Let me guess, you came to this page looking for how to make tile floor shine without wax because you have finally come to learn that in as much as wax has been known to improve the appearance of tile floors, it eventually accumulates and forms unattractive remains on the floor. Fortunately, simple and natural products are able to make tile products shine without the need for wax or other chemical products.
Tile floors lose their shine by hiding stains, dirt, and dust spread over them by shoes. Although many people use wax to polish floors, there are other ways to polish floors without wax. Here are some do-it-yourself ways to make your floor tiles shine without waxing.
Whether it’s the kitchen, bathrooms, hallways, full house floors, and even walls, tiles are everywhere. Why is this great use of tiles? Of course, floor tiles come with a number of benefits that no one can neglect their importance. Tile floors are the most difficult and toughest types of floors with the lowest chances of cracks and even if that happens, you do not need to completely reinstall the floors. You can only put new tiles in the affected areas and that’s it.
To enhance the appearance of tile floors, waxing is the method widely used of course. Once the tile floor is waxed, the interior looks elegant but for how long? Within a short period of time, a nasty layer of dirt will begin to build on the tile floor, giving it an infernal appearance. So, why not look at some other ways to achieve a similar sheen without removing wax when we have so many options.
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How Can I Make Tile Floor Shine Without Wax?
With the latest effective cleaning agents available on the market, cleaning and maintaining tile floors is not a big deal. Once you’ve cleaned your tiles with natural options, you can apply high gloss tile sealant to get more shine.
1. Sweep and vacuum to remove debris.
The most valuable step is also the easiest. Tile floors start with vacuuming and regular cleaning. This step helps remove loose dirt, food crumbs and other debris accumulating on the tile floors.
You should be very precise in this step, use the vacuum cleaner to catch debris as possible. Otherwise, no matter which solution you choose to use, it will be impossible to end up with clean floor tiles. Enter all bunkers and corners of your house and try to get them all. The best vacuum to make your tile floor shine is the Dyson V8 Absolute which is cordless. The Dyson V8 is a know handheld vacuum cleaner for making tiles shine. This a stress free method that can get you results in no time. Click here to see price on Amazon.
2. Soap and water solution
A little soap and warm water must be mixed in a mop bucket to make a soap and water solution, and it should be placed on the tile floor with a mop. The wiper must be squeezed well before use on the floor, and the solution must be renewed or changed as soon as it becomes imitative.
The entire surface of the floor should be rubbed with a soft towel to absorb the solution, and the floor should be checked for shine. In the event of severe spots, a soft brush or sponge should be used to gently clean the stain, and the floor can be rinsed with clean water if necessary.
3. Baking soda paste solution
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is widely used in baking. This is because it contains yeast properties, that is, it causes the dough to rise by producing carbon dioxide. Besides cooking, baking soda can be used for additional household uses and health benefits.
Baking soda can be used to remove stain tile and grout stains if the floors are dirty or discolored. It can be said that it is a natural tile polish that helps to renew tile floors.
To use baking powder paste, mix an equal amount of baking soda with warm water to make a thick paste. Then, dip a soft brush into the baking soda. Rub the plaster and tiles. Leave baking soda for 10 minutes before rinsing the tiles with warm water. Repeat the process on the tile floor to remove any visible stains.
4. Ammonia solution
Ammonia is one of the best floor cleaners with remarkable results in removing stains and restoring the gloss on the floor tiles. You can add a few drops of ammonia to the warm water in the mop bucket and mix well. After that, dip the mop into the cleaning solution and squeeze it well to avoid excessive use of the cleaning solution. Wipe the floor thoroughly, remove stains and dirt, and cleanse the floor at the same time to make your tile floor shine without wax.
5. Vinegar and water solution
Vinegar can be very strong, so it is not a good idea to use this substance alone. Moreover, it also has a terrible smell, so keeping it in your house can make you feel uncomfortable. Despite these distinctive flaws, vinegar has a major effect on cleaning up.
A moderate amount of the mixture is sufficient, do not use too much. Now it is time to use a spray bottle. Choose any spot on your tiles and spray the mixture on it. The mixture will take effect immediately so it has no value in waiting at any time.
If the tiles have no stain or need to be heavily cleaned, just wipe the floor with a wet swab to spread the cleaning solution over the area. After wiping one part of the house, clean the microfiber mop and start with the new section. If the mop is dirty, repeat it until the entire house is completely clean.
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How To Remove Old Wax From Tile Floor
Striping old wax from the tile floor is quite easy. You just need a few steps to know how to do this. Continue reading.
- Get a gallon of warm water and mix it with a half-cup white vinegar thoroughly.
- Plan your walkway because the stripping solution will make your floor very slippery to work on when you wet it.
- To make the process easier, begin from the far end of your room, moving towards the door.
- Soak the mop with the stripping solution and squeeze it to ad spilling the excess solution on your floor. Scrub the mop over your floor, moving in a circular motion.
- Mix another batch of the stripping solution each time the one in the bucket becomes dirty. Scrub the surface uniformly and allow the stripping solution to remain for about ten-fifteen minutes. However, do not allow the stripping solution to dry completely.
- Fill another bucket with fresh water and get a mop to work with. Wash the floor and rinse several times; just to ensure that you’ve completely removed all the stripping solution off your floor.
- To finish up, clean all the tools and equipment you used during this process. Then allow your floor to dry completely if you want to wax it again. However, don’t start the waxing process the floor hasn’t dried completely as the moisture will not allow the wax to attach completely to your floor tiles. So, when your tile floor is completely dry, you can commence with the waxing process.
How To Keep Your Tile Floor Clean
Now that you own a beautiful tile, you would want to keep it sparkling clean always. If you are interested in the extending life and quality of your tile floor, there are a few basics of tile cleaning you need to be familiar with.
While cleaning isn’t the only solution to this, there’re som few tricks to keep your tile floor sparkling and spotlessly clean for a very long time. These simple tips apply to most types of tiles, be they ceramic, vinyl, porcelain, natural stone, linoleum, or cork.
Sweeping Your Tiles
As awful as it may sound, some people don’t bother to sweep their tiles. The result here is dirt and grime sticking to the tiles like glue- especially textured tiles such as slate or tumbled marble.
The layer of grit will eventually stick into the tile, discoloring the surface and making it difficult to maintain.
Regular sweeping is effective for loosening and removing most of the dirt on your tiles. A quality vacuum cleaner with a bare floor setting will perform well, but over time it may leave scratch signs on your tiles.
If you want to go for vacuums, use a canister vacuum coupled with a brush floor attachment to avoid damaging your floor.
Damp Mopping.
You should damp mop your tile regularly using a mild but effective cleaner( check our website to get the recommended ones)
If you’re not sure which cleaner to use, go with water and a quick stream of dishwashing liquid or a cup of white vinegar. Both methods are safe especially for homes with pets or children.
Prevent soap residue
Sometimes your tiles may look cloudy especially when you clean with regular dish detergent soap.
Clean the haze using a liquid non-abrasive cleaner. However, if the films persist, try using an original cleaner produced from diluted lemon juice.
It’ll surely work on ceramic or porcelain tiles. However, do not use it on natural tiles, it can damage the stone.
Deep cleaning
Mopping probably won’t help much, if your tile floors are heavily soiled. For extremely dirty tiles, get an oxygen bleach solution and use it with a scrub brush to wipe out embedded dirt and grease.
After applying the cleaning solution, ensure you rinse thoroughly with clean water to prevent breaking down your tile’s protective surface.
Purchase or rent a steam cleaner to tackle years of grit and gunk. If you cannot handle the tough stains, then contact a professional to do the job for you.
Dry your tiles
After mopping your tiles, it’s is best not to allow them to air dry. It may likely result in water sports, especially if your water is containing heavy mineral deposits.
Dry your tile floor immediately using a clean, cotton, microfiber mop or lint-free cloth. Wipe up your tiles quickly, to prevent calcium water stain.
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How To Clean Grout On Floor Tiles
Clean tiles are not just as good unless the grout is also very clean! A protective grout sealer is applied when your tile is originally installed.
You should reapply this sealer every 12 -14 months to prevent dirt, stains, and moisture from penetrating the porous surface of the grout.
To clean stained grout lines, mix up a batch of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide or water and oxygen bleach in equal parts. Scrub the stains and discoloration using a toothbrush.
Rinse the spot thoroughly. Let the grout dry completely before applying a sealer.
FAQs
Why Do Stains And Mold Occur On Tiles?
No matter how often you clean your tiles, molds and stains will still frequently sabotage them.This is usually because they’re caused by various types of bacteria.
They are many reasons why stain-causing micro-organisms could develop on your tiles, such as the increase in your room’s temperature, which causes humidity and moisture making bacteria, or drink and food spillages that leave microbes behind on your tile floor.
Nonetheless, bacteria are ever-present around us hence stopping them from coming in contact with your precious tiles is almost impossible.
However, stopping them in their tracks before it causes molds and stains is the best way of keeping your tiles looking good and long-lasting.
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How To Avoid Stains On Your Kitchen Tiles
Preventing your tiles from getting stained is not a difficult task at all. The three steps below will help you in achieving that:
- Mop the tiles in your kitchen at least once a week, using very hot water.
- Wipe off any food or drink spillages as fast as you can before it settles in.
- If the stain or mold won’t wipe off, mix a half cup of vinegar with a gallon of clean water and keep mopping the floor as normal. After removing all the liquid from the tiles, use warm water to rinse the floor. You will get similar results when you use this procedure for ceramic wall tiles and ceramic kitchen countertops.
How To Avoid Stains On Your Bathroom Tiles
- Your bathroom will look disgusting when stains ligers on its tiles. Luckily, there are ways to avoid this scenario:
- Always keep your bathroom well ventilated. installing a bathroom fan will go a long way in helping to keep your bathroom from becoming humid, which attracts bacteria.
- Wipe your tiles at least once a week using a specialized cleaning solution to prevent stains and molds from building up.
- If the mold or stain on your bathroom tiles won’t wipe off, first ensure you’ve aired out the bathroom because a high moisture level leaves mold almost impossible to deal with.
- Cleaning your bathroom tiles with a premade solution containing 10% bleach and 90% water will eliminate most of the mold.
- For particularly stubborn stains, mix a solution containing 25% bleach and 75% baking soda in a cup. You should test this solution on a small section of your tile to know if it’s okay before using it on larger sections to tackle mold.
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How Do I Make My Floor Tiles Last Longer?
To make your tile floor last longer, you need to keep up with regular maintenance. If you fail to clean them routinely, they may require deep cleaning because grout always holds on to dirt.
No matter how many times you mop your tile floor, the grout won’t bulge. You’ll need to scrub it well using a soft brush or contact a tile and grout cleaning to do the job.
There’re several things needed to be done to maintain your floor tiles:
Place a doormat in front of your doors
It is easier to keep your floor tiles clean if you can stop external dirt from coming in. A common problem with dirt coming inside your home is that it damages the finished surface.
You can minimize external dirt from getting into your home by placing a doormat at the front and back of the doors.
Sweep or vacuum your tiles once a week
You should clean your floor tiles at least once every week. Use only brooms and vacuums with soft bristles to avoid damaging your floor.
Cleaning your floor every week helps in preventing dirt buildup which tends to be difficult to clean.
Enforce a “no shoe rule”
To prevent dirt from getting in contact with your tiles, implement a no-shoe rule. Tell your guest and all members of your household to boff their shoes before stepping into your home.
You can also set up a shoe rack at the front of your door where people can keep their shoes.
CONCLUSION
Tile floor cleaning doesn’t need to take the whole afternoon. If you have the right supplies to do the job, you can accomplish your routine in half the time and get great results.
After cleaning, allow time for the tiles to dry before walking on. Otherwise, your floors will show every line and imprint. Try washing floors at peak times, so your family doesn’t destroy all of your hard work.
