Clean Your Tiles And Grout

Bathroom and kitchen tiles must be maintained regularly to prevent stains from forming.
Follow our simple steps to have your floor shine like a new car.

Supplies | Tiles | Grout

You’ll need:

• Liquid soap/Mild household cleaner
• Mop
• Vacuum cleaner
• White vinegar
• Brush
• Sponge
• Bucket or basin
• Old toothbrush
• Bleach
• Household gloves

Clean the tiles

A regular cleaning of your tiles should not be that much effort, provided you follow a few guidelines.

Use the right products

The tile is a surface that is easily maintained provided you use the right products.

• Avoid cleaners products or detergents that contain hydrofluoric acid, as they attack the cement grout.
• Do not use oily products or waxes to clean the floor, they leave a greasy film on the tiles.
• Prefer soft products. Liquid soap is a product that is ideal for floor cleaning.
• A mop or sponge is enough. Do not rub your tiles with highly abrasive materials such as steel wool, as this may scratch it.
• Avoid using an excessive amount of detergent if your floor is sticky.

Extremely dirty tiles

If you have extremely dirty tiles, then you may need a more in-depth cleaning process. Here’s what you should do.

• Sweep or vacuum the floor before cleaning.
• If your floor is sticky, rinse with water mixed with a little bit of white vinegar.
• To remove traces of cement or plaster, use boiled vinegar and scrub with a brush.
• To remove ink stains, paint or sealant, use a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol.
• You can also use rubbing alcohol to make your tiles shine.

Clean the grout

Grout seals are what is between every tile. Oftentimes, that’s basically cement, or cement-based material.
Grout is exposed to moisture and spills. Mold can sometimes appear, and it can darken or calcify.
You can clean the tile seals with household products, or use vinegar which removes tartar.

What if the grout is damaged?

If the grout is dug out in some places, or is crumbling, it is best to have them redone.
Indeed, grout seals the tiles. Damaged tile joints allow water to seep between the tiles, which can cause separation of the latter.

Clean grout with bleach

• Wear household gloves.
• Mix the bleach with hot water.
• Pour the mixture of water and bleach on the floor. Leave it for thirty minutes.
• Rub the grout with an old toothbrush.
• Rinse with clean water.

Clean grout with dishwashing liquid

• Wear household gloves.
• In a bucket or bowl, mix warm water and dishwashing liquid.
• Pour a third of the bottle of dishwashing liquid in a liter of hot water. Stir.
• Pour the mixture of water and dishwashing liquid on the tile grout, and leave it there for half an hour.
• Rub the grout with an old toothbrush.
• Rinse with clean water.

Clean grout with vinegar

You can use white vinegar to remove limescale.

• Ventilate the room and protect your hands by wearing household gloves.
• Fill a bowl with 2/3 of white vinegar.
• Add one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, and mix.
• Using an old toothbrush you have dipped in the mixture, rub the grout to remove any stains.
• Let it stand for about fifteen minutes. In cases where the grout is really dirty or encrusted leave on longer.
• Rinse with clean water.

Remove white marks on grout

If your grout is new, and white streaks appear, then you have what is called cement film.
You can remove the film using a specialty product or using a mixture of water and hydrochloric acid.

To remove the veil of cement with specialty product

• Wear household gloves to protect your hands.
• Apply to grout with a sponge.
• Allow it to rest for the time indicated on the product packaging.
• Rub the grout with a brush until the film disappears.
• Rinse with clean water.

To remove the veil of cement with hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid is a product to be handled with care:

• Wear household gloves to protect your hands.
• Mix the water and acid according to the following proportions: 1/4 hydrochloric acid and 3/4 water.
• Always add the acid to the water, never the other way around.
• Scrub the tiles and tile grout with this mixture until the film is gone.
• Rinse with clear water.