Ceramic is one of the most durable flooring types. It can stand up to high impacts, sunlight discoloration, liquids, and mold. But spills happen. From accidents, kids, pets; they are hard to avoid. And even ceramic tile can start to get grungy if not cleaned.

Sweeping

Dirt can easily get stuck on tile, especially those with a heavy texture or grain. Any broom can loosen dirt from the surface. Dust mops can pick up loose hair and dust but may not always get into every crevice of a textured floor. Avoid using any vacuum cleaners that have a beater bar or power head. These can dull and scratch your tile. Check your vacuum’s manual first to ensure if it is safe for tile. Instead, use the attachments for a more gentle cleaning.

Mopping

Ceramic tile should be mopped with a liquid solution. Most cleansers will specify what type of floor they are used for. Avoid using any ammonia-based cleaners or bleach. This will stain your grout over time. Tile or grout cleaner is the best to use. For spot cleaning, sponges and cloth rags are perfectly fine to handle the job. Your knees can get bruised or sore from hand scrubbing so roll up a towel or use knee pads to protect yourself.

Heavy Cleaning

Textured tiles may need some heavy duty cleaning every once and a while. You can scrub this yourself with a soft scrubber or use an electric scrubber. Scrub the floor with a mild detergent and then rinse with warm water. If you have soft water, let your cleaning solution sit for 3-5 minutes before rinsing. Once finished, wipe the floor with a towel. This helps remove any residues that have built up on the floor and from leaving a film from the cleaning solutions.

Cleaning the Grout

Your grout is going to be the toughest task to clean. Grout is porous, other wise known as being full of holes. This means it can easily adsorb grease, sweat, drinks, and other staining materials. There are a lot of commercial cleaners available but a simple mixture of baking soda and water can get stains out as well. After applying the mixture, leave it over night, and scrub it out with a soft bristle brush. A hard brush can damage the grout. You may have to repeat this if it is a tough stain. A silicone based sealer can also be applied to prevent stains.