Natural stone tiles, like marble, slate, granite and travertine are sensitive to chemicals and hence, require extremely mild or natural cleaning solutions.
TIP: Leave the windows closed and the ceiling fans off when you mop in order to slow down the air-drying process. To avoid this and yield best results, dry the tiles with a lint-free towel as soon as you finish mopping the floor. This is precisely how the floor gets covered in water spots and hazy marks because when moisture on the surface comes in contact with air, cloudiness is formed.
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when cleaning porcelain and ceramic floor tiles is allowing them air dry. A warm and slightly stronger cleaning solution made with the same detergent can be used by simply dipping the cleaning tool in the solution, removing excess water, and scrubbing at the stain in circular motions. For kitchen and bathroom floor stains, spot cleaning with a soft brush of chamois cloth is always preferred.
Mild stains are likely to come off with regular mopping while stubborn dirt and grime may require a little more elbow grease. Rinse off the mop and replace the water with a fresh solution to prevent cloudiness on tiles when they dry up. One important tip to keep in mind when mopping tiled flooring is to keep a check on how clean the water and mop areas you go. Hence, the mop should be dipped in the cleaning solution and wrung thoroughly before it is used on the floor. Dampen the Mopįor best results, ceramic and porcelain should be cleaned with a damp mop as opposed to one that is soaking wet. For the cleaning solution, any mild detergent diluted in warm or room temperature water is suitable for cleaning porcelain and ceramic floor tiles. The latter factor is particularly important where ceramic floor tiles are concerned (due to their absorption rate). Some of the reasons for this are owed to the fact that sponge-heads push more dirt between tiles instead of cleaning them, while both cotton and sponge are harder to wring (to remove excess water). Use the Right Mop and Cleanerįor tiled floors, a mop with synthetic strips is advised over sponge and cotton mops. This can be done by sweeping the floor with a broom or vacuuming with a suitable brush attachment. Like any other type of flooring, the first thing to do is remove dust and dirt from the surface.
With that in mind, let’s get right to our guide on how to clean porcelain and ceramic floor tiles. Therefore, the latter type must be cleaned using minimal water as compared to the former. The major difference to be noted when cleaning these types of floor tiles is that porcelain has an extremely low water absorption rate while ceramic is a more porous material. To do that, we’ve got all the information you need in the cleaning guides below! Porcelain and Ceramic TilesĪlthough there are a couple of differences between porcelain and ceramic, they are both clay-based materials which require very similar cleaning methods. Now, it should also be mentioned that there are different cleaning methods and solutions for different types of tiled floors so, the only way to get those gleaming results is by cleaning your floor tiles the right way. Take a look at your floor right now has ‘regular’ cleaning left your tiles looking hazy or cloudy? Are there stains that don’t seem to come out? What about the grout lines? Are they starting to fill up with grime? You’ve probably answered all those questions with a unanimous ‘yes’ since you found your way to this article on how to clean tiled floors for best results! Although floor tiles are relatively low maintenance, they still require specific products and methods to ensure safe and proper cleaning for best results.