7 Essential Tips for Tile Cleaning the Right Way
Tile is a popular flooring choice in entryways, kitchens, bathrooms, and other spaces - and for good reason! It’s durable, resisting stains and wear, even in high traffic areas where carpet would fall flat and hardwood would scuff. It’s water-resistant, making it a great choice for bathrooms or entryways where you’ll be tracking in water and mud.
But while tile floors are low-maintenance compared to other flooring options, keeping your tile floors looking great does take a bit of work.
If you want to learn how to master your tile cleaning with the right products and minimal elbow grease, keep reading for a few tips.
1. Clean Up Spills as Quickly as Possible
Tile won’t stain quite as easily as carpet or hardwood floors. But that doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to stain your new floors.
Coffee, colored juices and wine are some of the biggest culprits of stains on tiled kitchen floors. Grease from your stove can also leave behind discoloration. And, of course, ink and a permanent marker will leave a mark that a paper towel alone can’t remove.
If you do have a spill on your tile floors, the best thing that you can do is clean up the mess right away. If you act fast, most messes will wipe away without a trace. If the spill does leave a market behind, you’ll need to put in a little extra work. The following solutions can raise tough stains from your tiles and leave them looking new again:
- For juice, wine, and coffee stains, soak a cleaning cloth or paper towel in hydrogen peroxide. Lay it on the stain and let it sit. Then, rinse the area with water.
- For grease spots, scrub the area with a cleaning cloth, using a mix of fresh club soda (not flat soda) and hot water. Rinse the area with water.
- Ink or permanent marker can be removed from tile floors in a couple of ways. A dry eraser cleaning sponge or Magic Eraser can lift many marker and pen stains. The hydrogen peroxide trick used for juice, wine, and coffee can also be used. If all else fails, a diluted bleach mix (¾ cup of bleach to one gallon of water) scrubbed onto tiles can be used. However, this is one treatment you’ll definitely want to test on your tiles ahead of time to make sure it won’t discolor them (more on this in Tip #5).
2. Use Mats and Rugs
While it won’t stain or ruin your tiles, dirt and debris tracked inside can get caught in your grout, leaving it looking grungy and discolored.
One great way to cut down on this is by utilizing rugs and mats, especially in the entryways of your home. Removing your shoes at the front door can also help you cut down on how often you find yourself cleaning your floors.
While tile floors are very resilient, small rocks and sand tracked into your home can scratch them. Removing your shoes or using mats to wipe them clean can help to avoid this.
3. Vacuum Frequently
Routine tile cleaning is easier than you might think. Vacuuming your tile floors is a quick and easy way to pick up dirt and other debris that will discolor your tiles and grout. Doing so will help you get rid of not only this debris but also any rocks or other sharp objects that could scratch your tiles.
Vacuum your floors at least once a week. If you have a large family, kids, or pets that may track extra dirt or rocks inside, you might want to vacuum more frequently.
4. Give it a Quick Mop
Vacuuming your floors frequently makes tile cleaning a breeze and helps you to avoid damage. But if you want to restore their beautiful shine, give them a good mop each week as well.
Avoid cleaning solutions that have acid or bleach as an ingredient, as these could dull or discolor your floors.
5. Never Try New Cleaning Products Without Testing First
When it comes to tile cleaning, the last thing you want to do is find that all that scrubbing and mopping you did has actually discolored your floors. That’s why any professional tile cleaners in Phoenix will tell you to never start cleaning with a new product without a trial run.
Any time you’re looking to use a new cleaning product to clean your tile floors or to treat a stubborn stain, make sure to test it first.
Keeping a few extra, loose tiles from your flooring remodel project will give you the perfect spot for testing new products. If you don’t have any extras on hand, test a very small amount of the product in an out-of-the-way place, like behind the toilet or behind a door in a corner. Scrub the product in and let it sit for at least an hour. Then, rinse it away and let the tile dry completely. Look for any sign of discoloration.
6. Put The Zerorez® Cleaning Process to Work
Routine tile cleaning is simple. But over time, dirt and debris caught in your grout and build-up on your tiles can leave them looking grimy and dull. Luckily, professional tile cleaning can help with that.
The Zerorez® Tucson tile cleaning process can get your tile floors looking beautiful once more. This process can actually restore the color of your tiles and grout, without you needing to spend any time on your hands and knees on your hard floor. The Zerorez® cleaning solution dries fast, so you’ll be back to using your newly restored floors again right away!
7. Seal Out Dirt and Grime
After our professional grout cleaning services in Tucson are finished with the Zerorez® tile cleaning process, let our techs apply a sealant to your grout. This process creates a strong barrier between the porous surfaces and any dust, dirt, and debris that gets into your home.
Not only does this help the tile cleaning last even longer, but it will also help lock out those spills and stains the next time so you won’t have to scrub them!
Let the Pros Handle Your Tile Cleaning in Tucson
Keeping your tile floors and grout looking beautiful doesn’t have to be a full-time job. Our Zerorez® Tucson tile cleaning process can help you get your dull and discolored floors looking beautiful and shiny again! In between cleanings, all you’ll have to do is vacuum up debris and mop to keep them looking great.
If you’re ready to get your floors looking new again, schedule your Zerorez® tile cleaning today!