People can tell a lot from the way the surfaces of a person’s home looks. Aside from reading into the material or color that’s used, the condition of it is what’s scrutinized the most. Tiles can be incredibly damage-resistant, enduring lots of foot traffic and movement. However, there can be cases wherein they can still end up with all sorts of stains or cracks. 

Dull tiles can often occur due to a lack of cleaning, or ineffective cleaning. It can be hard to watch your floor and walls shift from pristine to lackluster, and the impression that you give off to visitors may be even worse. It’s important to understand what causes the damage and what you can do to prevent it.

Continue reading to learn about several harsh liquids that you should avoid using to keep your tiles in good condition.

Abrasive Cleaners

Most believe that using cleaners and hard scrubs will help in removing the damage from the tiles. However, it often does the opposite. Abrasive cleaners can help in thoroughly cleaning and scrubbing off dirt, but it also removes the tile’s seal and adhesion to the floor or walls.

With the seal removed, tiles are more likely to move and break. The cracks of your tiles are likely to accumulate a lot more dirt compared to before, too. This is due to the gap left by the adhesion’s absence.

Harmful Chemicals

Harmful chemicals like bleach or acid is a step down from the abrasive cleaning solutions that are used. These mixtures can still be harsh towards the tiles though, changing their appearance by damaging the top layer of the tile.

On top of that, most harsh chemicals can be terrible for the home. It can make the indoor air quality worse, increasing the toxicity. You’d been endangering your family, your friends, your pets, and yourself in the process.

Colored Chemicals

Colored cleaners may have fewer chemicals in their overall solution, but they can greatly damage the color of the tiles and the grout that lies in between. Staining can look artistic, but having it done so haphazardly will only result in your tiling looking more damaged than before.

What You Can Do

So what exactly can clean your tiles without risking any damage? There are several ways on how a property owner can approach this step. Here are several tips on how to properly clean your tiles without overwhelming them with chemicals:

  • Sweep Regularly. Lessening the dust and dirt buildup on and around the tiles is important in keeping them clean. This can be a little tougher with tiles that have multiple crevices, but it’s better than drenching the floor and walls with so many liquids.
  • Mop with Warm Water. If you do need some wet cleaning instead of dry cleaning, using a mop and warm water daily would be ideal. You can introduce a very mild detergent to rinse off any tougher dirt while keeping the tiles intact.
  • Use Ammonia Mix. When water and detergent aren’t doing the trick, try to use ammonia instead. Stubborn stains and gunk should be easily removed. This is potent though, so only use the mixture in targeted areas.

Conclusion

Understanding what chemicals you should be avoiding is important to maintain the condition of your tiles. Instead of resorting to those liquids, try to check for alternative ways to clean your tiling and flooring.

Looking for high-quality tiles from San Rafael, CA? Miconi Marble & Tile is a family-owned and operated showroom in the US. Visit us today!