Tile Maintenance Basics
The simplicity of tile maintenance stands out as a primary benefit of having tile flooring. Maintaining consistent quality requires minimal effort, typically involving the routine use of a vacuum or mop once a week. However, there are some tricks to cleaning tile that may not be widely known. Whether you’re already aware of these techniques or not, our commitment at Floors Touch is to provide comprehensive education on the nuances of keeping tile clean and shiny. By sharing valuable insights and tips, we aim to empower you with the knowledge needed to preserve the beauty and durability of your tile flooring, ensuring it remains in optimal condition for the long term.
General Cleaning
For routine cleaning, relying on the combination of a vacuum and a mop proves to be a trustworthy approach. When using a vacuum on tile surfaces, ensure that the bristles are set to function on hard surfaces to prevent any potential wear. Although tile is highly resilient to scratches, continuous bristle interference might cause some surface wear over time. When it comes to mopping, dampen the mop with warm water and consider adding detergent to the water bucket for enhanced cleaning. Opting for a chamois mop over a traditional sponge mop is recommended because the chamois mop distributes water more evenly, in contrast to a sponge mop that tends to push water in a single direction.
Additionally, incorporating sweeping into your cleaning routine can be a time-saving strategy, especially for quickly addressing sudden messes. The swift and efficient nature of sweeping makes it an ideal choice for maintaining cleanliness in shorter time frames. Whether vacuuming, mopping, or sweeping, adopting a well-rounded cleaning routine helps keep your tile surfaces in optimal condition.
Advanced Cleaning
You’ll find mopping to be the basis of most of the tile maintenance actions we suggest. Rather than mixing in detergent, you can’t go wrong with mixing manufacturer-specific products with mop water. When you have your tile installed, review the maintenance section. The manufacturer should list a few products that are meant for cleaning your specific type of tile.
A combination you may be able to make happen with items laying around the house is the vinegar/water mix. Vinegar is a very purposeful and versatile substance for cleaning floors. Mopping with a white vinegar/water mix will not only effectively clean your tile, but it will also leave a pleasing aroma.
Grout Cleaning
Cleaning square tiles is the easy part. The hard part is cleaning tile grout. This may require some determined work, but if you get in the habit of cleaning tile grout at least once a month then you will save some extensive hands-and-knees scrubbing down the road. When cleaning, a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water, or a mixture of baking soda and water should do the trick. Grab a spray bottle, mix the substances evenly and spray the tile grout. You can scrub with an old tooth brush or something similar.
One thing that ABSOLUTELY needs to be done is grout sealing. If you want to prevent unwanted water/liquid damage, it is important for your tile grout to be sealed. A sealant protects against water, but also dirt and dust. If you are applying the sealant on your own, be sure to first test it in a lesser-used area of the tile floor. Assuming it does its job in protecting against moisture, go ahead and apply it throughout.
For tile purchase and installation, call Floors Touch at (214) 326-0100. Also, please visit our website—www.floorstouch.com—and our blog for more tile maintenance input. You can also visit our social media for more details about tile maintenance.
Do you want to know more about our home flooring solutions? Call Floors Touch of McKinney at (214) 326-0100 for more information.