The beautiful sheen on a tile floor adds a special charm to your space, but this sheen will unfortunately fade over time. Fading is commonly associated with general wear and age. It can also be caused by stains, dirt and even grimy film. When your tile floor loses its luster, you may be inclined to purchase expensive tile floor cleaners that are loaded with harsh chemicals. You could even wonder if the time has come to replace your floors. Before you do anything drastic, take time to learn how to make tile floors shine with cleanliness by using ingredients you have in your pantry.
Methods to Shine Tile Floors Naturally
Commercial tile cleaners have varied results, and you could spend a small fortune trying to find the one that is a good fit for your flooring. In addition to wasting time, energy and money trying to locate the right commercial tile cleaning product, you would be introducing chemicals into your home unnecessarily. Are you interested in learning how to make tile floors shine with natural ingredients? There are a few methods available for you to choose from.
Diluted Vinegar
Vinegar may not have the best smell, but it has powerful cleaning properties and can leave your floor sanitized and sparkling. This is among the easiest ways to clean your floor naturally. You simply combine equal parts of water and distilled vinegar into a clean bucket. Undiluted vinegar should be avoided because it can deteriorate the grout.
Using the mixture of vinegar and water in the bucket, mop the floor. Avoid saturating the floor. An alternative to the bucket method involves pouring the water and distilled vinegar mixture in a clean spray bottle. You can mist the floor lightly and work in sections.
Diluted Ammonia
Another excellent method is to use diluted ammonia. You will add a quarter-cup of ammonia in a clean bucket with a gallon of water. Lightly dampen your mop using this mixture, and work your away around the room. An alternative is to clean the floor by hand using a sponge. This method is more labor-intensive, but it may be necessary if you are tackling tough mildew stains or areas of discoloration. The diluted ammonia should be removed from the floor. To do so, wipe down the entire surface of the tile floor using fresh water and a clean sponge, mop or washcloth.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has whitening properties and is mildly abrasive, so it is a great product to clean tile floors with. You will create a thick paste by mixing equal components of baking soda and water together. Using a toothbrush or another type of scrub brush with soft bristles, scrub the paste onto the tile and grout by hand. After 10 minutes, wipe away the paste using clean water.
Ammonia, Vinegar and Borax
If your tile floor is excessively dirty, this is the method that may be best for your situation. Fill a clean bucket with a gallon of water. Then, add a half-cup of distilled white vinegar, a half-cup of ammonia and a quarter-cup of borax detergent to the water. After stirring the mixture thoroughly, mop the entire surface of the floor using the concoction. Then repeat the mopping process with fresh water to rinse away any film or residue.
After You Learn How to Make Tile Floors Shine
When you putting in so much time and energy to clean your tile, you understandably want to enjoy the results for as long as possible. Applying a high-gloss sealer can protect the floor while also giving it the finished look that you want. Choose the right sealant for your tile type. Always test an out-of-the-way area before applying any product over a large surface area.
Dull, dingy tile is an eyesore, but there is thankfully an easy solution available. Choose the natural cleaning method that is most suitable for your needs, and start removing the grime from your tile floors today.
