The Easy and Best Way To Clean Tile Floors in Your Home

Are you wondering what is the best way to clean tile floors? I have a super easy way to share with you and some other tips as well.

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Tiles are a versatile flooring material and are not just used in conventionally popular areas like bathrooms and kitchens, but also in other spaces like living rooms, bedrooms, balconies, swimming pools, etc. They have now become an integral part of the residential as well as commercial spaces. Natural stone flooring and traditional hardwood flooring, as much as they are popular and enticing, have their own shortcomings, which tiles often overcome and provide you with a lot more in the bargain. The best part about tiles? You don’t need to dedicate time or create a specific regime to maintain them. If you maintain a cleaning schedule regularly, you are all set to go! Here are a few tips on how to clean and maintain different types of tiles.

Best Way To Clean Tile Floors

Porcelain, Ceramic, and Vitrified Tiles

All three of them are on the popular and affordable ends of residential and commercial tile choices and the modern bathroom tiles are the most popular niche amongst these tiles. The maintenance of all three is quite simple. With porcelain, ceramic and vitrified tiles, the cleaning routine can remain the same – broom to remove loose debris and then mop with a mild cleaning solution. With spills and stains, you will need to wipe them clean as soon as you can to prevent the stain from setting in. When it comes to the textured finish of these tiles, the cleaning goes a notch higher as there could be times when dirt and spills can settle in the crevices. For such cases, you will need little stronger solutions with vinegar and baking soda that will pick them out during your cleaning regime. You can then scrub the grout lines with your cleaning brush dipped in equal parts of water and baking soda to lighten the darker stains.

I wheeled the bucket out and was ready to mop my floor with ease.

Natural Stone or Marble Tiles

Natural stone tiles are stunning to look at with their intricate and unique designs and sometimes, the texture of the natural stone gives the tiles a great texture and finish. Popular natural stone tiles such as marble, limestone, granite, and slate have different levels of porosity, making it difficult to clean them using some of the most common cleaning methods. Opt to use a cleaning solution that is mild or make a homemade solution to clean them. Stay away from the conventional and harsher chemicals as they can erode the tiles and tarnish their surfaces permanently. You can even use a dishwashing liquid that is non-abrasive in nature to clean them regularly.

Cement Tiles

These kinds of tiles are slowly gaining popularity and have the potential to be one of the most popular types of tiles in the near future. Also known as hydraulic tiles, they can be used for flooring as well as on the walls. The drawback is that they are porous, which means they can stain and absorb liquid spills. This can make the tiles dull and their color will eventually fade away. The routine cleaning of these tiles is similar to that of porcelain, ceramic, and vitrified tiles – sweeping and mopping. For long-term maintenance, you will need to seal them with two coats of sealants, in order to maintain their gloss and keep their shine intact. Keep away the harsh acidic cleaners as they can rip the top surface of the tile and damage it.

Mosaic Tiles

Mosaic tiles are small cube-shaped tiles that are often used in multiple spaces like swimming pools, kitchen backsplashes, or even on accent walls. With them, however, you can clearly see the grout lines, which makes them more susceptible to collecting dirt and grime over time. So you would need a much more rigorous routine of cleaning them at regular intervals. Invest in a grout cleaning brush as you will require that a lot. Spray a solution of vinegar and water over the tiles and then brush away the dirt. Just ensure you leave a 10-minute time gap between spraying the tiles with the solution and scrubbing them to give the solution time to work on the grime.

After scrubbing, mop with warm water rinse.

Terracotta Tiles

To get an old-world charm, terracotta tiles are your best option. They add a rustic and earthy color scheme to your ambiance. They are available in glazed and unglazed finishes (which is a dust magnet). If not cleaned well, the dust and grime can easily settle onto the tiles, creating a dirty layer on the surface. The maintenance is simple and pretty straightforward – clean and mop them regularly and as soon as you spill or see stains, spot rub and try to get rid of them as soon as possible. A gentle floor cleaner or a mild, non-abrasive dishwashing liquid soap solution can be used to clean the tiles. At times, when you are deep cleaning, you can take equal parts of vinegar and baking soda with water and clean the flooring with it.

Wood Tiles

Traditional hardwood flooring can be beautiful to look at but can be equally painful to maintain. In colder and wet climates, the wood can expand and ruin the flooring, which is why you can now opt for the wood look or wooden tiles. They give you the look and ambiance of a hardwood floor, but also the durability and ease of maintenance of a tile. All you need to do is sweep and mop the tiles every day so that the dust and grime don’t settle that easily onto the surface of the tiles. Use a damp mop with a baking soda and water solution to clean deeply every once in a while and your tiles will look pristine for a long time.

Cleaning your flooring is very important, especially since the pandemic hit and increased the focus on maintaining a hygienic living space. Cleanliness is important for a healthy family and for that cleaning and maintaining the tiles is also equally important. This is why knowing how to select tiles for home is very important.

Best Way To Clean Tile Floors Conclusion

These simple tips to maintain different kinds of tiles will help you maintain your house in a neat and clean fashion. Stay away from harsh cleaners that will erode the flooring and make use of homemade cleaning solutions as much as you can or resort to a mild cleaning solution from the market so that you do not end up damaging the surface of your tiles.

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