Tile Flooring: Everything You Need to Know About Keeping Your Tile Floors Looking Good as New!

Keeping your tile floors looking as good as new requires regular cleaning and routine maintenance, but the good thing about tile floors is that there are many different ways to do so and now is a great time to familiarize yourself with how to best address your tile floor’s needs.

There are a few factors that will determine the best approach, but all things considered, mix and match these tips to keep your tile floors looking as good as new:

Sweeping & Mopping (Dry vs. Wet):

Dry cleaning your tile floors should be done daily. Sweeping or vacuuming will help prevent the buildup of contaminants, making it easier to efficiently conduct the other methods of cleaning.

Wet cleaning should be done weekly, or as needed. With mopping, if your tile floors are slightly dirty, use a mixture of 2 gallons of water and 1 cup of white vinegar. If they’re very dirty, add a little dish soap to the mixture to break up the dirt.

Drying:

Air drying for 15 to 20 minutes is usually sufficient for tile floors that were wet-cleaned. In the event your tile floors aren’t completely dry from air drying, make sure to dry the wet spots. It’s as easy as putting a towel under your foot and gliding it over the tiles.

Disinfecting:

Disinfecting your tile floors is most often an extension of wet-cleaning them. After mopping your tile floors, refill your mop bucket with the appropriate mixture of water and tile disinfecting solution, and mop again.

Stain Removal:

Steam cleaners are a surprisingly useful method of removing stains from tile floors. Note: fill the steamer with only water – no cleaning solutions. For stains that are more difficult to remove, gently scrub the stained areas with a mixture of water and baking soda. This will loosen up the stain and break up any hardened stain particles, making it easier for the steamer to finish the job.

Annual Sealing of Tile Seams:

For the most part, tile floors are installed with tile grout – the rubbery lining in between each piece of tile. They should be white, and if they aren’t, see the next tip.

Otherwise, you should seal your tile grout at least once a year. You can find tile grout sealers right next to the tile grout at any hardware store. They’re mostly silicone-based, are very easy to apply along the tile grout lining, and serve to repel future contaminants from the tile grout lining.

Scrub the Grout:

If your tile grout is anything but white, you should clean it. Especially if the tile grout in question is in a bathroom or wet area, as tile grout seems to be where mold and mildew-y substances build up. Apply and scrub tile grout cleaner according to instructions.

If you want to keep your tile floors looking as good as new, routinely clean them using these combined tips!