Cleaning Tile Floors

Best Way to Clean Tile Floors: Tile & Grout Cleaning Tips

Tile floors can create a higher end look while standing up well to the wear and tear of daily traffic. Unlike carpet, they are easier to clean and much simpler to keep free of dust, germs and allergens. And unlike with laminate flooring, you don’t have to worry about any moisture seeping into the sub core, which can cause warping or discolouration.

No matter what type of flooring is in your workplace, we can help. As professional cleaners, we clean all vinyl, laminate, ceramic tile, hardwood, concrete and engineered hardwood flooring – so you don’t have to worry about the right method or right materials.tips for cleaning tile and grout

Tips for Cleaning Tile Flooring

Cleaning tile floors can be done quickly and easily with all-purpose cleaner or mild dish soap. If you’ve been finding that your tile is holding on to stubborn stains and stuck on debris, that surface debris could be damaging the surface coating of the tiles themselves. If this is the case, it’s important to ensure that dry and wet cleaning of tile flooring is on the cleaning roster for your commercial space.

Sweep or vacuum your floors 3-4 times per week, especially in high traffic areas like the entryway or staff kitchen. This keeps the floors clean and helps prevent stuck-on-staining that can be tough to remove, leading to dingy-looking floors. Mop the floor at least once a week as well.

The cleaning process for each type of tile varies, so it’s important to note what type of tiles you have in your space, well before you bring out the mop.

How to Clean Your Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tile floors do best when cleaned with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap. You can also use your favourite all-purpose cleaner, or even a bit of white vinegar to help dissolve staining on the tiles or grout.

Step 1: Move any furniture and rugs off the floor and carefully sweep each section of the floor with a broom. You can vacuum with a soft brush attachment afterwards, to pick up anything that may have been left behind.

Step 2: Grab two buckets (one for rinsing and one for the cleaner). Have you ever seen someone use the same mop and bucket and spread dirty water around over and over? It doesn’t get anything cleaner and it doesn’t remove germs or bacteria. For the best results and a reliable clean, make sure you use two buckets and refill your cleaning bucket when the water starts to look muddy or grey.

Step 3: Choose your cleaner. Ceramic tiles can withstand the acidity of white vinegar, which is quite useful for stain removal when mixed with warm water.

To make a great stain remover, try this solution:

In a clean spray bottle, mix 2.5 Tbsp of mild dish soap with 1 C of white vinegar. Fill a bucket with warm water.

With your spray bottle, spray the stains with the mixture of vinegar and dish soap. Let it sit for just a minute and then use your clean, damp mop to scrub the tile. For dirty grout, you may want to use a stiff brush to really get into the crevices.

Step 4: If using regular all-purpose cleaner, simply let the cleaner sit for 2 minutes and then use your damp, clean mop to scrub the floors. If you have a textured floor, a string mop will work best. For a smooth floor, a sponge mop or mop with a microfibre pad will be more effective.

Step 5: Rinse your clean mop and make another pass over the floor, working section by section. Here it’s important to note that no matter how good your cleaner is, it can sometimes leave a filmy residue behind. After you’ve mopped each section, take the time to dry and buff the tiles with a soft cloth. Drying the tiles will help bring out their natural sheen and help them stay cleaner longer.

Step 6: Rinse out both buckets and let your mop dry thoroughly. You’re done!

How to Steam Clean Tile Floors

Tile flooring can be easily steam cleaned for in-between maintenance.

For smaller spaces, you might be able to get away with a steam mop designed for home use, but it shouldn’t be used in place of a mop if you have a very dirty, stained tile floor.

To use a steam mop on tile flooring, follow these steps:

Step 1: Move furniture and any floor coverings off the floor.

Step 2: Sweep or vacuum with a soft-brush attachment. Steam mops do their best work when the floor has no debris left behind.

Step 3: Keep several clean mop pads on hand to avoid having any dirt or debris smeared around as you steam mop.

Step 4: Keep the steam mop moving as you wash, taking care not to let it idle on any one spot. If you need to leave the room, make sure to turn off the mop, just for safety’s sake.

Step 5: For a more thorough cleaning, make multiple passes across the floor, working section by section.

Step 6: When you’re done, pop the steam mop pads into the wash. Generally, they are just washed with other white and light-coloured items. Hang them to dry to prevent any shrinkage, and they’ll be ready to go for next time.

*Tile floors can be incredibly slick when wet, so always be sure to put a wet floor sign down or block access to any wet flooring.

The routine maintenance of your office flooring is relatively simple, but you might quickly find that it makes more sense to bring in a professional, with commercial quality equipment. This way, you no longer have to worry about scrubbing grout and removing pesky stains from tile flooring, or getting the carpets perfectly clean and sanitized. Our certified cleaning professionals can create a commercial cleaning plan and schedule that perfectly suits your needs and leaves your workspace sparkling. Contact Mayfair and our expert cleaning team today to discover how we can help.