Hey thanks for stopping by! In this post I’ll be sharing with you the secret of effective, cheap and eco-friendly tile floor cleaning. By the time we’re done you’ll know how to get your tile sparkling like (better then) new using common everyday household items.
Let’s get it on!
1. Kill the Dust Bunnies.
Before you get all hasty and get out the wet mop and cleaners, get rid of the dry stuff first!
Break out your vacuum and work the large open area picking up all annoying dust-balls, cerial bits, dead bugs, and those migrating lego pieces.
Do not neglect the tight hidden corners, if you do, it will soon come back to haunt you when mopping; with cruddy little bits surfacing and sticking to the wet floor, graaa! ( It totally messes with your head) So, snap on the narrow vacuum attachment and go corner crazy.
If you don’t have a vacuum, use a broom (if you don’t’ have a broom or vacuumed, well your hooped buddy; you’re going to pick up every piece of dirt by hand). Work from the outside in, getting into the corners, pulling out the dust and crud into the center of the tiled room where we will conclude picking up the dust pile with the pan.
2. Mix Your Super Cleaner
For the tile floor to really shine we’re going to make a mild water acid medley with White vinegar or Citric acid.
Citric Acid, and Vinegar are both clean green alternative to all those toxic (cancer causing) commercial cleaners. Plus it’s cheap, it’s natural, and it does an overall better Job than going commercial.
Citric Acid?: You can get citric acid in power or crystalline form from your local grocery store. If they don’t carry it, you can order it cheap from an online vendor; just type in “citric acid” at Ebay you’ll find huge bags of the stuff for $25 that will last a lifetime.
Citric Acid is usually a more cost effective route, so if you do go with it, go with crystalline form. As you’ll be less likely to inhale it as it’s being scooped and poured.
Citric Acid Magical Mixture: 1 cup of citric acid to 1.5 gallons of hot water in the bucket
Vinegar is a mild acid and works great too; disinfects, cuts orders, and loosens up the gritty grodies. You want to go with white vinegar as it’s clear and will not leave any color stain; leave grandpa’s apple cider vinegar alone!
Vinegar’s Wonder Mix: 1 cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of hot water in your moping pail.
3. Soak the Tile Floor With Liberty
Now we put our cleaning mixture to work. Liberally apply the magic mixture to the floor with your mop so that it has time to soak for a good 5 - 10 mins. If you apply to lightly it will evaporate before the rinsing. So use your discretion in this step, you want a good soak for the acid to work it’s magic on all the grime, stains and messy buildup.
A quick word about Mops - Using a mop, you got two choices: 1. Made with strips of cloth or 2. The old-school cotton mop made with coiled yarns. Why? Well, because these types of mops work best with the tiles grouted groves, conforming to the shape, and picking up all that nasty grit.
Mop type no no’s - Forget about the swiffer types and old Mr. Sponge mops, they just don’t cut it when working on grouted tile (they completely skip over the groves and that ain’t groovy).
4. Scrub out the Grooves and Special Spots
Spots, stains, and sticky unidentified goo all need your attention. Go around with a sponge-scrubby (one side sponge one side scrubby ) and work out the little spotty areas, most especially the grout in-between the tiles with some good old fashioned scrubbing.
If your Grout is particularly stained with stubborn grime then mix a 50/50 of water and your chosen mild acid (vinegar or citric acid) in a spray bottle. Apply a few sprits to the problem area; let it soak for 5, and then scrub again.
5. Rinse and Because it’s So Fun, Rinse Again!
Dump the mix down the drain (you’ll be glad to know it’s environmental friendly; yay fishes). Fill up your bucket with fresh cold water.
Rinse the mop in the bucket, ring it out tightly, and sop up the entire excess cleaner from the floor.
Dump out the rinse water, fill with fresh cool water again and pass over the floor with a semi-rung mop giving It a good polishing with the freash water, leaving the tiles only damp so that it can air dry fast.
Sweet, you’re done! Look at that shine; you’re a freaking clean green superstar. Now you’re officially certified to yell at everyone that has to gull to step on your tile floor, “Don’t! I just cleaned there!”
Enjoy
