How to Clean Ceramic Tile

There is a reason ceramic has been a popular design feature since Ancient Egypt—it’s low-maintenance, durable, and easily cleaned. Whether it’s used for floors, backsplashes, counters, or bathrooms, ceramic is effortlessly stylish. Its easygoing nature doesn’t mean you can ignore it completely, however. Here are some tips from The Maids on how to clean ceramic tile.

Keep It Clean

Ceramic is naturally resistant to stains, and as a result, it is one of the more forgiving surfaces. It can stain if spills and messes are left unattended, however, so clean up any accidents right when they happen. In addition, regularly sweep, dust, mop, and wipe tiled areas to avoid grime. Before you clean ceramic with liquid, make sure all particles and dust have been whisked away.

Tile is often treated with a glaze, which is the most fragile aspect of the surface. Harsh cleansers and abrasive tools can crack, erode, and otherwise damage this seal. Luckily, warm water goes a long way in everyday maintenance. Common household items such as distilled vinegar and baking soda work wonders on ceramic as well.

Mix a half-cup of vinegar to a gallon of water to mop floors, make a paste of baking soda and water to scrub soap scum, and pour lemon-infused vinegar in a spray bottle to clean counters flawlessly.

To remove oils and grease from unglazed tile, use a cleanser with a neutral pH of 6.5-7.5, which can be found at any cleaning supply store.

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Let It Shine

Aesthetically, ceramic is limitless. From clean and simple subway tile to intricate mosaics, the versatility of tile ensures a good fit in any home. Keep it bright and colorful or sleek and shiny with a few simple tricks.

To maintain shine, limit highly acidic cleansers to tough stains and occasional cleaning. The corrosive nature of these will eventually leave your tiles looking dull. Avoid too much soap as well, as the residue it leaves will also diminish tile shine. Rinse and dry ceramic surfaces after using soap and cleansers to avoid any buildup.

You can keep tile sparkling by mopping or wiping with club soda, which acts as a natural polish. It will even add some shine to matte tile. When simple buffing won’t bring it back to life, consider applying a new coat of sealer.

Seal It Up

One of the main elements in keeping ceramic tile looking pristine is keeping the grout as clean and fresh as possible. A grout sealer, found at any hardware store, will go a long way in protecting it from discoloration and staining. It is recommended to reseal grout once every two years. Peroxide and water in equal amounts create a good grout cleaning agent, and toothbrushes or other small nylon brushes work well to clean grout without being too abrasive on tile. If grout has veered far from its original color and no amount of scrubbing is taking care of business, use a grout stain. These are designed to penetrate deep enough to add permanent color while also creating a seal.

Make It Spotless

For bathrooms and showers that see a lot of dampness, mildew is always a threat. To prevent it, add two teaspoons of tea tree oil to a few cups of water in a spray bottle and mist it over tiles.

Tackle water spots as soon as you notice them, as they become more difficult to evict once they’ve moved in. Wiping the area with a wet sponge dipped in distilled vinegar will loosen up spots. Next, you can go in with baking soda, working it into the surface. Repeat the process until the unwanted spots are gone, rinse with water, and dry with a soft cloth.

You can save time with a multipurpose cleanser that removes water spots, soap residue, and mildew, and is also effective at grout cleaning.

Ceramic tile adds beauty, ease, and versatility to any room. Make sure to honor its efforts by maintaining its shine and keeping it tidy.

About The Maids
The Maids, founded in 1979 is a leading residential cleaning company with more than 160 franchise owners serving over 90 major U.S. and Canadian cities. The Maids is the only residential cleaning company to clean for health using its exclusive 22-Step Healthy Touch ® Deep Cleaning System and its patented back pack vacuum with HEPA filtration that can capture up to 99 percent of all dust, allergens, bacteria, pet dander, pollen and other pollutants. You can follow The Maids on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Note: This is a guest post; the views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Redfin.

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