How to Clean Tile Flooring

Tile flooring may last a lifetime if properly maintained. Fortunately, compared to other flooring types, tile requires less upkeep. Warm water, a little soap or cleaning solution, and a chamois mop or cloth are all you need to keep the floor shiny and clean.

How to Clean Tile Flooring

Tile is an appealing and adaptable sort of flooring that you may use in kitchens, baths, and other home areas. To appear their best, tile floors should be regularly maintained and deep cleaned. Learning how to clean tile floors is a time-consuming and straightforward task. The goal is to match the tile type with the appropriate cleaning procedure. If you follow the instructions in this article, learning how to clean tile floors will be a snap.

You wouldn’t use an enamel cleanser to clean a stainless-steel refrigerator. The same holds for your tile. While tile floors are pretty durable, several types of tiles require specific care. Ceramic and porcelain floor tiles require little upkeep, but rougher tiles like slate, marble, granite, or limestone necessitate tailored attention and, in some cases, specialized cleansers.

Maintaining the Tile Floor

Regardless of tile type, weekly care is one of the most crucial stages to having clean tile floors. Once or twice a week, do the following:

• Sweep the grout and tile with a soft bristle broom to eliminate grime.
• To eliminate dust and residual particles, vacuum with a brush attachment.
• You should also clean and vacuum the tile floor well before mopping it.

Tip: Wipe up spills and wet places as quickly as possible using a cleaning cloth since wet, dirty dirt becomes more challenging to remove the longer it lies on the tile.

Cleaning Porcelain Tile Floors

Scrub unpolished or unglazed porcelain tile floors using a soft bristle brush, vinegar, and warm water combination. Allow the floor to soak for 5–10 minutes. After that, rinse in hot water and dry with a clean towel or microfiber cloth.

Wipe stains with hot water and a bristle brush on polished or glazed porcelain tile. Wash with a vinegar solution or a half-strength professional tile cleaner. Wash with hot water to remove the cleanser, then dry with a clean towel.

Tip: On porcelain tile flooring, avoid using bleach or ammonia.

Cleaning Ceramic Tile Floors

Wash bathroom tiles once a week and kitchen tiles biweekly for optimal results. Sponge mops may drive unclean water into grout lines, so apply the mixture with a cleaning cloth or a flat mop.

You should use warm water or a combination of warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap to clean ceramic tile floors. To avoid cleaning with unclean water, add new water regularly.

Wash and dry the floor one part at a time.

Tip: Use this approach on wood tile floors composed of ceramic or porcelain tile meant to look like wood.

Best Ways to Clean Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Floors

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are highly durable, and with a few simple cleaning instructions, you can keep these types of flooring looking new. To clean ceramic and porcelain tile, follow these simple steps:

1. Clean up loose debris. To keep your tile floors looking new, sweep or vacuum them regularly. Although ceramic tiles are dirt resistant, sand and grit can degrade the glazed surfaces.
2. Instead of a sponge mop, use a rag or chamois-type mop to clean the tile with mild detergent and clean water. Because sponge mops tend to drive filthy water into the grout lines, making them difficult to clean, these mops are ideal for cleaning tile. While mopping, replace the water often; unclean water produces a foggy floor.
3. Be on the lookout for tile stains: If you see discoloration, attempt to determine what caused it. To get the best clean, use the proper cleaner for the color.
4. Keep an eye out for soap residue: If your tiles still appear foggy after washing, you may be dealing with soapy residue. Use a nonabrasive all-purpose cleaner to remove the film. Alternatively, on ceramic or porcelain tiles, you might use a DIY cleaner containing moderate acid (such as fresh lemon juice) (but never on stone tiles).
5. Dry the tiles: Do not allow your glazed tile floors to air dry as this may cause water stains. Take care of this by quickly drying the floor with a clean, lint-free towel after washing.

Tip: Take care of your knees by drying tiles superficially: Slide the cloth over the floor with your foot.

Cleaning Stone Tile Floors

Marble, slate, and granite tile floors may be cleaned similarly to porcelain and ceramic tiles, with a few exceptions:

When sweeping natural stone tile floors, use a soft-bristled brush since they scratch more quickly than ceramic and porcelain.

Check that you’re using the proper floor cleaner: Slate and marble tiles cannot be cleaned with acidic substances like vinegar, but granite tile requires a pH-neutral, mild detergent to avoid discoloration.

Slate Tile: You may clean slate tiles using a mild detergent as long as it doesn’t contain acidic ingredients like lemon or vinegar. If your slate tile is covered, dry it immediately with a soft towel to eliminate watermarks.

Marble Tile: Marble is a beautiful tile but also a high-maintenance material. Avoid using anything with an acidic pH level to clean marble tiles. Avoiding lemon or vinegar cleaners would be best since they can etch the tile’s surface. Avoid using anything that might harm the marble, such as brushes with stiff bristles or scouring powders.

Granite Tile: Like slate and marble tile, you should clean granite tile should be cleaned with a pH-neutral mild detergent. Abrasive cleaners may leave streaks or discoloration on the tile. It would be best if you also buffed a polished granite floor to keep it appearing gleaming and clean.

Cleaning Resilient Tile Floors

Vinyl and linoleum flooring are less expensive alternatives to more expensive stone or ceramic tiles, but maintenance is crucial. Although a steam mop appears to be a simple solution, vinyl and linoleum are not designed to tolerate excessive heat and wetness.

Vinyl: After sweeping, mop with a manufacturer-recommended cleaning solution or a water-and-vinegar combination. Abrasive cleaners, which can harm flooring, should be avoided.

Linoleum: After sweeping, clean with a linoleum cleaning solution or a combination of borax and water. To keep the floor’s luster, add a coat of wax and buff it every three to six months.

Cork: The cleaning maintenance required for your cork tile can vary depending on the finish. If the cork surface is polyurethane-sealed (as most cork floors are), clean with water and a little detergent or white vinegar, then rinse well. If the cork is unfinished or waxed, follow the polyurethane cleaning procedures but add solid or liquid wax after the tile is dry.

Tip: Instead of a sponge mop, use a cloth or chamois mop to press the dirt into the grout merely. It would help if you did not use vinegar or peroxide on the grout since the acid will loosen. Also, avoid using any acidic cleaners on the stone floor.

Cleaning Tile Grout

The actual key to a beautiful tile floor is clean grout. Grout is porous and collects grease and other stains, making it challenging to maintain clean. Here’s how to make your grout appear new again:

1. Mix your grout cleaner: Instead of commercial cleaners, make a paste of baking soda and water.
2. Scrub grout: Apply it to the stain, let it lie overnight, and then scrub it with a stiff nylon brush in the morning (a metal brush will damage the grout). Repeat as needed.
3. To repel future stains, seal the grout with a silicone-based sealant. It works best 10-14 days after the grout has been put or refreshed.

Note: It’s debatable whether you should use a steam cleaner to “deep clean” your tile grout. Some think it’s a terrific method to refresh dull tile, while others warn that it might harm your grout in the long run. A steam mop has been sealed and will not affect grout in good condition. Still, if your floor is older or the grout is damaged, the steam may accelerate the degradation and produce pitting and discoloration over time. Frequent usage may also raise your risk of injury.

How Often to Clean Tile Floors

Tile flooring, commonly put in regularly used areas such as foyers, kitchens, and bathrooms can withstand a significant amount of everyday activity in your family. Continue reading to discover the most acceptable ways and materials for cleaning tile floors.

We recommend a regular cleaning program that includes both dry and wet cleaning to keep your tile appearing clean and residue-free.

Dry Cleaning

Sweep or vacuum at least once a week or whenever particles may be seen (or felt). A soft-bristle vacuum attachment may be used on any tile floor, although getting into corners or narrow places may be challenging. Finish the task with a dustpan and hand brush.

Wet Cleaning

Mop the tile floor in your kitchen every two weeks and the tile floor in your bathroom once a week (germs tend to build up in bathrooms). Spots clean your grout once every few months or anytime it appears dirty.

Best Ways to Clean Any Tile Floors

Cleaning methods and materials should be tailored to the type of tile you have and how frequently you must clean it.

Clear the trash off the tiles.

Before applying any water or cleaner, use a soft-bristled brush, dust mop, or vacuum to remove debris, dust, and other loose particles from the tile floor. It prevents subsequent scrubbing (even with a soft sponge) from scratching your tile.

Examine the substance of your tiles.

There are several varieties of floor tiles, including ceramic, natural stone, cement, and quarry tile, to mention a few.

Natural stone tiles with porous surfaces, such as limestone, marble, and travertine, should have been treated to help preserve them from stains.

Like ceramic and porcelain, others are resistant to moisture and do not require sealants. Quarry tile may stain quickly if not glazed, making it unsuitable for stove backsplashes. Still, its natural earth tones allow it to easily cover the occasional spill on the kitchen floor or in a mudroom.

You’re ready to enter the following phase once you’ve been acquainted with your tile type.

Determine the appropriate cleaning chemical for your tile and the kind of marks it sustains.

Not every cleaner is suitable for every type of tile or stain. As an example:

• Avoid using anything acidic to clean cement tiles, including vinegar-based solutions, and on marble, travertine, limestone, and other natural stone tiles, use products labeled “safe for stone” to avoid anything containing bleach. You can use vinegar-based cleansers to clean ceramic and porcelain tiles. However, read the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid damaging any tile.
• For stain-specific cleaning instructions, contact your tile manufacturer. Pasta sauce spills may necessitate a different cleaning procedure and solution than grease splatters.
• Warm water and a sponge can remove tracked-in dirt and everyday food spills. Warm water plus a tiny bit of soap, such as liquid dish soap, should be the next step from mere water and a sponge.
• If it doesn’t work, try a pH-neutral floor cleaner, but read the label carefully. Manufacturers should specify the types of flooring the cleaner is intended for and the dilution ratios required. Many floor cleaners are concentrated solutions that you must mix with a gallon or two of water.

Select a sponge or mop that is suited for your tile type.

Natural stone, metals, and cement tiles are readily damaged and should not be cleaned with anything abrasive.

Use a more powerful scrubber to clean durable porcelain or ceramic tile if necessary. Use a steam mop on your tiles for a thorough cleaning.

Clean the grout regularly.

They recommend weekly cleaning of tile floors to avoid stains. Do a deep dive every month or two, including cleaning the grout.

Grout can be difficult to maintain, so pick a grout cleaner equal to the job. You may also clean grout with a homemade cleaning.

Find Reliable Contractors for Any Home Project

We use more resilient techniques and equipment to perforate the surface of your tiles. We also have the equipment and know-how to clean tile flooring. Call Epic Carpet and Tile right away!