Who doesn’t want their feet to be clean? Of course, that is why the concept of footwear was invented. To cover our feet from all the dust and germs and other unwanted things we do not want to touch our feet.
When at home, the same things applies. We humans are perfectly capable of creating a mess around where we survive. We are continuously involved in activities that would make our surrounding a pit of garbage if not cleaned regularly. Also the work of nature, the wind-blown dust for example, are responsible too. And thus, to ensure that our feet as well as our homes remain and look clean, our floors must be cleaned regularly.
Tile floors are the trend that can be seen in almost every second home of today. Decorating the floor with expensive and mesmerizing ceramic or marble tiles retains and keeps their beauty is their maintenance by regularly cleaning them. But tiles, unlike concrete floors or earth floors, need special care and must be cleaned under careful instructions. Otherwise it may damage the shine, pattern, and thus the beauty of your tile floor.
If you are one of those who have installed tile floors for the first time, here are some ways to help you clean the tile floor of your home or workplace:
Sweep Away the Residue
Sweep or vacuum clean your floor daily. Get rid of any residue that is left on the floor gently, taking care not to scratch the floor while doing so. This helps in removing the loose dirt, any food crumb or any dry residual waste that, if left unswept, can become hard to remove stain. These residue if remain still on the floor, can scratch your floor while trying to clean it, and jeopardize the beauty of the floor. To ensure that the floor is completely free of such residue, wipe the floor with dust mop or dry cloth duster over the floor.
If you possess a vacuum cleaner it would be easier and much comfortable for you to remove the dirt off the floor. The vacuum cleaner would suck all the dirt lying on the floor without scratching the same. Using the vacuum cleaner is a very effective and comfortable way to clean the floor without giving you a back or body pain. But, as sweeping is considered a very good exercise by a lot of housewives and the vacuum cleaning machine uses a lot of electricity that is certainly not good for the environment, it is very much wise to sweep the floor by hand. This will not only help you maintain you a slim figure but also help you save the earth.
Mop the Floor
Now it’s time to remove the stain or wet dirt remaining on the floor. After you are sure that the floor is free from any residual matter, mop the floor with a suitable mop. Not all mops are suggested for cleaning tile floors. It is recommended to use chamois-type mop or a rag instead of a sponge mop. A sponge mop pushes the dirt into the lines where the tiles are joined and makes it very difficult to remove them from there.
If the floor doesn’t have much stain and doesn’t need heavy cleaning, wipe it with a damp mop and you are done. After mopping a section of the floor, cleanse the mop with clean warm water and repeat this process until the entire floor is wiped and cleaned.
If the floor has some tough stains which cannot be removed with only damp cloth, mix some amount of dish soap into the water and dip the mop into it. After that, wipe the floor with the dipped mop in order to clean it and any tough stains remaining on it. It would be easier if the floor is swept and mopped regularly to maintain the shine. Using a damp cloth to clean the floor for everyday use is a very good choice. The particles or dust that could become tough stains must not be left for long on the floor and should be cleaned immediately when it is spilled or fallen on the floor, to prevent major damage of the floor.
Drying
Dry the floor using a dry mop each time you have cleaned one section, with wet mop. Whether you have used soft water or detergent mixed with water, it is advised to run a dry mop along the floor to dry any remaining water on it. This method is very much important to prevent any dust further accumulating on the floor. While the floor is wiped with wet mop, the wet floor is also very susceptible for dust particles to stick on and get into the grout. Therefore, it is very important to dry the floor just after it has been cleaned with wet mop in order to keep it clean.
Be careful not to use any hard detergent or other carcinogenic liquid to wipe the floor. It may completely damage the tile floor. You can try mild acid or lemon juice for cleaning some tough stains but only on ceramic tile floor. Any acid or acidic substance should not be used for cleaning a marble tiled floor. The acid could damage the marble floor permanently beyond recovery.
Final Verdict
Cleaning the floor is healthier for the floor but care should also be taken that no such substance gets in contact with it. Any harmful substance not good for the floor can damage the floor and its lustre could not be retained, no matter how many times or with what chemical you try to clean it. If you drop any juice or any sugary liquid, clean it right away. The longer it sits on the floor, it gets annoyingly sticky and difficult to remove. To keep the floor free form bacteria, you can also use disinfectant to avoid catching any disease.
