There are several mistakes commonly made by those wanting to clean ceramic tile flooring. Ceramic tiles often have a hard finish on them which is more delicate than many other substances. While certain cleaners may be acceptable for linoleum, it is important to distinguish the difference between linoleum and ceramic; also it is important to distinguish between which chemicals are acceptable to use on tile and which ones are not.

There are two types of tile commonly used for flooring: glazed and unglazed. Glazed tiles have a hard thick finish, usually with a glossy appearance. Using the wrong kind of chemicals on glazed tiles could result in the finish wearing off or appearing dull. One of the simplest solutions is soap and water. Those whose grandmothers were 1950s housewives will remember their grandmothers echoing this advice. While many old techniques are waved off as “obsolete”, this is one that could save a tile floor from becoming dull, allowing it to retain its original shine for years. Simply cleaning the floor with a small amount of dish detergent and hot water is safe and effective. Think about it: dish detergent cleans plates so well, people trust it enough to eat from the surface of the plate afterward, so why not? Adding bleach to disinfect is not a good idea. Dish detergents with antibacterial qualities are good to use for this purpose, also some tile manufacturers make disinfectants which are specifically designed for safe use on glazed ceramic tiling. The bottom line is that no product should be used on glazed ceramic unless specifically designed for the surface; or simply use dish detergent and water. When sweeping, a broom with non-abrasive bristles should be used. Spills should be wiped up immediately; those using a mop to clean the floor should use a non-abrasive mop or one which is designed for the exact flooring substance.

When Deep tile grout cleaning is required, call a professional in Orange County. They have the proper chemical and equipment to handle the job and it keeps you off your hands and knees scrubbing for hours.

Cleaning Your Travertine Floors

If you are wondering how to clean travertine floors on your own, you would want to start off by dusting or using a cloth to remove pet hair, dirt, and rocks that you might trail in from the outside.  All of these things can damage the finish of your flooring, therefore is extremely important to remove this debris frequently.

Another way to prevent debris from entering your home is to put down mats or a pretty rug at the entrance of your home and at any door leading to the outside.  You would also want to make sure that when people come into your home they remove their shoes eliminating them from tracking dust, dirt and debris inside your home and scuffing up your floors.

The next step in keeping your travertine floor looking like new is to use a neutralized cleaner especially created for natural stone, that you can either pick up at your local hardware store, or you can get from the contractor that installed your flooring.  Abrasive cleaning products can damage the natural stone tile and ruin whatever finish was on them to protect them.

If you aren’t able to obtain the neutralize cleaner you can take a little bit of liquidity dishwashing detergent and mix it with warm water and use that solution to clean your floors.  But, no matter what you use be sure not to put too much cleaner into the water.  Doing so can create a film over the floor and will make it looked worn and dull.

Should you accidentally use abrasive cleaner, or a product containing bleach, you will definitely need to seek professional help.  The damage done by these cleaners cannot be scrubbed away. It would be a travesty to mar the beauty of your floor with these cleaners.

Learning how to clean travertine tiles takes a bit of extra time but most consumers quickly learn what the proper procedure is and they are able to enjoy their stone tiles for many decades.