For many homeowners, their tiled surfaces whether in flooring, bathrooms, or kitchen counters and backsplashes is a significant investment. As tiles come in different types, they can be stylish and versatile when it comes to different designs and patterns, giving any home a beautiful pop of colour. Tiles can also add to a home’s cosy feel. Imagine cooking in a kitchen with a lovely white marble countertop and a warm blue tiled backsplash. Doesn’t that feel homey?
While tiles can be easy to maintain, you need to invest in regular cleaning to make them look as vibrant as they did the first day they were installed. It is essential to regularly schedule a professional tile and grout cleaning service to give your tiles a deep clean and remove any stubborn dirt, stains, bacteria, which not only makes your tiles look great but also give you and your family a healthy home environment.
However, personal maintenance in between professional cleans is important in caring for your tiles and ensuring that you prolong the life of your investment. Are you cleaning your tiled surfaces the right way? Tiles can be scratched and damaged while grout can end up with unsightly stains when cleaning is not done properly. Be careful that you’re not making these common tile and grout cleaning mistakes.
Excessive and hard scrubbing
Contrary to what many people might believe, scrubbing your tiles until they’re squeaky clean can do more harm than good. Hard scrubbing can scratch and dull your tiles and wear out the grout over time. Never use steel wool, abrasive scrubbing powders, or any other scrubbing material on your tiled surfaces. Use soft cleaning cloths and mops instead.
Using bleach, ammonia-based cleaners and other harsh chemicals
Bleach and ammonia-based cleaners will discolor your grout lines over time. It may happen very gradually, but it will happen. Choose a mild all-purpose cleaner or even better, non-soap cleansers such as vinegar and washing soda.
White vinegar is a fantastic natural alternative to soap cleansers. It’s acidic enough to cut through soap or dirt build up but not strong enough to damage your tiles or grout. A regular wipe over with a solution containing equal parts white vinegar and hot water can clean your tiled surfaces well. Washing soda (sodium carbonate), can work well too. Just add a cup of washing soda to a couple of litres of hot water.
Letting spills sit on tiles for too long
Whatever type of tile you have, no tile is completely stain proof. Leaving spills sitting on your tiled surfaces for too long can cause staining and discolouration in the tile and grout. Greasy food and beverages spilled onto tiled surfaces can quickly seep into your tiles and grout, and lead to unsightly stains which can be difficult to remove. Wipe up any spills immediately.
Not protecting tiles from furniture
Tiled surfaces may be hard but they can crack if enough force is exerted on them. Moving furniture or forcefully sitting on chairs and sofas can cause tiles to break. Protect your tiled floor by using furniture protectors on the bottom of chairs, table legs, and even potted plants.
Leaving dirt on tiled floors
Dirt is an abrasive that can cause damage to tiles and grout if it’s not clean up immediately. Tiled floors need to be swept or vacuumed to prevent dirt from scratching and damaging your tiles. A quick daily sweep and a light weekly mopping will usually be enough. if you choose to vacuum, remember to turn off the vacuum’s beater bar as it may scratch or dull your tile’s finish.
It also helps to place door mats by the entry, so that you can prevent dirt from coming into your home at the first instance. You may also request family members and guests to leave their shoes outside and use indoor slippers to help keep the dirt out.
Over washing tiled surfaces
Using an overly wet mop or not drying up the tiles after cleaning them can damage and stain your tile and grout. Minerals in tap water can leave behind discolouration. In addition, damp tiled surfaces can cause mould and mildew which are not only unsightly but also lead to the growth of disease-causing bacteria and other microorganisms. When mopping and cleaning tiled surfaces, make sure you thoroughly dry them.
Aside from the damage that these tile and grout cleaning mistakes can cause, these cleaning missteps can also lead to higher maintenance costs, so make sure you are taking care of your tiled surfaces the right way.
As previously mentioned, regular professional cleans are essential to preserving your tiles and ensuring a healthy home environment. If you need help in cleaning and maintaining your tiled surfaces, call us at Wizard. Wizard Cleaning offers professional tile and grout cleaning that not only makes your tiled surfaces sparkle, but also helps in getting rid of nasty microorganisms growing in between your tiles. Call us on 0438 554 830 and book our professional tile and grout cleaning service.