Cleaning tile floors can be a challenging task. However, it largely depends on the kind of tiles you have used in your home. When you have tile floors you need to take care of two things – whenever something pills on the floor you have to wipe it immediately. Second, if you clean your floors regularly, you can prevent the use of harsh chemicals and hard work. When you have children or pets around spills often happen. You need to keep some clean absorbent cloth handy so that whenever there is a spill you can immediately mop it off using the cloth.
Even if water spills on the floor you have to wipe it off immediately because it can accumulate dust and solidify giving an unsightly appearance. In the same way, you need to be careful when children are around because they can accidentally spill their drinks or other liquids. Even muddy footprints need to be cleared immediately. During rainy seasons it is better to keep a towel outside so that people who enter inside can use it to wipe their feet clean. This would help you to keep your floor clean to a great extent. To have clean tile floors you need to maintain your tiles properly by cleaning it regularly. Most of the people clean the tiles only when it becomes very dirty. But then you may need to use harsh chemicals which may damage your floor.
Floor Maintenance
To clean tile floors you can use a duster or sweep them clean to remove all the dust and other materials. Do not press hard because the dirt can cause scratches on the floor. Mopping the floor with a damp cloth is also ideal. This will not only keep the floor clean but you will not be using any harsh chemicals to clean the floor. This can be done at least once a week to have your tiles sparkling clean.
Cleaning Different Types of Flooring
The cleaning procedures also depend on the kind of floors used. You can use the following homemade formulas for cleaning the tiles. For cleaning ceramic tile floors it is best to use a clean damp cloth. But it may be difficult to clean the grout. For cleaning floor tile grout use a capful of rubbing alcohol in a gallon of water and use it on the grout. It can be cleaned easily.
How to clean tile floors made of vinyl? Take a cup of vinegar in a gallon of water. Use a mop dipped in this solution and clean tile floor with this. After this use clean water and mop the floor.
For stone tile floor cleaning you may require special cleaner. You cannot use vinegar because the acid could damage the marble. So you have to use a mild solution made of water and dish soap. After cleaning floor tiles with this liquid, use clean water.
In case there is wax accumulation on the tiles you can use a homemade stripper to get rid of the wax. Take a cup of your detergent and half cup of ammonia in one gallon of water which is warm. Also use a stiff brush for effective cleaning. Once the cleaning is over you can reapply the wax for protecting the floor.
Grout Cleaning
The grout gets dirty very quickly especially in your kitchen and bathroom areas. The bathroom often has mold or mildew and cause grout stains. In the kitchen, the grout gets dirty due to food stains, household traffic and backsplashes. For cleaning these stains you can use some simple household materials like baking soda or vinegar. You can use vinegar and water in equal amounts or make a paste using water and baking soda. Use any of these on the grout. Use a brush and scrub well. It is better to scrub in circular movements for removing the dirt from the grout. After removing the stain rinse with clear water and mop it dry using cloth or paper towels.
If the grout is tough you may have to use some commercial cleaners. You can get some of them from the market and use after diluting with water. Here are some general grout cleaning tips to help you.
First try cleaning grout using water. This will help to get rid of debris on the surface. If your grout is colored, do not use bleach because it can cause discoloration. The brush used for grout cleaning needs to be stiff. You can use old toothbrushes for this purpose. Do not use brushes made of metal. They can damage the grout. While using commercial cleaning agents ensure that the rooms are properly ventilated. You have to use protective gear like gloves and glasses while handling chemical cleaners. Before using the cleaner you can also test it on a small area to see if it is safe or causes any damage. The most important thing to remember is never mix two kinds of cleaners together. Since these are chemicals you may never know what reactions could take place. There could be dangerous fumes or skin irritations. After grout is clean apply a grout sealer for fresh looking floors.
