Have you ever entered your bathroom and asked yourself depressingly where your sparkling bathroom disappeared to?
Then, you flashback to when you newly got your apartment and how much joy you had taking selfies in your bathroom. But now, the state of the bathroom tiles is disheartening.
How on earth are you going to get rid of all the dirt and make it clean again?
If this is you, welcome; we've got you covered.
Making your bathroom tiles sparkle again can be overwhelming, but you need not worry. This guide will help your bathroom tiles sparkle again and return a beautiful smile to your face.
First Things First
First, know your bathroom tiles!
It's important to know the type of tiles in your bathroom before you start cleaning. This information will help you avoid causing damages to your tiles from heavy cleaning agents.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles are generally easier to clean with almost any cleaning agent or tool. In contrast, abrasive cleaning cloths and acids found in lemon and vinegar can damage marble tiles.
Next, we go over the tools and products that you can use in cleaning your bathroom tiles. All the cleaning tools and agents cited below are readily available in homes and nearby stores. To find out more, keep reading.
How to Clean Bathroom Tiles (General Tips)
Here are general cleaning tips for you if you can't decipher the type of tiles in your bathroom.
- You can effectively clean your bathroom to shine brighter irrespective of the product being used. First, never forget the power of a hot shower. If it can relieve you after a hard day's job, it can melt every mountain of dirt in your bathroom. Run hot water over the tiles for about 5 to 10 minutes before cleaning. The essence of this is to open the pores and soften the accumulated dirt on the tiles.
- The next step is to clear all major hindrances to a sparkling bathroom, including cleaning the grout before the tiles. This way, you prevent the likelihood of cleaning twice. When you clean the tiles before the grout, dirt from the grout spills over to the cleaned tiles. You wouldn't want that. Would you?
- In homes with a bigger bathroom, a steam cleaner is advised. A big bathroom equals a larger surface area and a longer time to get rid of the tough stains and dirt completely. But if you can't access one, we recommend that you use baking soda and vinegar mixed in water and sprayed directly on the dirt. Clean up the wall tiles first, then the floor tiles last.
- Lastly, a precautionary measure to take when using finished products from the store: do not mix two products. Rather use each one at a time to avoid the emission of dangerous fumes from such a mixture. Also, keep the windows open while using such products.
How to Clean Marble Tiles in Your Bathroom
Marble tiles are made of natural stone and, as such, require delicate handling and care. Just like all other natural stones, you should clean marble regularly. Care must, however, be taken when cleaning to prevent scratches and deterioration.
Here is how to clean your marble bathroom tiles:
- Clean or mop the floor without water to remove dust and dirt
- Mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda and dish-washing liquid soap (large quantity required) to a quarter of warm water. Preferably, you can get a commercial stone cleaner
- Get a bucket filled with tap water. Just water, no addition
- Dip a soft microfibre cloth or a non-abrasive sponge into the soapy solution in step 2 and scrub the floor
- Rinse your sponge or brush frequently in plain water
- Then make a paste containing 1 cup of plaster, talc/powdered white chalk, diatomaceous earth, and water. Stir consistently until it becomes thick, like sour cream
- Sprinkle distilled water on the heavily stained area, then apply a thick paste layer on the stain. A pound of this mixture works 1 square foot
- Cover the pasted tiles with plastic wrap and seal up all the edges with masking tape for 24 to 48 hours until it dries out
- Remove the plastic wrap and wipe out the paste with a non-abrasive sponge or soft cloth. If there's a leftover stain, repeat the process and wipe with a wet cloth. In all you do, don't scratch the tiles or use heavy chemicals on them
- Apply a commercial stone sealant
Alternatively, these are some suitable cleaners for a marble tile: Windex, light dishwashing detergent, baking soda, alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide. Always use pH-neutral cleaners. Avoid cleaners like vinegar, lemon, ammonia, and bleaches because they are acidic and harsh to the tiles.
How to Clean Ceramic and Porcelain Bathroom Tiles
These tiles are baked hard and coated with glazed glass, making them durable and easy to maintain. Regardless, they need adequate attention and care, especially the bathroom tiles that receive much traffic per day.
Here's how to clean the ceramic and porcelain tiles in your bathroom.
- Get a broom or vacuum cleaner and remove all specks of dirt. Scrape up with a plastic knife any residual or accumulated dirt
- Get a bucket and fill it with hot water, half a tablespoon of dish soap, and a half cup of vinegar. Little soap is required to avoid soapy residue on the tiles
- Clean your mop under running water to remove leftovers from the previous cleaning. Hot or warm water is preferable
- Clean the tiles with soapy water, then clean them afterward with plain hot water
- Wipe the tiles with a clean cloth to prevent water spots or leave them alone to air-dry. If the floor appears hazy after cleaning, you likely used a little too much soap. Next, get your towel, dampen it with lemon juice, and clean the tiles with it. That's all
How to Clean Bathroom Tiles with Lemon, Vinegar, or Baking Soda Only
You can choose to use a single product in cleaning your tiles if you aren't cut out for mixing A, B, and C.
Lemon
This is an excellent cleaner that's readily available in homes and stores. Lemon works well with bathroom tiles because of its acidic properties that can dissolve hard dirt and stain.
Get lemon juice into a spray bottle, spray it over the tiles to be cleaned, and wipe with a clean cloth or a damp sponge. Better still, soak the sponge in the lemon juice and wipe off the dirt with it. Finally, rinse off with warm water, and you have a renewed bathroom tile.
Vinegar
This is another kitchen item that works magic for almost everything. You should always have vinegar at home, trust me!
To clean your bathroom tiles, get a bowl, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar (distilled) and 1 liter of warm water, then mix.
Next, get your cleaning cloth or towel, soak in the mixture, clean the tiles with it, and rinse with warm water. Alternatively, you can use a spray bottle, as in the case of lemon above.
Baking Soda
Baking soda can work wonders in your bathroom, not only in dough or cakes. Start by mixing 2 to 3 cups of baking soda in a little quantity of water to form a paste. Then, apply it to the tiles, scrub with a soft brush or sponge, wipe with a clean cloth, and rinse off with warm water.
How to Clean Bathroom Tiles Grout
Your bathroom tiles will only look as good as the grout that holds them together. You have the option of getting a grout cleaning machine or a DIY cleaning method. If you’re a team DIY, this guide is for you.
- Get a bucket filled with water, add powdered oxygen bleach (follow bottle prescription carefully). Oxygen bleach is color-safe and non-toxic, unlike chlorine bleach, and is readily available in stores
- Apply the mixture on the grout lines with a scrub brush or a spray bottle. If the grout is extra dirty, use both methods of application
- Leave to sit for at least 30 minutes, but a longer time is advised for a cleaner result
- Afterward, use an old toothbrush to scrub the grout lines. Wipe off with a towel as you scrub each section
- Finally, rinse off with water and dry it with a clean cloth or leave it to air dry
- Apply a grout sealant once the tiles are thoroughly dried
Best Tile Cleaner for Bathrooms
We acknowledge that not all our readers appreciate DIY or homemade cleaners; some just want a finished product from the stores, apply it, and get the tiles back to their sparkling state. If the latter sounds like you, this section is for you.
Below are some of the best tile cleaning solutions you can buy for all types of tiles: ceramic, marble, glass, or porcelain.
Beckmann Stone & Tile Floor Cleaner
It leaves a natural shine and prevents stains from ruining your bathroom. It works as a prevention than a cure.
Hg Shine Restoring Tile Cleaner
It is best for stone tiles with a strong fresh scent and shine that lasts longer.
Rejuvenate Floor Restore
It works best for tile polishing by disguising scratches and polishing the tiles.
Bar Keepers Friend Multi-Surface Household Cleaner
This cleaner works best for grout and goes a long way to give you the shine you desire.
Astonish Bathroom Cleaner Trigger Spray
This is another excellent option for your bathroom tiles. It leaves no residue and gives you that sparkling shine you crave.
CIF Floor Cleaner
This works best for large areas and heavy-duty cleaning. It does not leave a residue, and a little amount goes a long way.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to clean your bathroom tiles is a must if you desire that sparkle it had on the first day of installation. Bathroom tiles, like every other tile, lose their shine and luster through deposits of soap scum, wear and tear, dirt, water spots, and other factors.
Replacing your bathroom tiles is expensive. But with a little effort in cleaning and maintenance, as we've suggested above, you can sustain the luster and shine of your bathroom tiles for a much longer time.
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