How to Clean Tile Flooring the Right Way

Cleaning your kitchen and bathroom can take hours, especially if you don’t know how to clean tile floors. And while you may not find yourself cleaning tile floors on a daily basis, it is something you should do weekly. Whether you need to know how to deep-clean tile floors or you’re just curious about the best way to clean tile floors, we’ve got you covered. Here are some expert tips for cleaning tile floors and grout that will help you keep your floors looking like new. 

How to Clean Ceramic Tile Floors

When it comes to cleaning ceramic tile flooring, home-cleaning expert Debra Johnson of Merry Maids says the first step is to remove all dust, dirt, and other debris from the floor with a vacuum or flat mop that has a microfiber cloth cover. Your next step is to choose the best ceramic tile cleaner that fits your needs. One popular method is to clean ceramic tile floors with vinegar, though you can also use pre-made ceramic tile floor cleaner. Regardless of the solution you choose, the best way to clean ceramic tile floors is to use a microfiber mop for ceramic tile floors. Here, Johnson shares her steps to cleaning tiles with vinegar. 

1. Combine one cup of vinegar to one gallon of water in a large bucket. 

2. Use a mop with the solution to clean the ceramic tiles. Make sure you change the water when it’s no longer clear, as dirty water can make the floors sticky. Another option is to use a flat mop with a microfiber cover to clean the floor.

3. Dry with a clean towel. This helps clean ceramic tile floors without streaking.

How to Clean Stone Tile Flooring

It’s no secret that stone tile flooring is expensive. It also requires a particular type of maintenance to keep the stone looking its best, which means you can’t just use any kind of solution when cleaning stone floor tiles. That’s why Johnson recommends using a natural stone tile cleaner of your choice to clean stone tile floors. Here are the steps she follows when cleaning stone floor tiles. 

1. Use a flat mop with a microfiber cloth cover.

2. Clean floors with a solution of warm water and natural stone tile cleaner.

3. Replace your mop with a new microfiber cover, then mop the surface once more. This will polish the floors and make ceramic tiles shine.

Note: Dishwashing liquid is not the best stone tile cleaner, but you can still use it. Just be sure the product does not have citrus-based ingredients.

There are several stone cleaners to choose from, including one from Bona. They have a helpful tip sheet on their website that shows you how to use Bona stone tile and laminate floor cleaner.

However, one word of caution before you start cleaning. Suzy Cacic, founder of BetterDecoratingBible.com, says to never use vinegar, lemon juice, or any other cleaning solution with acids, as it can damage stone flooring.

How to Clean Porcelain Tile Floors

Cleaning porcelain tile is one of the easiest things to do, Cacic says, as well as the cheapest. “All you need is a vinegar and water solution,” she says. Many experts agree that the best way to clean porcelain tile is to use vinegar, which is a natural cleaner for porcelain tile floors.

1. Mix one gallon of warm to hot water with 1/4 cup of white vinegar (this is the correct vinegar-water ratio).

2. Apply the solution to the porcelain tile floors.

3. After allowing it to set for a few minutes, use a flat mop with a microfiber cover (one of the best mops for tile floors) to clean the floor.

4. Mop again with hot water (without the solution).

5. Dry the tile with a microfiber cloth. This helps clean porcelain tile floors without streaks.

Note: For hard-to-clean areas such as in between tiles, us an old toothbrush to scrub. Make sure the area is wet before going in with the bristles so you don’t scratch the surface.

If your floor seems dull, you might be wondering how to polish porcelain tile. One way to make porcelain tiles shine is to use a special porcelain tile floor cleaner machine. But before you head to the nearest hardware store for a little DIY floor cleaner and polish project, you might want to talk to the experts first. Specific porcelain tile care such as polishing is better left to the people who do this for a living.

How to Clean Tile Grout on Floors

Is your “go-to” tile grout cleaning tool a toothbrush? Whether you’re looking to keep grout clean or you’re wondering what the best way to clean tile grout is, you’ll appreciate these tips from our experts on how to clean tile and grout.

If you’re dealing with a lot of stains and you want to make grout white again, Clorox Cleaning Expert Mary Gagliardi recommends using a Clorox Bleach Pen Gel to clean it. 

1. Apply the gel liberally to the stains on the grout, then replace the cap.

2. Scrub the treated area with a nylon brush if needed.

3. Rinse promptly with clean water.

If you’re short on time and can’t make a trip to the store for cleaning products, don’t worry, there are several home remedies for cleaning grout. This is the DIY method Johnson likes to use.

1. Make a paste of baking soda and dishwashing liquid by mixing a cup of baking soda with a capful of dishwashing detergent to form a paste. Add drops of water if needed.

2. Spread the paste in the grout with a brush.

3. Allow the solution to sit in the grout for 15 to 30 minutes.

4. Softly scrub the grout with a brush.

5. Dip a microfiber cloth into a bucket of warm water, wring water from the cloth, then wash the paste out of the grout with the cloth.

6. Continue this process until the paste has been removed.

Note: You can also use tile and grout cleaning machines for home use, such as a canister steamer with a brush attachment.

You can also apply baking soda directly to the grout, then clean grout on tile floors with hydrogen peroxide. Let the baking soda sit for about 10 minutes, then dip an old toothbrush into the hydrogen peroxide and scrub away. Rinse the residue with water. 

But what if you’re looking for the easiest way to clean grout without scrubbing? If the dirt and grime are fresh, you can mop the grout and tile at the same time. You may have to go over the grout a few times in order to get the stains out. Depending on whom you talk to, the best mop for tile floors and grout seems to be a microfiber or steam mop. 

How to Clean Grout Off Tiles

Chip and Joanna Gaines make cleaning grout off tile look so easy, right? Well, if you’re getting ready to dive into a home flooring project, then it’s important to know how to remove dried grout from tiles. The good news is, to get dried grout off tile all you really need is the right cleaning solution and tools. For tough projects, Johnson says cleaning grout off tile with vinegar is the way to go. She goes over five steps to remove dry grout from tiles.

1. Create a solution of one part water and one part vinegar, and mix into a spray bottle.

2. Spray the affected areas and use a grout brush or old toothbrush to gently scrub grout lines.

3. When you’re done scrubbing, rinse the residue away with water.

4. Dry the area with a microfiber cloth.

5. Once the area is dry, apply a coat of masonry sealer. This will prevent the grout from absorbing dirt in the future.

Now that you have the top tips to clean ceramic tiles, it’s time to get to work! Give one of these methods a try and let us know what you think.

This post was written by Sara Lindberg.

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