Tiles are an essential component of modern housing. Be it on the floor or the walls; they reflect light and automatically add to the elegance of any room. Tiles are also highly approved for clean houses. Generally, because people prefer light-colored tiles on the floor, it helps them detect any dirt. Since they are smooth, they are also very easy to broom and mop. To maintain your tiles, all you need to do is broom and mop the tiles correctly. Some tiles are naturally porous, which makes them unusually prone to getting discolored. The problem with porous tiles is that when the abrasive material reaches their pores, it eats them up, hence, damaging the flooring greatly. In this blog, we will discuss the various ingredients lying in your house that you can use to clean out tile stains.
Understand your tiles
Vinyl tiles
This type of tile is fully waterproof and cost-effective. It is a common choice because of its practicality. It is easily replaceable as well. It does come with a disadvantage, which is that if the floor is irregular, the tiles will also be irregular.
Ceramic or porcelain tile
These tiles fill the room with elegance. They also work well with radiant heat and are very easy to clean as well. The disadvantage that they carry is that they can get very slippery when wet, which can lead to a person falling on them. The falling part could also cause bruises because these kinds of tiles are very hard.
Natural stone tile
Natural stone tiles are very good looking and add that extra factor to your room. they are robust and last much longer.
Engineered wood
Engineered wood tiles last much longer than actual wood. Their polish might get spoiled after some time, though, so you must lookout for symptoms of the vinyl covering wearing out. They are also great at water resistance and add a very earthly feeling to the room
Cork flooring
You should avoid this one as it is not waterproof; it is water-resistant. Well, since a bathroom floor is very prone to getting wet, this might not be such a good option. If you already have it, get it polished like vinyl polished so that it becomes waterproof.
Granite tiles
If you are looking for robust tiles that will last long, this is a good choice. On top of that, they are good looking as well. you may use any abrasive material of your choice to clean them, but they will remain good.
Terracotta tiles
These are high maintenance tiles as you will have to get them sealed every two years. but on the contrary, they bring a very homely feel to the room. Also, they take much more time to get cold.
Marble tiles
Marble tiles get notoriously slippery. Also, they have higher maintenance than other tiles. If you are looking for a blog to know more about your marble tile, we have a separate blog dedicated to this specific material.
Linoleum floor tiles
Linoleum floor tiles are biodegradable and hence very good for the environment. They are very durable and also are easy to install. The number one disadvantage is that they require an off period after installation because they emit fumes. The second disadvantage is that they are scratchable.
Glass tiles
These are a good option for people who want to customize their bathroom. Not only that, but they can also be very durable. This one reflects light very well and keeps the room shining. A disadvantage that it brings is that it is scratchable.
Slate tiles
Slate tiles are very robust and durable. On the other hand, they are high maintenance as you will need to seal them after a particular period.
Cleaning stains
Using commercial cleaners
There are specific cleaners that you can use to clean out stains on your tiles. One of them is Kolan organic, eco-friendly bathroom cleaner 700 ml suitable for all surfaces, including marble, granite, wood, tiles, stainless steel, and glass. Click here to check it out on amazon
, or you may also try Cleanz up stain remover for hard water stain, watermarks, limescale, rust, all-purpose cleaner with shine polish formula – 100 gm.Click here to check it out on amazon
Using detergent or soap
These are the age-old cleaners that everyone uses every day. Just take half cup detergent in 6 cups of water and mix well. Use a sponge or a fine cloth to clean the stain with the mixture. If detergent is too harsh for your tiles, use a mild soap mixed with water to clean out the stains.
Using baking soda
To make a paste of baking soda, put a few drops of water into baking soda and mix well till you reach the consistency of a paste. Put the paste on the stain. Leave it there for about fifteen minutes. Scrub the stain gently with a sponge dipped in vinegar. Wash with water immediately. The vinegar should not stay on the tile as it is abrasive and could harm the polish of your flooring. You can buy Heinz distilled white vinegar the all-natural choice for food on amazon. Click here to check it out.
Using shampo
Shampoo works best for cleaning a vinyl floor. Just make a mixture of shampoo and water. Mix it well in a way that it foams up well. Now put this solution on the floor and start scrubbing lightly. Rinse with water and wipe the stains dry with a towel.
Using oil
This method is specifically successful for vinyl, engineered wood, and granite tiles. Just take any oil of your preference and pour it on the grease or grime. Oil tends to clear them away much faster than other cleaners. Let the oil sit on the grease stain for an hour and then use a cloth to scrub it away—end with mopping once with soapy water. Soapy water will take away the leftover oil—end with cleaning with normal water and then drying the tile.
Hot water
Who knew that just changing the temperature of the water could bring amazing results into the cleaning process? Mop the tile with hot water and see the stains disappear.
Using acid
Acid can be very abrasive. Use it only when all other methods you could have tried have failed. Take 6 cups of water and add a capful of acid into it. Dip a cloth in the mix and dab the mixture on the stain. Let it sit for about twenty minutes and wipe it with another cloth. Clean with water properly. Then sprinkle some baking soda on top to neutralize the acid. Rinse with water and dry properly.
Using hydrogen peroxide
Take a cloth and saturate it with hydrogen peroxide. Leave the towel over the stain for fifteen minutes or more. Remove the towel and rinse properly
Using bleach
Take a ratio of ten is to one for water and bleach. Using that mixture, either spray the solution or pour it over the stain. Rinse properly and dry the area.
Using talc/ plaster/ powdered white chalk
Put 1 cup of talc or plaster or powdered white chalk in a bucket full of water and keep stirring in water until a thick consistency is obtained. Wet the area and spread the paste over it. Cover each of these stains well with plastic wrap. Leave it as such for one or two days. Then remove the cover and wipe it all away. Clean as usual with a commercial stone cleaner. This method is especially good for marble floors.
Using vinegar
To clean a particular stain with vinegar, you need to dip a towel in vinegar. The tower can be made of cloth or paper. Dip the towel in such a way that it gets saturated with vinegar. Now place this towel all over the stain. Let it sit for about 20 minutes. In this process, the tower should be able to absorb the stain. Remove the towel and wipe with another dry towel. Rinse properly with water and let it dry
Targeting particular types of stains
Sometimes a person knows what the stain is caused by and wants to clean according to that knowledge. Worry not! Because this section will solve your dilemma completely. We discuss all types of stains and the various methods you can use to clean them in this section.
Wine or berry stains
Wine and berry stains are very tough to remove. You must take action to clean them as soon as the wine or berry touches the floor. First of all, take a good quality microfiber cloth and Dab it on the stain to absorb all the juices. The next step is to make a paste of baking soda and vinegar. Apply the paste evenly on the stain and leave it there for 2 minutes or more. Using a good quality cloth, wipe away the paste. Then rinse with water and dry with another dry Tower.
Bloodstains
They can be cleaned with either hydrogen peroxide or bleach. If you want to clean the stain with bleach, mix the bleach in water. The ratio should be ten parts of water to one part of bleach. Then spray or pour the bleach on the stain. Wipe it away. You may repeat the process until the stain is gone. In the end, rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a towel. For cleaning with hydrogen peroxide, saturate a towel or paper towel with hydrogen peroxide and let it sit on the stain. Remove when the stain has been absorbed. Rinse properly with warm water.
Coffee or tea stains
Use the hydrogen peroxide method. Saturate a towel or paper towel with hydrogen peroxide and let it sit on the stain. Remove when the stain has been absorbed. Rinse properly with warm water.
Grease stains
Use oil to scrub the stain and wipe with a cloth. Then rinse with soapy water to make the oil disappear. The next step is to mop with normal water.
Ink stains
A commercial product known as the dry eraser is available, use that to get rid of ink stains. Or you may use the bleach method to clean ink stains.
Hard water stains
Saturate a towel or paper towels in white vinegar and leave them on the spot. Remove after some time and wash with warm water. You may also clean them with soap or detergent.
Tar, gum and wax stains
The first step is to solidify the stain. Take some ice cubes for the process. In a plastic bag, take some ice cubes and place the bag on the stain so that the wax or tar solidifies with the cold. Then scrape out the wax or tar with any instrument you want. Just be careful. You may use any blunt-edged device. Wipe appropriately with the help of paint thinner. Rinse thoroughly with the help of water and dry it out.
Paint stains
A paint thinner is the first thing that should come to your mind. You may also use rubbing alcohol to get rid of such a stain. The trick is to leave a saturated cloth of thinner on the stain and let it loosen up. Then scrape or scrub off the paint stain. Wash properly and dry with a towel.
Grout stains
There are multiple methods to clean grout stains. In the first method, we will talk about how you can clean grout stains with the help of vinegar. In a spray bottle mix equal parts of vinegar and water, spray it over the grout and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then with the help of a toothbrush, scrubbed lightly. The stain should have been gone by now. Take another clean towel and wipe away the vinegar with the help of water. The next step is to neutralize the acid, so Sprinkle some baking soda over the grout. And wash it correctly with the help of water.
There are few commercial products, and you may also use the first product is a dry eraser, and the second one is a Sandpaper.
You may also use peroxide and baking soda for cleaning the grout stains. Mix 1 part of peroxide and two parts of baking soda to make a solution. Spray or pour this solution over the grout carefully. Then with the help of a toothbrush, gently scrub the grout stain—end with cleaning correctly with warm water and wiping it dry with a towel.