Cleaning tile floors

[EllenL]

What do you use to clean tile floors? We're not so concerned about the tile---it's more the grout (we used a grout stain that has a sealer built into it).
We bought some supposedly pure, neutral pH, nontoxic, environmentally friendly stuff called Simple Green, but the worker from the flooring company insists that just vinegar and water is all that is needed. Yet when I research it online, some sites say not to use vinegar because it's too acidic and thus bad for the grout and tile. Help!

[MaryMac]

While I have used Simple Green to clean tile. We have also found that when the dirt gets ground in to the tile, like from our dog, our wallpaper streamer does the trick. It's amazing how the steam can clean the tile and grout.

[wwhirledpeas]

We have a distant relative that uses nothing but the vinegar and water, that you mentioned, on their tile floors. The minute the door opens when entering their home, the smell of vinegar whacks you in the face. I think of their house and I subconsciously smell vinegar. I have only been there when invited, so I don't know if it's an ever present smell of vinegar or it's because they most likely cleaned just before having guest.

[HejazSunKat]

We've had a ceramic tile floor in our upstairs bath for 13 years and it still looks almost new (and we even had tenants in the house for 6+ years who probably weren't as careful as I am) and I've never used anything special on it: Hot water and a Mr. Clean-like product every other week and in between I use Windex to wipe up spills. The grout and the tile are fine.

[LakeMartinGal]

We have light-colored ceramic tile floor and countertops, and use either vinegar/water (not enough to leave a lingering odor) or clorox/water... this does ok on the tile, but not so good on the floor grout (we have dogs and live in the woods). We have had the tile steamed, and that was wonderful on the grout... the carpet cleaning guy is the one who did that, and he used a cleaner called (I love this) Dragon Venom!:D We had to reseal the tile afterward, though. On the kitchen counter, I use a bleach pen, or straight clorox, on the grout lines, and that works very well! I use the clorox for hard surfaces (in the blue bottle) for the tile...

HTH!:)

[EllenL]

Thanks for all your replies. Kay, I'll have to look for Dragon Venom. Who cares how it cleans---it would be enough just to see the label on the bottle with that name and smile!:D

[BucknellAlum]

While I have used Simple Green to clean tile. We have also found that when the dirt gets ground in to the tile, like from our dog, our wallpaper streamer does the trick. It's amazing how the steam can clean the tile and grout.

I am bumping up this thread to ask about the steam cleaner.

I have a porous, rough porcelain tile in the kitchen. It gets cleaned by hand at least every two weeks, but it is still looking dirty to me. A friend has used a professional carpet cleaning company to do her tile in the bathroom, but when I talked to Stanley Steemer they said they did not want to do my tile because oftentimes their steamer has so much suction that it can loosen the grout.

So I think I need something not as strong, but I don't know anything about steam cleaners. Are they handheld? I have seen the Hoover wet cleaner thing that looks like a vacuum, but I don't know if that is steam or just "wet."

Any advice??

TIA!

[DanaSD]

one cleaning lady we used had a steamer - she said she bought it at bed bath and beyond and it cost around $100. You can buy floor attachments (which I think would work for counters). It was amazing how much dirt she got off her floors. It reminded me of a small cansiter vacuum.

Ellen - what kind of tile you do you have? a lot more detergents can be used on ceramic tile verses natural stone (travertine, tumbled, etc). Vinegar is ok on ceramic but not natural stone.

[charley]

We had porcelain tile floors installed recently. I cleaned the excess grout haze with vinegar & water, but was told that future cleaning can be done with plain hot water. That's what I plan on doing.

[EllenL]

We have ceramic tile on the floors. We did use vinegar and water, and it actually didn't smell much because it was so diluted. It seemed to have cleaned as well as something more expensive and less natural. But thanks for the warning, Dana, about natural stone, because our backsplash in the kitchen is natural tumbled stone (we love it---just hope it's not hard to maintain).

And Charley--what is in 87 weeks? Is it the election?

[charley]

Ellen, Bush's last day in office -- 1/20/09 (http://www.bushslastday.com/collectibles.html?gclid=CKT4udfTn4wCFSRpSgodWXrm2Q ).

[MaryMac]

I am bumping up this thread to ask about the steam cleaner.

I have a porous, rough porcelain tile in the kitchen. It gets cleaned by hand at least every two weeks, but it is still looking dirty to me. A friend has used a professional carpet cleaning company to do her tile in the bathroom, but when I talked to Stanley Steemer they said they did not want to do my tile because oftentimes their steamer has so much suction that it can loosen the grout.

So I think I need something not as strong, but I don't know anything about steam cleaners. Are they handheld? I have seen the Hoover wet cleaner thing that looks like a vacuum, but I don't know if that is steam or just "wet."

Any advice??

TIA!


Sorry that it took so long to reply...prom weekend. We just use our $45 everyday wallpaper steamer from Home Depot. It only provides steam, not any suction like Stanley Steamer. Your tile sounds like what is in our sunroom and laundry room and it works perfectly. You'll be amazed.

As an added bonus, the steamer also works great to remove the dents in your carpet when you move furniture around. We bought it only for steaming off the wallpaper, but my husband has found many uses.

[BucknellAlum]

Sorry that it took so long to reply...prom weekend. We just use our $45 everyday wallpaper steamer from Home Depot. It only provides steam, not any suction like Stanley Steamer. Your tile sounds like what is in our sunroom and laundry room and it works perfectly. You'll be amazed.

As an added bonus, the steamer also works great to remove the dents in your carpet when you move furniture around. We bought it only for steaming off the wallpaper, but my husband has found many uses.

So, does the steam loosen the ground in dirt?

Then does it leave a puddle of water on the floor? Some of the machines I have read about claim to steam them, then suck up the water, etc.

I am not too concerned about steaming to remove germs (I think the regular cleaning takes care of that) but I was hoping the steam would really get every nook and cranny clean, you know?

Am I on the right path to be looking at some type of steam cleaner then?

Oh, and hope the prom was fun!

[TKay]

We have ceramic tile floors and use diluted vinegar and water. It does a great job. When I had my carpets cleaned recently, the guy told me he also does tile floors. That's the first time I'd ever heard of that. I didn't realize you had to reseal afterward. I'm surprised so many of you have heard of doing this. I bet it looks like new afterward.
I know I didn't help at all, but I was curious about the steam cleaning. Good luck, Ellen, whatever you do.

[LakeMartinGal]

We have ceramic tile floors and use diluted vinegar and water. It does a great job. When I had my carpets cleaned recently, the guy told me he also does tile floors. That's the first time I'd ever heard of that. I didn't realize you had to reseal afterward. I'm surprised so many of you have heard of doing this. I bet it looks like new afterward.
I know I didn't help at all, but I was curious about the steam cleaning. Good luck, Ellen, whatever you do. Yeah, we had to reseal after the steam clean/dragon venom clean, but it was OH! so worth it not to see the 'grain' in our tile... It didn't last more than a month, but at least we know it was super clean for that time!:rolleyes: I think I may have DH talked into a wallpaper steamer, since there are other things to do with it... like clean engines, etc...;)

[MaryMac]

So, does the steam loosen the ground in dirt?

Then does it leave a puddle of water on the floor? Some of the machines I have read about claim to steam them, then suck up the water, etc.

I am not too concerned about steaming to remove germs (I think the regular cleaning takes care of that) but I was hoping the steam would really get every nook and cranny clean, you know?

Am I on the right path to be looking at some type of steam cleaner then?

Oh, and hope the prom was fun!

The steam just dissolves the dirt. There is some water, but all you have to do is wipe it with a dry cloth and it does get every nook and cranny. When my husband first said he was doing it I thought he was crazy, now I'm convinced. Our dog gets the laundry room really dirty and it always comes clean.

I'm sure that an everyday wallpaper steamer would be much cheaper than buying a specialized steamer. Good luck on your cleaning "adventure".

Thanks for asking about the prom....it was her last one and I think she had a wonderful time.