning services in various cities, especially Hobart, Perth, Gold Coast, Sydney, Brisbane, and Canberra. Contact us today at 1300 991 368 to get a free quote or book on our website. We look forward to hearing from you!