Tile flooring is a durable choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas of the home that will get wet from time to time. With the proper care, tile flooring can look like new for years. Below are a few tips for basic tile flooring care, and how to clean stained grout. These techniques are appropriate for both ceramic and faux tile flooring.
As always if you are in doubt or are apprehensive about trying to do-it-yourself, call us at JANSSEN’S and we will be happy to help you with any questions or schedule a cleaning.
1. Sweep or vacuum the floor daily to remove loose dirt and debris. Dirt that is allowed to sit especially in wet areas can quickly turn into hard-to-remove grime. Run a dry cloth duster or dust mop over the floors after they have been swept.
If you have marble or natural stone flooring, make sure you use a soft broom for sweeping to prevent scratching your natural stone.
2. Mop the floor with warm water. For everyday shine, if the floor doesn’t have stains or require heavy cleaning, simply run a clean damp dusting cloth over the floor, or consider using a dry mop such as a Swiffer. If using a traditional mop, cleanse the mop in fresh warm water after mopping one section of the room, and repeat until the entire floor is mopped. You may opt to add a small amount of dish soap to the mix.
3. Dry the floor. Whether you use water or water mixed with detergent, run a dry mop over the floor in small sections as you work across the room with your mop. This will prevent new dirt from quickly accumulating and staining the grout.
4. Clean up spills promptly. If you drop a glass of juice or even water, clean it up right away. The longer it sits, the more time it will have to soak into the grout. Dried orange juice and other sugary liquids also tend to become annoyingly sticky.
5. Clean the dirtier spills with disinfectant. If your pet has an accident or you drop raw meat on the floor, spray a disinfectant directly over the spot and wipe it up right away.
Try to limit the disinfectant to the area where the spill occurred. Strong chemicals may degrade or stain tile flooring.
Cleaning Grout in Tile Flooring
1. Try a pencil eraser. This household trick is great for cleaning small sections of stained grout. Simply run the eraser of a number 2 pencil over the stain until it is gone. Use a clean white or pink eraser. Sandpaper or an abrasive grout tool may be more effective for stubborn surface stains.
2. Use baking soda. Make a paste with baking soda and water. Apply it to the dirty grout using an old toothbrush. Scrub the paste into the grout well. Wash the grout with warm water when you are finished. Most dirty grout can be brightened using this natural method. For the tougher stains, allow the paste to sit for a few minutes before you start scrubbing.
3. Remove tougher stains with bleach. If natural methods don’t work, try a bleach solution, but proceed with care. Mix a 75/25 solution of bleach and water only if you have white grout. Do not use bleach on colored grout. Use a toothbrush or the edge of a sponge to clean the grout with the solution. Rinse the floor with warm water after you are done to remove all traces of bleach.
Do not get the bleach solution on the tiles and wear a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands.
4. Deep cleaning tile floors by hand is hard work. It is messy, uncomfortable and impossible to get the deep-clean results that come with professional tile and grout cleaning.
This is because even regular mopping will never reach the hidden dirt that lies deep within the pores of your grout lines. Grout is a porous material and it collects dirt, grime and spills, often discoloring the surface.
JANSSEN’S tile and grout cleaning method will get rid of that hidden dirt and bacteria, restoring the like-new luster to your floors. In addition, we’ll remove over 95% allergens from your grout. Call us today with any questions or to schedule your next tile, stone, carpet or upholstery cleaning. JANSSEN’S will be happy to help!