Ceramic tiles constitute the world’s most popular flooring and is a staple feature in bathrooms and kitchens of most homes. Ceramic tiling looks beautiful and comes in a vast array of finishes and is widely regarded for its durability. Though ceramic flooring isn’t notorious for gathering dirt, knowing how to mop ceramic tile is essential to resolve stubborn dirt issues.
Ceramic flooring comes in two forms, glazed and unglazed. Glazed tiles are easier to maintain, while the unglazed ones have a knack of attracting dust and grime. But even the glazed ceramic tiles are not immune to dirt and the grout is particularly prone to getting dirty. Thus knowing how to mop ceramic tile also involves knowing how to keep these crevices clean.
Knowing how to mop ceramic tile isn’t enough. You need to practice it regularly too to ensure that the dirt doesn’t build up and you do not end up having to take recourse to drastic measures. Thus a regular detergent and water cleansing ritual is essential. You have to however rinse the floor thoroughly and especially in case of glazed ceramic tiles, you need to wipe it dry with a clean cloth so that soapy stains do not cling on to the surface.
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However, keep away from scouring or using abrasive detergents as these tend to leave ungainly scratch marks on the floor and these rough surfaces in turn invite dirt to settle.
Knowing how to mop ceramic tile is not enough, you should know when to mop also. Apart from the daily cleaning routine, be quick to wash and wipe away spills so that they do not stain the floor. Also have doormats and rugs at strategic places like near the entrance and the kitchen sink or in front of the bathroom to shield your tiles from moisture and dirt.
You can use the vacuum cleaner to keep the nooks and crevices spanking clean. However, the easiest way to mop ceramic tile is with an electric floor washer or polisher-scrubber. A solution of 1/4-cup low-sudsing detergent, or 1-2 tablespoons of either washing soda or tri-sodium phosphate or any commercial floor cleaning powder in 1-gallon water will do the trick.
There will be situations in your ceramic tile cleaning routine that will demand harsher measures. Thus if you find the stains particularly stubborn, then a mixture of water and chlorine bleach left on them for some 20 minutes and then washed away thoroughly will produce gleaming results. However, chlorine treatment should be undertaken only occasionally.
A mixture of 1/2 cup packaged water softener and 2 tablespoons rotten stone in 1-cup hot water can be sponged to get rid of the toughest of stains. Mildew can be removed with mildew retardant household spray and a vigorous scrub.
Full-strength liquid laundry detergent is ideal to get rid of those tough-nuts-to-crack dark varnish-like stains occasionally found on the tile shower. However this detergent should not be used on porcelain enamel tubs, fiberglass or plastic surfaces.
You may wonder why is it worthwhile to know how to mop ceramic tile, but it is acknowledged by all that it does feel heavenly to step into a clean room with spick and span flooring.
by Manuel Kupka
