Ways to clean tile floors from National Floors Direct

7 Ways to Clean Tile Floors

According to one report, the average American spends almost 24 hours worth of time cleaning their home each month. Not everyone has the same cleaning habits or tricks to keep their home clean, and high-traffic flooring areas can be especially difficult to keep looking clean and shiny.

Are you tired of walking across your faded or scuffed-up tile floors? If so, there are certain steps you can take to make your tile floors look brand new again.

In this guide, we'll provide seven steps on how you can revive your tired looking tile in no time. Ready to have clean tile floors again? Let's take a look at tip number one!

1. Vinegar

Vinegar is an all-time cleaning agent that most people already have on hand. Something known as acetic acid is the compound in vinegar that gives it that sour smell. Acetic acid also happens to be the compound that serves as a powerful cleaning agent.

The acidic nature of this household cleaner is what makes it so powerful. Acetic acid is excellent for inhibiting the growth of mold while also scrubbing away the presence of dirt and grime.

If you want to give your tile floors a good scrub, reach for the white vinegar in your pantry! Combine vinegar with a little bit of soap when mopping and your floors will be brighter in no time at all.

2. Borax

Borax is often hailed as a sort of miracle cleaner. It's used to clean everything from ceramic surfaces to laundry and it does so with ease.

Another naturally occurring compound, borax is made up of three elements: sodium, boron, and oxygen.  This natural cleaning solution is excellent at breaking down oily and fatty substances on tile flooring. It serves as an excellent way to clean your tiles and your tile grout to get them looking shiny and new again.

You can clean using a simple mixture of water and borax. Alternately, you can make a mixture of borax, soap, and vinegar, and you'll have the perfect, at-home cleaning solution for your floors.

3. Clean with Steam

When you use a steam mop to go over your floors, you're choosing to use water rather than harsh chemicals to obtain clean floors. How exactly does a mop full of water actually clean your floor though?

The water in a steam mop boils to a high enough temperature that any germs it comes into contact with are killed on contact. This cleaning method eliminates bacteria, allergens, and odors in one simple push.

Next time you reach for a bucket of suds, try opting for a steam mop instead!

4. Olive Oil

Olive oil is another item you might already have in your pantry, making this an easy choice for cleaning day. But how does it clean tile? By applying a few drops of olive oil onto a mop or rag with a tiny bit of lemon, the oil will pick up any remaining dust or particles left on the floor.

You can use this as a second step after mopping to make sure your floors really gleam. The oil will give your floors a nice polish and will keep dust away from the surface for a little while longer.

5. Baking Soda

Baking soda is another tried-and-true cleaning option to use on your tile floors. You don't even need to combine the baking soda with anything other than a little bit of water to fight stains!

Baking soda not only lifts stains easily from surfaces, it also serves as a natural deodorizer as well. When using this cleaning agent, you'll leave your floors clean, clear, and smelling fresh.

Create a great cleaning lather with baking soda and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Use this lather to scrub away dirt and grime with ease.

6. Hydrogen Peroxide

This handy tool whitens, brightens, and cleans with ease. This affordable cleaning agent is non-toxic and has many different household uses. For cleaning, you can use this to get stains out of your tile and tile grout.

Simply make a paste out of hydrogen peroxide and flour. Apply this paste to the stained surface or grout. Cover this paste with plastic for a few hours or overnight. Upon waking, rinse with water and voilà! 

You've got clean grout and tiles all from two, simple household ingredients!

7. Tea Time

Tea is probably one of the least known methods for cleaning flooring. Tea can naturally disinfect a surface while also providing a lovely shine to whatever surface you're working with.

In this case, tea is great for cleaning your tile floors! Make a pot of tea with a few tea bags and let your microfiber cloth soak in this mixture for a few moments. Apply this damp cloth to any stubborn dirty streaks or spots that have stained your floor.

Allow the tea mixture to soak into the stains to break them apart. Finally, wipe these spots away with the tea-soaked cloth and you'll have a clean surface in no time.

A Guide for Clean Tile Floors

Hopefully this guide has provided you with a few helpful tips and tricks you can implement today to keep clean tile floors throughout the house.

If you're interested in learning more about different flooring types or are simply looking to replace your current flooring, National Floors Direct offers nationwide service.

We're here to bring you fantastic tile flooring for less. Get in touch with us for a free estimate today!