Cleaning ceramic tile floors
 

The house we are purchasing has ceramic tile floors throughout, except for the bedrooms. What is the best way to clean the ceramic tile? Which products are you using? In the past when I've had large areas with ceramic, most of the products left streaking after drying. It must be me.

We use white distilled vinegar in water. Seems to work very well. However we usually do it with a cloth or sponge....not a mop. For the grout, especially if it is light in color, we put a little bleach on it before scrubbing with a toothbrush.

We do this only about once a week unless otherwise warranted...

In the meantime we use a swiffer vaccuum sweeper on it just to get up dust and dirt.

I was astonished at how dirty the floors were when I first cleaned them. I had been spot cleaning them and swiffering them and sweeping them and they LOOKED clean!! BUT the first time I had washed them thoroughly I had to change the water several times. The culprit is the garage floor. It seems to be giving up black dust. I was told early on that the garage floors should be finished. I thought it was just a "Florida style" thing. I was wrong to assume that the same kind of concrete is used here as up north. It really needs to be sealed.

Until we can decide if we do it ourselves or hire it done we are using throw rugs just outside the entry from the garage and inside in the laundry room. They become filthy within days.

I use liquid dishwashing detergent with a sponge mop. It seems like there are acres of tile.

My wife swears by that small steam machine (Shark?).

Cassie - You clean the grout separately? Next time buy dark grout or just let the light grout get dark. That's WAY too much work!

I was using the vinegar and mops etc. Now I have a Shark steam mop and love it. I use the Swiffer vac and a dry mop for dust and then I use the steam mop. No mess with water and mops - in fact, I'm throwing all my mops out. This Shark is wonderful. I guess it's okay for tile. My friend has used hers for a long time and I don't see any problem since I've been using mine. Bought mine at Bed Bath and Beyond with the 20% off coupon - ended up costing around $66 with tax.

20% vinegar solution in a spray bottle with a Swiffer. (The Swiffer bottle stuff seems to streak some tiles.) I hand clean the edges with the "wet wipes" for Swiffers, dry wipe/spray where needed for the rest of the floor. This works well if you do it frequently, with an occasional serioius cleaning. However, I've heard great things about the steamers and plan to try that out.

How do the steamers work? Where does the dirt go?

I was told when I had my tile installed to always use the white vinegar and water, not any of the commercial chemicals advertised for tile floor (Great Lakes Carpet & Tile ). I have no trouble with streaks, etc. I would like to know more about the steam cleaner, though. Sounds like it would be much easier. Can you tell me about it? Does it use chemicals or just water?

The Steamer just uses distilled water. The dirt is just sucked up into the pad, I guess. I never really thought about it. I throw the pad in the washing machine after. Using this is so easy, I do my floors more often now. I dreaded mopping them like I used to and would put it off as long as I could. They always look nice now.

My wife uses the Shark steamer. She swears by it. Also, our builder advised that we should not seal the grout until the warranty period is over. He indicated it could void the warranty on the tile.

I use the steamer with distilled water and it is great. Just want you all to know that vinegar does darken all grout. The best thing is to just use water or distilled water in the steam machines.

Just curious how it may void the warranty????:shrug:

Trust me !!!! The SHARK is the only way to go.....drys instantly and throw the pad in the wash,,, They cost about 80 bucks.
We have one down here and one up north......

no more hands and knees fumar

The Shark steamer is the way to go. Mr. mac9 is so fascinated with it that he insists on doing the floors himself!

I don't know but sealing the grout also voids the warrenty.