You can safely use vinegar to clean ceramic or porcelain tiles, whether they are glazed or unglazed. For other types, however, like terracotta, marble or grante, we recommend you look for ph neutral cleaner that will not harm the material.
Whilst the right solution is a completely safe, natural, and vegan-friendly cleaner for your floors, you do have to be careful with how you use it. This is because too much exposure to strong vinegar could strip away the finish on your porcelain.
That's right: water alone is enough to clean lightly soiled porcelain and ceramic tile surfaces. No harsh chemicals are necessary! If you choose to use a mop for your flooring, be sure you have swept up debris beforehand and use a flat mop rather than a sponge mop to keep from pushing dirty water into the grout lines.
Vinegar will slowly dissolve the sealer on the grout and tile, allowing dirt, oils, and stains to penetrate deeper into the grout. Using Vinegar on grout can also cause the grout to breakdown overtime. And, that strong acid could damage the finish on the tile too.
General cleaning of porcelain tiles is a relatively simple process. Regular cleaning (once or twice weekly) is the best way of preventing a build-up of dirt and unsightly stains. This can be accomplished with a simple sweep and vacuum to remove debris, followed by mopping sparingly with warm water.
Do not use cleaning products that contain acids or ammonia (and other harsh chemicals) as these can damage grout and glazed surfaces of the tile. Choose products that are compatible with your grout to avoid damage or discoloration of the grout. Always dry your porcelain thoroughly after cleaning.
While vinegar is safe to use on laminate, vinyl, porcelain, and ceramic tile, it is best to use it sparingly since the acid in the vinegar can dissolve the finish on your floor. Therefore, when you are using it on tiled floors, you want to make sure you cut it with water or rinse it completely with water.
Vinegar is one of the best multi-purpose cleaners available at every house. It is safe to use on laminate, vinyl, porcelain, and ceramic tiles. A few drops of vinegar can help you restore the original look of your tile floors.
Vinegar and baking soda produce that oh-so-familiar chemical reaction that powers through buildup and loosens tough stains. While it might seem like it's chewing its way through grime, it's not powerful enough to damage the porcelain finish of the toilet bowl.
For most types of tile, including porcelain and ceramic, you only need one key ingredient: A DIY mixture of warm water and dish soap will do the trick. Follow these steps to clean tiles: Spray the water and dish soap solution on the tile surface. Wipe the area with a damp microfiber towel or cloth.
Especially ceramic and porcelain tile and grout! Blue dawn does not discolor grout joints and further is a great degreasing agent from everyday traffic. Use daily to weekly. The more traffic, the more cleaning.
While you're cleaning your tile floors, steam mops are an effective option worth considering. “Steam mops are great for tile floors as they can clean and sanitize tile and grout quickly and thoroughly. Make sure to leave ample drying time after steam mopping to avoid streaks,” Cohoon says.
To care for the tiles properly, always avoid: harsh chemicals, such as bleach and acid, including lemon and vinegar, for routine cleaning; these can cause damage to the tiles and grout if used regularly and are also health hazards as well as posing danger to other property near the tiles.
But you must use the Wax-free neutral detergent and mild detergent to keep tile shiny and clean. There is some floor cleaning solution such as Faberchimica, Lithofin, and others that you can use to give shine to the tile. The borax powder is as effective as baking soda but it uses mostly to restore the shine of tile.
Vinegar kills germs, dissolves soap scum and mineral deposits, and leaves tiles sparkling clean. But before you go soaking your tiles with it, there are a few precautions you'll want to take to make sure they don't get damaged.
The time that white vinegar should sit on the tile before cleaning depends on the severity of the stains or buildup you are trying to remove. In general, it is recommended to let the white vinegar solution sit for at least five to ten minutes to penetrate and dissolve any dirt, grime, or soap scum on the tile surface.
Cleaning Other Types of Tile Flooring
Slate tile floors can be cleaned with a mixture of warm water and mild detergent such as dish soap. Avoid cleaning products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acidic substances. Do not use vinegar or chemicals on granite or marble tile floors.
Grout that hasn't been sealed, needs to be resealed, or is in poor shape should not be cleaned with vinegar. The vinegar penetrates into the pores of the grout, further weakening the material. Over time, vinegar will deteriorate the condition of the grout by etching or wearing it away.
Rinsing is not necessary! If you're simply using a vinegar and water solution to wipe and disinfect, you won't need to rinse. However, if there's also plenty of dirt and grime you're wiping away, you may also want to rinse with some extra water.
Mix Vinegar-Water Cleaning Solution
Mix 1/4 cup white vinegar with 1 gallon of warm water. If desired, you can add essential oils for scent.
Porcelain tiles or ceramic tiles can be polished using white vinegar and dish soap, plus a microfibre cloth. Wood tiles generally need to be waxed using specific floor wax.
In some cases where the tile surface has a texture that tends to get dirty easily, a penetrating sealer can be applied to the tile surface. The sealer acts as a bond breaker so dirt doesn't tend to cling to it.