Many homeowners love the look and feel of tile beneath their feet and enjoy its relatively easy cleanup on a daily basis. However, tiles do get dirt embedded on their surfaces and in the grout lines that may require a bit more than a standard spot sweeping or cleaning. Here are some safe and simple tile cleaning tips for ceramic, porcelain, marble and natural stones.
Proper Porcelain and Ceramic Tile Cleaning
Ceramic and porcelain tiles are definitely the easiest types to keep clean and maintained compared to other types of tiles. They are highly resilient, don’t easily scratch and can be spiffed up with most standard brooms and cleansers without any type of damage. Microfiber push dusters are excellent for quick, daily cleanups, while a good microfiber cloth design might be best for heavier jobs.
Cleaning Natural Stone or Marble Tiles
While stunning to gaze upon, these tiles require quite a bit of work and caution when it comes to deep cleaning. It’s not recommended to use rough or straw brooms on these floors, but rather choose a soft bristled model or invest in a special tile flooring vacuum to avoid scratches.
Depending on whether you have stone or marble, there may be a special cleaner to use that is pH neutral, as alkaline or acidic cleaners can destroy these materials or cause stains at best.
What About Cleaning Grout Lines?
There are many who still advocate the use of peroxide or vinegar to get rid of grout grime, but this can damage certain tiles and it will definitely loosen grout over time. However, dirty grout is unattractive and harbors bacteria, so experts recommend using a special cleaning product sold at most hardware stores that is compatible with your tile material.
Keep tile floors looking fresh and sparkling with these tile cleaning tips, or reach out to a professional cleaning service if you’re in doubt about products and procedures that won’t damage your flooring.
