How to Clean Ceramic Tiles so that they Continue to Shine for Years to Come
By Mark J. Donovan
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Whether ceramic floor tiles or wall tiles, dirt and grime can easily cake up on them and make them look old and faded in relatively short order. Also, if the tiles are frequently exposed to moisture, unsightly mold and mildew growth can occur, particularly in the grout lines. The mold and mildew growth in the grout lines shows up as dark and dingy discolorations. You can take years of dirt off tile with some simple household cleaning products, however, it is imperative to use the right ones. Use the wrong ones and you can permanently damage and further discolor the tiles and grout lines.
To clean ceramic tiles simply use a sponge or firm soft bristle brush, and either a mild detergent or a bleach mixture cleaning solution. Rinse the tile down with water and then proceed to scrub the tile with the sponge or brush, and cleaning solution. |
You may need to use some serious elbow grease and have to repeat the process a few times to remove all of the dirt and grime from the tiles but eventually you’ll get them clean.
| Do not attempt to clean the tiles with an alkaline or acidic type cleaning solution as they can remove the shine from the tile and/or discolor them. Also do not use a cleaning solution with ammonia in it. Doing so could discolor the grout leaving it a permanent ugly color. In addition, never use a cleaning solution with wax or oil, as again they can discolor the tile and grout lines. Finally, never use abrasive cleaners on the ceramic tiles as they will remove the shine from them.
After removing the dirt off of the tiles and restoring them to their original beauty, include in your normal cleaning schedule time to wipe down the tiles with a cloth and warm water. |
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Preferably you should plan to wipe down the tiles every week or so. Also, after wiping them down make sure to dry them with a clean dry towel to prevent mold and mildew growth. By keeping up with a regular tile maintenance cleaning schedule you can keep your ceramic tile floors and walls looking like new and prevent from having to do another ceramic tile cleaning marathon. Also, you may want to consider sealing the tiles and grout lines with a tile sealer after cleaning them. Tile sealer is easy to apply and it can slow the progression of mold and mildew growth.
For information on installing a shower pan membrane liner for a ceramic tile shower, see the Shower Pan Membrane Liner Installation Ebook from HomeAdditionPlus.com. The Shower Pan Membrane Liner EBook will quickly teach you the step-by-step process for installing the shower pan membrane liner correctly. It includes instructions on framing the shower stall, pouring the pre-slope and shower base mortar, and installing the shower pan membrane liner.
See HomeAdditionPlus.com’s Ceramic Tile Calculator
See my “How to Tile a Custom Ceramic Tile Shower” Ebook to learn how to tile your own shower: For a detailed set of instructions on tiling a shower floor and walls, including pictures for every step in the process, see my “How to Tile Custom Ceramic Tile Shower Ebook”.
Related Information
Additional Ceramic Tile Resources from Amazon.com
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