Best Way To Clean Tile Floors

Best Way To Clean Tile Floors
Reading Time: 8 minutes

This item showcases impressive adaptability and can be customized to suit your personal style, from start to finish. Moving the conversation towards the final aspect, you may have chosen luxurious options for your floor such as rich, shimmering colors that mirror the stained glass of a cathedral. On the other hand, you may favor a more minimalistic look, drawn to the sophisticated and trendy charm of pure gray, black, or white tiled floors.

Regardless of what type of tile floor you have, you most definitely should consider how you will clean it and why you should clean it. Lucky for you, all of those answers can be found in this article.

Continue reading to find out the best way to clean tile floors!

tile floors
Photo by Marina Reich

Why It’s Important To Clean Tile Floors

>>It can prolong the lifespan of your tile floors

Your floor’s surface can easily be eroded by too much accumulation of dirt and grime, which can greatly reduce the lifespan of your tiles. By “lifespan,” we mean the amount of time that your tile floors stay firm and without any cracks (basically, as long as they still don’t need replacement). This phenomenon is especially true for certain ceramic tiles that can be easily eroded due to the formation of mold, stains, and other damaging agents that can easily wear through their durability.

Replacements for tile floors can be quite expensive, as not only would you have to buy those tiles all over again (since you have to match them with the rest that is still undamaged), but you also have to invest some money to hire someone to place them for you. Basically, cleaning is all part of a tile floor’s maintenance, and maintenance equates to longevity, so don’t ever believe that cleaning is simply done to “keep the dirt away.”

>>It can be beneficial to your own overall health (physically and mentally)

Clean floors are often disregarded by some because they will eventually become dirty later on as you literally step on them. However, clean floors are still essential for any home, as they can be beneficial to your own health for the following reasons:

  • It prevents the growth of any bacteria or fungi that may thrive on your floors. These pesky microorganisms can’t be killed by simply stomping on them, as you will need some effective disinfectants to deal with their harmful effects on your health.
  • It gets rid of any allergen or triggering agents as you are essentially eliminating the various unwanted materials from outdoors (that you will always unintentionally bring into your home) by cleaning your floors. 
  • Having a clean environment can be beneficial to your mental health as having an organized space around you is psychologically soothing and promotes the feeling of having control over your own territory.

>>Not cleaning your tile floors can transform your house into a horror movie scene

Unless you want to turn your house into a Halloween attraction that’s open throughout the whole year, then do your guests and yourself a favor and clean your tile floors. All that dirt and grime can eventually cause vile stains and mold formations on your tile floors. 

If it won’t erode the floor completely, the dirtiness of it all can definitely transform into horror movie material which isn’t always aesthetically pleasing for everyone. Not only will you make a bad impression on your guests but living in this kind of environment can be very detrimental for you too. 

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>>It prevents mishaps and accidents

Though it is common knowledge that the floor becomes very slippery after mopping or cleaning it, it will actually be the same scenario if you don’t clean the floor instead. As we mentioned before, dirt and grime forming on floors will never be a good thing for any home or establishment. 

All the accumulation of that filth can eventually cause a grease-like substance to form on your tile floors, causing them to become slippery. Thanks to that homemade grease, your floors are now slippier than ever, which exposes you to all kinds of accidents (especially in areas that are near stairs or any high platform). 

>>Floor inspections don’t take dirt tile floors kindly

If you are in an establishment or if you own an establishment, then there is a chance that you will be monitored by the authorities for safety inspection purposes. Some of these inspections (especially those related to health) won’t tolerate dirty tile floors, especially if your establishment is promoted to appear as if it is sanitary and safe. 

As such, if you want to keep the reputable status of your establishment, then cleanliness, sanitation, and safety should be one of your concerns (especially if it is a hotel, apartment, dormitory, or any rentable establishment).

Best Way To Clean Tile Floors: Most Recommended Tips

Below are some of the most recommended tips when it comes to cleaning tile floors quickly and effectively:

tile floors

Tip 1: Using hot water

Using high-temperature water can come in handy when it comes to cleaning pesky stains that just won’t come off with lukewarm water. Since bacteria hate high temperatures (hence why we cook raw ingredients first before turning them into meals), using hot water can actually help eradicate a lot of the bacteria that may be thriving on your tile floors. 

However, the biggest problem with this method is that some tiles may not react kindly to hot water. Some tile floors can be quite sensitive to high temperatures, so either consult your tile floor provider first before attempting this method or lower the temperature a bit for a balanced solution. 

Caution: Be sure when it comes to handling hot water, as it can be quite harmful when it comes in contact with your skin!

Tip 2: Using steam mops

Steam mops are a modern solution to the cleaning problem that has existed since tile floors were invented. These contemporary cleaning tools are capable of turning lukewarm water into a bacteria-killing solution through the use of steam. 

Fortunately, the temperature that they elevate the water to is generally safe enough for most tiles without the threat of being damaged. Steam mops are much more efficient than manually heating up the water and possess more accuracy in doing so. The only downside in using steam mops is that some of them can be quite pricey, so these modern tools may take some bills off of your wallet.

Tip 3: Consistency is better than cleaning it all at once

One thing that a lot of tile floor owners get wrong is that you shouldn’t just clean everything in one big and thorough cleaning session. The thought of aggressively cleaning your floors because you haven’t done so for a while may sound like it can save you some time, but it can actually be more detrimental. 

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Consistently cleaning your tile floors, preferably around 2-3 times per week, can be much more efficient as it negates any growth of mold or stains that are forming on your floors due to bacteria or fungi. It is recommended that you make time for cleaning your tile floors on your less hectic days to save you some trouble in dealing with much more troublesome floor problems. 

Tip 4: Watch out for abrasive cleaning materials

Certain abrasive cleaning materials like highly concentrated bleach, excessive amounts of ammonia, and other acidic materials can damage tile floors that have more sensitive surfaces. Attempting to clean your floors with undiluted cleaning materials can also cause some damage, so be sure to always add water into the mix unless your cleaning agent is readily made for cleaning floors. Be sure that you know what type of cleaning agent you are going to use because you never know if your tile floors would be left without a scratch after scrubbing them.

Tip 5: Affordable alternatives you should have in your home

If some of the options in this list seem expensive to you, there are very affordable alternatives that you most likely already have at home. An example would be the ever-reliable vinegar, lemon extracts, and baking soda, which are the top candidates for any cleaning problem as they offer effective stain-removing properties while not being abrasive enough to damage surfaces.

Dish soap or detergent can also be diluted in water and used as a cleaning agent and it works well if you want something with a bit more fragrance as opposed to vinegar or lemons. 

Hacks To Clean Tile Floors Without Getting Worn Out

If you don’t have the time or energy to clean your tile floors, we have some tips below that will allow you to do so without getting worn out:

>>Use automated cleaning tools

Similar to the steam mop, other modern cleaning tools can help you clean tile floors (some of them can even do it for you!). There are electronic scrubbers that can easily clean bathroom tile floors and walls and automatic vacuum mops that roam around the house (thus doing the job for you). 

Modern solutions like these, however, are still quite expensive and experimental, which means you have to place a certain amount of risk if you plan to invest in one. Fortunately, there are other less expensive and more tested alternative methods in this list if you don’t like the idea of artificial intelligence taking over.

>>Sweep first before mopping or wetting the floor

An unwritten rule of cleaning floors is to always sweep first before mopping. Since it’s very possible that your tile floors already have some dirt or clumps of dust, mopping first can cause all that grime to mix with the water, causing a mud-like stain to spread across your floor. 

Of course, having these newly made stains scattered around your floor will only add up to the amount of work you have to do and you may even have to clean it all over again. The moral of the story? Be sure that your floor is swept first before attempting to clean it with water.

Also Read:  A guide to post renovation cleaning

>>Get those obstacles out of the way

Mopping your floors can be a daunting task if there are a million obstacles in your way. Heavy furniture, fragile ornaments, shining antiques, and everything else in common should be kept in a safe place while you swab away at your floor. Not only can these obstacles cause the cleaning process to become painfully long and tedious, but they also place your furniture and ornaments at risk of being accidentally hit by your cleaning tool, which definitely won’t end well for you.

Other obstacles won’t always have to be furnished as well, it can also be your adorable little pets who can get quite curious about why you’re spending all that time with a mop instead of them. You should either place them in another room or distract them while you do the cleaning. Pets should also be potty trained to ensure that no further accidents can be caused by them. As harsh as it may sound to call your pet an obstacle, it can definitely get in the way if you’re not careful enough!

>>Hire a cleaning professional

What better way to clean your tile floors without any effort at all than to hire some cleaning professionals instead? Hiring cleaning professionals ensure that your tile floors get the quality care and maintenance that they deserve, and they also offer you some tips and tricks to make cleaning a much more enjoyable and less tedious task. Some cleaning professionals also have excellent work and cleaning ethics that you can observe and apply to your own cleaning methods and sessions. 

Professional cleaning professionals, like SURECLEAN, are not only well-equipped in both skill sets and toolsets, but they are also more than capable of identifying what works best for the type of tile floor you have. This can relieve some of the anxiety (mainly because some tile floors are very sensitive) that you may have about your tile floors. 

Although some may consider it too pricey or fancy for their liking, it is a worthy investment that’s worth giving a shot for any house owner as it can alleviate a lot of the time-killing and effort that is involved in cleaning. 

Final Words

Your tile floors can become a hallmark of what makes your home appear sanitary and organized. However, the act of cleaning tile floors itself can be affected by so many variables that those with a busy schedule may become overwhelmed, especially if they are still new house owners. 

Best Way To Clean Tile Floors: Most Efficient Way

As such, articles like these are an excellent way to teach you how a seemingly simple task can be made much easier through various methods. Starting with the easiest way, you can clean your tile floors while guaranteeing sanitation and safety for your tiles with one quick phone call to SURECLEAN

So before you cover your tiles with scratches, call SURECLEAN now using the numbers provided below!

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About Sureclean

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