The best way to clean tile floors and grout, according to the pros

It is no surprise that tile is frequently used in the kitchen, bathroom, and entryway because it is resilient and straightforward to maintain.

To keep their beautiful appearance, tile floors require regular cleaning and maintenance, and certain practices should be avoided when taking care of tile floors. To help you better understand how to maintain your tile flooring, we consulted with industry professionals to learn the best ways to clean tile, prevent grout from becoming discolored, and how to proceed when tile and grout floors require a thorough cleaning.

Tips for Maintaining Tile Floors

The Home Depot’s senior cleaning merchant, Gina Perry, recommends routine tile and grout cleaning to avoid mold and mildew growth. The following are Perry’s suggestions for maintaining a tile floor.

List of items you’ll need:

Libman Extra Large Indoor/Outdoor Angle Broom

Dyson V8 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum

O-Cedar EasyWring Microfiber Spin Mop and Bucket System

Bona PowerPlus Antibacterial Hard-Surface Floor Cleaner

Instructions:

1. Use a broom to clean the debris off the tile and the grout between the tiles.
2. Dust and debris can be vacuumed up with the use of a brush attachment.
3. Tile floors should be swept and vacuumed thoroughly right before being mopped. You can clean tile floors with anything from watered-down dish soap to store-bought tile and grout cleaners. If your tile grout or tile surfaces are unclean, try cleaning them with rubbing alcohol. As a result, it is more effective at preventing the growth of mold and mildew and keeping tile and grout in pristine condition.
4. Hydrogen peroxide-based cleaning solutions are great for getting rid of tough stains and giving your grout a thorough cleaning. Hydrogen peroxide, moreover, is a non-toxic substitute for artificial chemicals like bleach.

Avoid using acidic cleansers when looking for a business floor cleaner since they might disintegrate or produce cracking in the grout. You should avoid using wax or oil-based cleansers when cleaning tile floors, as they leave a coating that gathers dirt.

Grout cleaning instructions

Mopping the floor regularly will also maintain the grout lines clean, but if you want to go deeper or if the grout is in a high-traffic area, here are some detailed steps for cleaning the grout.

List of items you’ll need:

Grease Monkey Pro Cleaning Long Cuff Neoprene Gloves

Zep Grout Cleaner and Brightener

HDX Tile and Grout Brush

Quickie Microfiber Cloth Towels

Instructions:

1. Wear gloves when cleaning tile and grout to avoid getting your hands dirty.
2. When dealing with unclean grout, it is best to use a tile and grout cleaner purchased from a store and applied according to the directions provided by the manufacturer.
3. Create a paste by combining three-quarters of a cup of baking soda, one-fourth of a cup of hydrogen peroxide, and one tablespoon of mild. After that, you can clean it up with a toothbrush or a grout brush.
4. After cleaning an area:
5. Rinse it with water and wipe it down with a sponge, towel, or microfiber cloth.
6. Make sure the grout cleaner leaves no residue.
7. When you are done scrubbing the floor’s grout and tiles, mop the entire area.

Methods for Thoroughly Scrubbing Grout

Discolored grout requires a more intensive cleaning process. Tile floors can benefit from oxygenated cleansers since they provide a more thorough cleaning by emulsifying dirt and grime.

If the notion of rigorous scrubbing grout makes you cringe, know that this method eliminates the backbreaking scraping with a toothbrush and instead puts the oxygenated bleach to work.

List of items you’ll need:

OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover for Household and Laundry

Rubbermaid 1-Gallon Pitcher

HDX Scrub Brush With Iron Handle

Uigos Digital Kitchen Timer, 2-Pack

Instructions:

1. Add one measuring scoop of OxiClean to four cups (one liter) of hot water.
2. Working in sections from the back of the room toward the door, pour a thin layer of the OxiClean solution on the floor. Mixing the solution in a measuring cup with a lip or a pitcher will help you control the amount of solution applied to the floor. Splashing the liquid on the ground in an S-shape and then using the brush to distribute it out will also help you control the amount of solution applied to the floor.
3. Spread the solution widely with the scrub brush and give the floor a quick scrub to help the product penetrate the surface.
4. Please refrain from walking on the flooring for 30-60 minutes while the treatment effects.
5. Using a mop, wipe up the OxiClean solution after letting it sit to loosen dirt and grime, and then give the floor a couple of runs with clean water to get rid of any lingering residue. The grout will return to a standard color as it dries.

How often should tile floors be cleaned?

The tile floors in a high-traffic area should be treated once a week, whereas those in a moderately busy area can go two weeks between cleanings. Some rooms, like the guest bathroom, only need to be cleaned once a month.

Tile flooring in the bathroom should be cleaned once per week, while you should clean those in the kitchen twice per week. The best way to keep your tile floors looking great is to clean them often and not let dirt and grime build up.

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