Tile is a durable and low-maintenance flooring option that is perfect for busy households. It is also easy to clean and can be resistant to stains and spills. For these reasons, many homeowners choose ceramic tiles for their floors.
Cleaning textured ceramic tile floors can be a bit more challenging than smooth tiles. However, it is still possible to get them clean with the right tools and techniques. Here are some tips for cleaning textured ceramic tile floors:
1. Vacuum or sweep your floor regularly. This will help to remove any dirt or debris that could become stuck in the texture of the tile.
2. When cleaning, use a soft brush or cloth to avoid scratching the surface of the tiles.
3. Do not use a power washer to clean your ceramic tile floors. The force of the water could cause the texture to become dislodged.
4. Avoid using bleach or ammonia-based cleaners on your textured ceramic tile floors, as these can damage the material.
5. If you need to use a cleaning agent in order to remove stains, use a mild detergent with warm water.
What is textured ceramic tile floor?
Before you start cleaning, you should know about the tile flooring material. Ceramic tiles are a mixture of clays and other natural materials like sand, quartz, water. It is used in house, restaurant, office, kitchen floor and so on.
Ceramic tiles can be glazed or unglazed, which will affect how they look and feel. Glazed ceramic tiles are smoother, easier to clean, and more durable. Unglazed tiles are rougher, harder to clean and some can even get stained easily. These are the most commonly used ceramic tiles.
Texture ceramic tiles are made from ceramic or porcelain, and they are not smooth or flat to touch. Its surface has tactile and 3D qualities.
Steps for cleaning textured ceramic tile floor:
In this section, we’ll look at the steps you’ll need to clean ceramic tile floors.
Step 1 – Vacuum the Floor
Before you begin cleaning your ceramic tile floor, it’s important to vacuum the floor thoroughly. Use a carpet attachment on your vacuum to get into all the cracks and crevices on your floor.
Step 2 – Clean the Floor
Now that your floor is vacuumed, it’s time to clean. Start by pouring a bit of dish soap into a bucket or spray bottle. Add just enough water to get the desired amount of suds and mix well. Now you’re ready to clean! Apply your cleaning solution to the floor with either a mop or microfiber cloth and scrub. If you have some stubborn stains, you can use a combination of baking soda and vinegar to remove them. Once your floor is clean, rinse it well with water. Then use a dry microfiber cloth to dry the floor.
Step 3 – Protect Your Floor
Once your tile floor is completely dry, apply a sealant or wax. This will protect the grout from stains.
How to deep clean texture ceramic tile floor?
Baking Soda and Vinegar: One of the best ways to deep clean textured ceramic tile floors is using baking soda. It can quickly remove dirt and grout from tiles’ surfaces without scratching them.
You will need 2 cups of baking soda for this step. Mix three tablespoons of Borax into the water until it dissolves entirely, then add this solution into baking soda until it combines well.
Don’t add too much Borax solution because it might be harmful to kids and pets if they accidentally eat any pieces of this mixture.
You can also use white distilled vinegar instead of Borax, but it will take more time to let the baking soda soak up all dirt and grout.
It is better for you to test your baking soda mixture on an area that is not visible or not easily seen before using it for the whole floor surface.
For cleaning grout and textured tile surfaces, use this mixture and then use a scrub brush with soft bristles to remove all dirt and grout.
After you are done with the cleaning process, rinse it with clean water until all baking soda solution is removed.
Commercial tile cleaner: It can be easier to clean your tiles with a commercial tile cleaner, but it is more expensive than making your own cleaning solution.
However, those cleaners are ready to use, so you just need to apply them on the dirty surface.
If you decide to use a commercial cleaner, ensure that the product does not contain ammonia because it might be harmful to you and your family.
Here are some of the best commercial tile cleaners you can buy online from Amazon.
- Grout-Eez Super Heavy Duty Tile & Grout Cleaner and whitener
- Microban Disinfectant Spray & All-Purpose Cleaner
- Bona PowerPlus Antibacterial Hard-Surface Floor Cleaner
- Better Life Natural Tub and Tile Cleaner
Brushing: Brushing is one of the best ways to clean your textured ceramic tile floor deeply. You can use any type of bristled brush, but make sure you choose one with a sturdy handle to avoid hurting your hand.
After applying the cleaning solution on the floors, wait for at least 5 minutes before brushing it, so dirt and grout have enough time to loosen up. Start from the corner or edge of the tile floor first, move your way to the middle, and do another section.
Don’t forget to clean grout lines, corners, and edges of your tile floor because dirt may accumulate over there. When you finish all areas of your room, let everything dry on your floor before walking on it again.
After the drying process is over, use a damp mop pad to remove any residue left over.
Steam mop: Another way to deep clean textured or non-textured ceramic tile floors is using a steam mop. This device cuts your cleaning time by half since it can produce high temperature, killing bacteria and germs on the floor surface immediately after you finish mopping the floors.
There are some steam mop models you can choose from for this method, depending on your preference. You can find different types of mop for tile floors, such as Shark Steam Mop, Bissell Powerfresh Steam Mop, and so on.
After you are done with the cleaning process, make sure that your floor is dry entirely.
How to clean outdoor texture ceramic tile floor?
You can use your textured tile floor as the patio, entryway, or front porch for outdoor decor.
Since it is exposed to dirt and stains all day long, it will be helpful to use a porous texture tile surface outdoors instead of a smooth one.
For cleaning outdoor textured ceramic tile floors, you can use a pressure washer.
Pressure washer can produce a very high water stream, which is powerful enough to quickly remove dirt, grime, and stains on the floor surface.
In this case, it will be safer for you if you let your floor dry before using a pressure washer.
Alternatively, you can use a steam mop if you have one at home. This device is safe for outdoor since it can produce extremely high temperatures, immediately killing bacteria and germs at the first mopping process.
Let your patio or walkway dry before walking on it again.
You don’t want to make your feet wet with the dirty water left over after the cleaning process.
How to clean texture ceramic floor in the kitchen?
Kitchen is one of the dirtiest rooms in your house because people will bring dirt and germs from outside, like chopping vegetables.
This process can be done using either vinegar solution or steam mop, depending on what you have available at home.
Vinegar solution: Mix 2 cups of vinegar with three tablespoons of Borax into 1 gallon of water. Let it soak for at least 5 minutes, then start mopping your floor surface until it is clean and sparkling again.
Steam mop: Steam mop can produce high temperature that reaches up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, killing germs, bacteria, dust mites, and other microorganisms without using any harsh chemicals. It also cuts your cleaning time in half.
After mopping, use a damp mop pad to remove any residue or chemical leftover from the steam mop before letting your floor dry completely.
Conclusion:
Cleaning your textured ceramic tile floor is very easy, so you don’t have to hire professional help to do this procedure. You can do it by yourself every week or two weeks on a regular basis and make your floor stay clean and healthy for a longer time.
