Six Winter Cleaning Tips for Your Ceramic Tile Floors

19th February 2019

Your floors go through the wringer in the winter months. From your family trudging through the door with heavy boots covered in mud, road salt, gravel, and other outdoor debris to spills and pet messes. Your ceramic flooring needs a little love and gentle care to keep it looking beautiful especially when the snow and ice threaten to damage the material. We have five ways to help you keep your floors looking immaculate no matter how cold or snowy it gets this winter.

Create a seating area for guests to take off shoes

If you did not create a spot for your family to take off outdoor gear before the holidays, then now is a perfect time to knock out this project. To avoid adding more work to your spring cleaning schedule, you can complete this task in the winter, and get your floors looking great. Ask family and guests to slip into a pair of flip-flops or sandals after entering the house. No one has to go in sock feet, but at least take off the shoes and boots that have the mud and dirt all over them at the entrance.

Sweep floors every other day

Regular vacuuming and cleaning are necessary to keep gravel and salt from digging into the surface of your ceramic tiles. While the material is durable, repeated scratching can dull the surface and cause damage to the protective layer. Professional floor contractors suggest homeowners sweep gently to resist scratching.

Treat stains appropriately

Wine is not as easy to remove from tile as lemonade when it is a deep red color. Knowing how to remove this material appropriately is important to prevent staining. Ceramic tile is porous and can absorb liquids if not properly sealed or the floor needs a new protective coating. For liquids, you can use a bit of hydrogen peroxide on a clean rag to blot at the stain after washing it with hot, soapy water.

DIY Network tells viewers to soak an ink stain with a rag with bleach before rinsing with water. Grease stains come out with club soda and water. You can also use a ceramic floor cleaner for many stains. Just remember to read the manufacturer’s instructions and test in an inconspicuous area before applying a new cleaner to your tile floors.

Mop less than you sweep

Ceramic tile can soak up water. You should never leave water set on the surface of these floors. Using mats and throw rugs at entrances and near sinks can prevent water from standing on your ceramic flooring. Mopping lets gravel and debris move across the tile easier making the flooring more susceptible to scratches and gouges. Mopping once a week is a good idea as long as you sweep between mopping.

Clean the grout

To get rid of the dingy and dull look on your flooring during the winter, you will want to scrub the grout lines. At Accent on Floors, we suggest using a professional-grade grout cleaner. You can also use a solution of three-quarters of a cup of bleach to one-gallon of warm water says Clorox. You can apply the cleaner to a rag and leave it set on stubborn grout stains for up to ten minutes. Using a small brush like a toothbrush can help you get into the nooks and crannies. If you have a stain that does not want to come out, then you can mix up a solution of baking soda and water. Apply this paste to the grout and let it sit overnight before attempting to clean it again.

Use the right mop

DIY says to avoid using sponge mops when you clean your ceramic tile floors. These items can push water and dirt into the grout lines and leave the floors looking dirty. A microfiber mop is the best product to use to clean your floor because it picks up water and dirt in the grout. Cleaning in a circular motion helps ensure the microfiber rag or mop does the job well. DIY tells readers this cleaning method works well when cleaning the tile by hand. Change the water as you see it cloud up or get dirty to keep a film from developing on the tile. You can use warm water with little or no detergent to clean the floor. To deodorize or remove sticky residues a mild detergent or tile cleaner is acceptable.

Winter is tough on your home, your vehicle, and your floors. By taking the time to clean and protect your ceramic tile, you help ensure your floors last a long time. Proactive steps like using rugs and providing a place to put messy shoes can minimize dirt transfer and floor damage. Regular sweeping is a good idea, but mopping more often can be damaging to your floors.

Do you have more questions about caring for your tile floors? Our flooring specialists at Accent on Floors are happy to answer any question. You can reach us at 804-458-0048. Your local Hopewell flooring team awaits your call.