Blog Highlights:
- Area rugs on every door can be used to help keep dirt away from tile floors.
- Dirt can actually wear away the finished tile surface.
- Homeowners should regularly clean their flooring so that they can avoid having to deal with stubborn stains as well as dirt buildup.
- Deep cleaning will require the use of commercial cleaners, grout, as well as a lot of elbow grease.
- You should never use acidic cleaners so you can avoid making the tiles look dull.
- Never clean the tile floors with abrasive cleaners so you can avoid scratching the tile surface.
A lot of contemporary homes have tile floors simply because it is available in a wide array of designs and colors, and it is also very durable compared to other flooring alternatives. The tile flooring however, needs to be properly cleaned and maintained.
Here are some of the cleaning tips that you need to follow so you can keep your tiles looking brand new:
Keep dirt away
The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you have a doormat; this will be your first line of defense against dirt. As matter of fact, the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) says that the presence of dirt on your floors will make it very easy for the finished tile surface to wear away. You can keep dirt away from your tile floors by making sure that you have an area rug or door mat in front of every door.
Regular Cleaning
Regular cleaning can help remove dirt that was not kept out by the door mat. You can vacuum the floor or sweep it at least once a week, you can also use a sponge or a damp paper towel so you can remove sticky messes on the tiles. Regular cleaning can also help you avoid dirt buildup. If done properly, it should also help you avoid getting stubborn stains on your flooring. Dirt buildups and stains can be very hard to remove; as a matter of fact, many homeowners would rather do day-to-day maintenance rather than face these flooring problems.
Deep Cleaning
Deep cleaning the tile floors should be done with the help of a dissolving solution. You might also need to use grout and tile cleaners from the home improvement store so you can get rid of stubborn dirt and stains properly. You might also want to make use of ceramic tile cleaners, or natural stone tile cleaners depending on the type of flooring that you have at home. Keep away from acidic solutions and make sure that you avoid using ammonia, vinegar, or lemon juice so you will not dull the tile surfaces.
Some tile cleaners can be sprayed directly onto the flooring and then mopped up afterwards. This is typically good enough for the removal of surface dirt, but it will not be good enough when it comes to ground-in dirt. For that, you might have to use a soft-bristled brush, a scrubber sponge, as well as a lot of elbow grease. You should however, try to avoid using abrasive tools such as `steel wool, wire brushes, or scrubbing powder so the tile surface will not have any scratches. As soon as the dirt gets loose, you need to rinse away the residue with clean warm water.
If cleaning the tile floors is just too much of a chore for you, you can hire cleaning professionals so you can have clean and shiny tile floors without breaking a sweat.