Bathrooms have played a crucial role in maintaining the sanitation, hygiene, and purity of a house since ancient times. More recently, the advent of Covid-19 has put a great emphasis on the necessity of hygiene. In India, the style and structure of bathrooms and their accessories have greatly evolved through time. Contemporary bathrooms have adopted several means of luxury and convenience and are designed to de-stress and rejuvenate an individual before and after a long day’s work.

While proper plumbing and earthing are essential for safety and sanitation, you should clean your bathrooms as they are exposed to a significant number of germs from human waste, humidity, and so on. In fact, bathroom floors often tend to get yellow spots if not cleaned regularly, which spoils the look of the tile. Such neglect can also cause sanitary issues for your family.

Nowadays, as most bathrooms have tiled floors & walls, they are great for convenient cleaning and a sophisticated look. In fact, with advancement in technology bathroom tiles don’t just add aesthetic value to the space but with the introduction of products like Germ-Free Tiles, you can now protect your loved ones from 99.9% germ causing bacteria.

However your tiles be, to preserve their cherishable aspect, we will look into the ways to keep bathroom tiles spick and span in this blog.

Vinegar to clean ceramic and porcelain tiles

Whether vitrified or ceramic, most of the tiles are best cleaned with a simple solution of vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Vinegar is an excellent cleaning agent owing to its acidic properties. You can simply dab a cotton cloth in the vinegar-water mixture and gently rub it on the surface of the tile. This removes daily built-up grease, oil, and water spots.

Another benefit of vinegar is that it can be used on countertops, bathroom walls, and floor tiles for effective cleaning and odorless walls.

Infact, with the introduction of all new Granalt slabs, you can now clean your kitchen countertops with only a swipe. These slabs are a great alternative for natural granite stone which is cumbersome to procure and clean. All Granalt slabs can be molded, cut and fixed with so much ease. Watch it to believe it.

Lemon Juice for tile cleaning

You can dampen a cloth with the juice obtained from squeezing a whole lemon. Using this for cleaning high-gloss, porcelain, ceramic and vitrified tiles provides a gleaming finish.

Moreover, a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda is excellent for spot cleaning. If there is a stubborn mark on the tile, just mix a tablespoon of lemon juice and baking soda and apply the mixture directly on the spot. After letting it soak for 10 minutes, rub it off with a cloth dipped in soap water.

However, you should remember that while lemon juice is an excellent cleaning agent, it can be a little too acidic for natural stone tiles. Due to its nature, the solution erodes the sealant layer and leaves a white cast at the least or entirely damages the look of the tile. 

Cleaning Agents 

Liquid and powdered cleaning agents, available in the market, are often more than enough to thoroughly clean the tiles and get off the spots and stains.

You can pick any cleaning agent but make sure to select one of good quality. Dilute it with equal parts of water, and use a scrubbing brush with soft bristles. This is applicable for scrubbing the stains off the floor or daily cleaning. However, do not use abrasive brushes as they can scratch the tile’s surface and spoil its look.

If you want an extra-clean bathroom, run a hot water stream on the walls and floor before cleaning them. The steam of the shower loosens the dirt, which makes it much easier to use your cleaning solution.

How to clean with Bleach On Bathroom Tiles

Sometimes, heavily worn and aged tiles may become spotted, stained, and dull with time. In such cases, bleach can restore the white look from the stained yellow one, as it is a powerful tile cleaning agent. You can mix bleach and water in a 1:3 ratio and pour it over the tile surface. Let it soak for 10 minutes, after which you can wash the tile off with soap water.

Health Caution: Bleach releases toxic fumes, which makes a properly ventilated cleaning area extremely vital for your well-being. Bleach is also known to irritate the human skin. Thus, gloves are mandatory while handling the compound.

Use Ammonia to clean bathroom tiles

Ammonia is very effective in breaking down the long built-up grime, water stains, and yellow spots. One of its major benefits is that it evaporates very quickly, which allows you to clean the tiles by removing hand spots and water stains otherwise easily showing on shiny surfaces. This compound can leave a streak-free clean surface.

The ratio for using ammonia with water is 1:2. Like bleach, soak the tile surface for 10 minutes with this solution before washing it off with a soap mixture.

Caution: Again, like bleach, ammonia exudes toxic fumes and irritates the skin. Thus, proper ventilation and wearing gloves are compulsory while handling this chemical.

Cleaning Grout The Best

Grout is the thin line in between the tiles which are used to connect them. As it is porous in nature, grout often attracts more dirt and grease than the tile. Though often neglected, it can spoil the aesthetic of the tile if not cleaned regularly. Worry not, as tips for cleaning grout are primarily similar to those for tiles.

  • For daily cleaning, use a soap water solution and scrub in between the tiles. This prevents any accumulation of dirt on the grout.
  • For a clean finish and odorless tiles, use vinegar water.
  • For heavily soiled grouts, use a 1:1:1 mixture of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap for more precise cleaning.

Quick Tip: Try to clean the floor tiles after wall tiles to prevent any accumulation of dirt afterward.

After-Cleaning Tips

Cleaning tiles is important, but so is knowing what to do next. You can follow these tips.

  • After cleaning tiles with your preferred solution, wipe them with a dry cloth and allow drying by air.
  • Don’t let spots sit on the tiles for long. Doing so ensures that the tiles soak the site and destroy the aesthetics.
  • Bathrooms are often always wet, so it’s critical to make sure that proper drainage is in place. If water is present on the floor tiles for long, it causes water spots.
  • After cleaning, wipe the floor down with a clean, dry mop and ensure that the floors stay dry.
  • Annually apply a coat of car wax on ceramic tiles. This gives it a hydrophobic effect and prevents the growth of mildew.
  • After applying wax on the floor tile, make sure to buff it down with sandpaper. Otherwise, the floor becomes slippery.

To sum up, while tiles require minimal maintenance, wear and tear are inevitable with the progress of time. However, if you maintain them regularly, tiles can last a lifetime and retain their beautiful aesthetic.

While cleaning the tiles seems like a daunting task, it is fairly simple. Regular materials lying around the house can prove effective materials in such cases, although we are often unaware of them. Yet, as now you know about their beneficial features, you can now clean up your bathroom easily in a cost-effective manner.

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