Tips for cleaning and maintaining tile floors

If you have tiles throughout your home, whether it be in the kitchen, living areas or bathrooms, regular maintenance and cleaning is important to keep your floors looking great for the long term.

While tiles themselves are very easy to maintain and clean, it is usually the grout that is the culprit for that dirty look, especially in the bathroom. Because grout is usually white, it will eventually become discolored over time which can make your overall floor look dirty.

One of the best ways to maintain grout is to seal it after the tiles have been installed and to re-seal about twice a year, which will help dirt, water and other materials from being able to reach the grout.

If your grout is already dirty, make a mixture of baking soda and water in equal measures. Using a toothbrush, apply to the grout and let sit for a few hours or even overnight. Then, simply scrub to remove any dirt or stains and wipe clean with warm water. If you maintain your grout properly, you will find it will be much easier to remove any stains in the future.

Here’s some other tips to keep your tiles looking shiny and clean:

• Don’t wait until your floors are overly dirty – cleaning them regularly is much quicker and more effective. Cleaning them every week or so will keep them looking fantastic and will mean you won’t be spending hours on your hands and knees scrubbing.
• Before using liquids to clean your tiles, give them a sweep or vacuum to remove loose dust and dirt. Make sure you only use fluffy mops to do this, as straw brooms will scratch the tiles.
• Mop your floors once a week with warm water. Another option is to add white vinegar to the water, which makes a safe alternative to using nasty chemicals. Make sure you dry your floors straight after mopping so that new dirt cannot settle and turn into hard-to-clean grime.
• If you spill something on your tiles, such as water, wipe it up straight away using a sponge or absorbent cloth, such as paper towel. If food is dropped on the tiles, make sure to clean thoroughly using disinfectant. Same goes for any accidents your pet may have on the tiles.
• Use doormats both inside and outside to stop mud and dirt being tracked into the home and onto your tiles.