Top 5 Tips for Cleaning Tile and Grout throughout Your Home

If you live in a home that has a lot of tile flooring, then you probably already know that there are a lot of benefits that come with having tile. Aside from the fact that it’s relatively cost-effective and really easy to maintain, tile flooring also comes in a variety of styles, is extremely durable and will last you for years to come.

In fact, if there is a disadvantage that comes with tile flooring, sometimes it can be a bit challenging to clean, especially when it comes to cleaning out the grout. So, if you’d like a helpful tips on things that you can do the clean both, we’ve got five simple and easy ones for you below:

Do a preliminary cleaning first. Before you get to cleaning your tile flooring, one of the first things that you should do is actually clean the area around it. That will prevent any dust, dander or debris from falling down onto your tile flooring as you’re cleaning it up. Also, as a preliminary form of cleaning, make sure that you sweep and mop your tile flooring too. That will help to remove the top layer of residue that may be on it.

Make a homemade cleaner. Although you could go to a local grocery store or Walmart to purchase a commercial cleaning brand, we recommend actually making a cleaner yourself. Not only will it help to save you money but it also reduces the chemicals and fumes that come from a lot of popular products. As far as what you need to make your homemade cleaner, all you need is some baking soda, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and water. HomeGuides.SFGate.com is one website that can give you some great instructions on the process of naturally cleaning your tile flooring with these ingredients. Just go to the site and put “homemade tile and grout cleaner” in the search field.

Clean the floor. Once you have your cleaner ready, it’s now time to get to cleaning. First, start by using a nylon bristle brush with some baking soda and vinegar on it in order to clean out the grout. Once you have finished, then wet the floor (with a mop) so that you can use your peroxide for the next step.

Spray some hydrogen peroxide on it. When it comes to your carpeting, you may use a product like Chem-Dry in order to get it looking brand new. Well when it comes to cleaning the built-in dirt on your tile and grout, we have found that pouring some 35 percent hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle that is half-way filled with water is pretty effective. Simply spray it onto the tile and grout and let it sit overnight.

Rinse clean. The next morning, you should notice an amazing difference with your floors. Then all you have to do is rinse them clean with water. Depending on the conditions of your floors, you may want to repeat the peroxide step once more but in most cases, only one time is necessary. If you do this once a month, it’s an effective form of tile and grout cleaning that should have your tile floors sparkling all year-long–including your grout. Happy cleaning!