How To Clean Tile Floors and Make Their Beauty Last

Here's how to clean tile floors for long lasting beauty. Tile can be ceramic or stone, but installation is almost always tile on mastic (glue) with grout in between. A house cleaning knowledge-base basic.

How to clean tile floors depends on the type of tile in the home. It does not matter what type of tile that is being cleaned whatever type never use harsh chemicals.

Maintenance cleaning will prevent having to use harsh chemicals and harder work.

Explain to your customers that regular maintenance will keep their floors looking great for many years. Offer weekly cleaning for maintenance, and seasonal or special occasion deep cleaning services.

How to Clean Tile Floors Properly -- Tip One

Start with using a soft and fluffy, high quality dust mop. Sweep and dust the floor to remove pet hair, dust bunnies and dirt. A high quality dust mop is one that can be removed and washed. This will also save money in the long run for your business by minimizing throw away cleaning materials.

Disposable cloth dusters or the Swifter are great inventions but are not recommended for most floors. The dirt is pushed around by the cloth and can cause scratches in the floor surface.

Also on ceramic tile floors these duster cannot get into the grout. If you prefer, use an alternative, such as a vacuum attachment for bare floors or rubber prong broom.

How to Clean Tile Floors -- Tip Two

Using a damp mop is a simple method for cleaning and is very effective. By using this method harsh chemicals can be avoided. This works well on new floors and floors that are not heavily soiled.

However bacterial spills, which can happen most often in kitchens and baths where dropped raw meat, bodily fluids and pet accidents might happen, should be cleaned with an actual cleanser. Start by filling a bucket with warm and clean water. Dip the mop in it and wring it out well. When the water gets dirty, dump the dirty water and refill with clean water.

How to Clean Tile Floors -- Tip Three

Bathroom floors require special attention. This is mainly because the tile in the bathroom may have soap, water and shampoo deposits on it. Also be careful when choosing a cleaning method. Grout is porous and there is a chance with the wrong cleaning could break down.

It would be best to start cleaning the tile with water and a scouring powder. Two good choices are Bon Ami or Comet. Use a brush or rag and scrub the tile hard.

Next to clean the grout -- take paper towels and soak them in vinegar. The next step is to lay the paper towels that are soaked in vinegar on the tile floor covering towel and grout.

Leave the soaked paper towels on the tile floor for 2 to 3 hours. Make sure they are wet with vinegar by checking them every half an hour. Re-wet if dry.

For cleaning a large tiled area, skip the paper towels and fill a spray bottle with vinegar. Spray along the grout and let the vinegar do the work! Then wet mop the floor.

If it still needs some whitening, soak paper towels in bleach water and repeat the same process, or spritz with a spray bottle filled with bleach. Be careful -- some grout isn't white! Make sure from the homeowner if the grout is supposed to be grey or off-white. You'll also have to be very careful that you don't accidentally bleach items that can't be bleached, especially if you're spraying it!

Using these methods for cleaning tile and cleaning grout, you will give the customer back beautiful tile floors.

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