Tips and Tricks for Floor Tile Maintenance

Floor tiles not only make your home look stunning but also make it solid and durable. Over the years there have been many transformations and enhancements in floor tiles. Many unique tile designs made of different materials in varied shapes and sizes are available in the market allowing users wide options. However, the huge collection of tiles available may make it difficult for homeowners to choose the right tiles. 

The important thing to remember here is to pick tiles that fulfill your requirements in terms of placement of tiles (interior/exterior), your budget, as well as other requisites like maintenance and care. Tiles should be easy to clean and maintain to keep them looking their best. Since tiles are regularly used in high-traffic areas, maintaining them becomes essential to keep them free from dirt, other stains, and marks. This way, you can keep them shining for years together. Hence, the maintenance of tiles is a key consideration when selecting them for your home.  

Learning to clean tiles easily with some tips and tricks can make life easy. In this post, we discuss important tile floor cleaning and maintenance guidelines to help you maintain your floor tiles using the correct cleaning methods based on the type of tile.

How to Clean Different Types of Tiles?

Cleaning Ceramic Floor Tiles

• Ceramic floor tiles can be cleaned on a daily or weekly basis
• You may sweep or vacuum these tiles every week to ensure dirt, sand, and grit are removed and your tiles are not getting scratched or becoming dull
• Also, it is recommended to mop the floor at least once a week with mild detergent to clean the grout areas

  Porcelain Tile Cleaning Method

• Carry on a weekly cleaning routine to maintain your porcelain tiles 
• You may also consider a deep clean session once a month
• To upkeep your porcelain tiles, sweep and vacuum the tiles regularly to remove debris and dirt
• For the monthly cleaning routine, you may consider the process depending on the type of porcelain tile used – glazed or unglazed
• Glazed tiles can be cleaned using a solution of hot water and vinegar. Mop the floor using this solution and rinse with clean water. You may dry it with a soft cloth
• For unglazed porcelain tiles, you can use a mild commercial cleaner without the harsh chemicals. You may also use the hot water and vinegar solution as per your choice
• Here again, you must rinse and pat dry the tiles after cleaning and moping    

Cleaning of Natural Stone Tiles

• Natural stones need special treatment as these are derived from nature to upkeep their beauty and appeal
• You may sweep and vacuum the tiles regularly to keep them clean 
• Ensure the use of non-abrasive tools such as a broom with soft bristles, soft and damp mop, microfibre cloth to dry the tiles, etc.
• You may use a mild detergent and lukewarm water to deep clean the tiles once a while
• Avoid the use of harsh chemicals and acidic cleaners like vinegar to clean these tiles
• Also, avoid excess moisture. Use a soft cloth to dry the tiles completely

Cleaning Vitrified Floor Tiles

• The best way to clean vitrified tiles is to sweep or vacuum them
• Use a mop with a soft cloth to wipe the tiles 
• The sand and grit can make your glazed vitrified tiles look dull
• So, to bring back the sheen, use a solution of vinegar or lemon juice with warm water to mop and clean the floor

Do’s and Don’t of Tile Floor Cleaning

Do’s

• Clean the surface of the floor tile by sweeping and vacuuming it regularly  
• Use a homemade solution to clean the tiles. If using detergent, make sure to apply a mild one to the tiles
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions while cleaning the grout and floor tiles of the living room or any other room. Mix the right amount of water to the cleaning solution before using 
• Once you apply the solution to the tile surface, mop it, and rinse it thoroughly with clean water 

Don’ts

• Do not start any cleaning activity until five days after tile installation of the tiles to make the grout dry completely   
• Do not use any harsh chemicals to clean the tiles as it may lead to discoloration and damage
• Do not use any cleaning methods that are forbidden in the manufacturer manual/label to maintain tiles over a long period

Why do Floor Tiles Need Regular Cleaning?

Regular tile floor cleaning is important for many reasons. It keeps your house germ-free and clean. Clean tiles will help avoid germ-causing viruses on your floor to keep your family members, especially small children healthy and unaffected by germs. Further, there are many practical and visual reasons to clean and upkeep your tiles. Here are some key reasons:

• Hygiene and appearance are the key reasons why you must regularly keep your floor tiles clean and shining. Keep them away from dirt, grime, and other unhygienic materials. Maintaining the hygiene of your home floor tiles also ensures the good health of your family members especially small kids crawling and playing on the floor. 
• If you want to maintain the shine and overall well-being of tiles to prolong their life, cleaning them regularly is important. This is because prolonged storage of dirt and grit in the grout of tiles can be abrasive and may cause wear and tear.
• Grout lines are prone to absorbing stains, which causes them to become discolored in case they are not cleaned properly and regularly. Once your tiles become discolored, it can be hard to reverse their effect. With regular cleaning, you can help prevent grout lines from becoming stained.

Further, cleaning tiles regularly also prevents molds and mildew from growing in bathroom and kitchen areas. Cleaning also keeps the tiles safe from slips to ensure the safety of elderly people at home as well as children.  It also preserves the finish of the tiles and enhances the overall appearance of your home.

Tools that Make Floor Tiles Cleaning Easy

To maintain and conserve floor tiles for longevity, it is important to understand the essentials of tile floor cleaning hacks. However, you can’t miss out on the important tools to make cleaning easy and hassle-free. These tools are required to execute the cleaning of tiles properly. Let us take a look at some floor tile cleaning tools to upkeep tiles in the best possible way and to make floor cleaning as easy as a breeze.  

• Depending on the type of tiles, you can use a soft-bristle broom or a vacuum cleaner to clean your tiles. You may either use them daily or regularly to clean dirt, grime, and debris that make your floor dull. 
• Buckets and mops are also used to clean tiles using a cleaning solution made at home. You may apply the solution evenly on the tiles, scrub it, and clean it using a floor mop. Make sure to use a mop that doesn’t cause staining or discoloration in your tile grouts.  
• You may also try mild detergents, especially if you have unpolished porcelain tiles to clean them without hassle. Natural cleaning agents like vinegar, lime juice, etc., can be used to make tile cleaning solutions at home to clean and maintain floor tiles perfectly.  
• Another tool that can be used to clean floor tiles is a grout cleaner and a scrubbing brush. As you know, the grouts in your tiles are extremely porous. Hence, they easily absorb grease and dirt, which becomes hard to remove. You can use grout cleaners available in the market and apply them to the grout. Use a soft brush to scrub the dirt away. Never use a metal brush as it may damage your floor tile designs.      
• Finally, use a soft and dry cloth to wipe clean the tiles to dry them after scrubbing and cleaning. 

Final Words

To conclude, the best way to clean floor tiles is to analyze the type of tiles and use the appropriate cleaning agent/tool to make tiles dirt and grime-free. If you know the tile type, half of your worries about cleaning the floor tile surface will be solved. Further, you may also learn about the process and the tools that can be used to clean particular types of tiles. This will help you keep your home germ-free and shining all the time.