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need help, how to keep white tile floors clean

12 years ago

I have lots of white tile that is not smooth. Within a day or two of mopping the floor will look really dirty, like someone took a light brown crayon and rubbed all over it. In the heavy traffic areas this only takes a few hours. The only cleaners that work are clorox or pinesol with a lot of elbow grease. (Vinegar does not work at all). I havent tried norwex mops, these floors take so much effort now I cant imagine they would work.

Should I put some type of wax or sealer down? I have had tiles in mnay homes and it has never been this difficult to keep clean, even white. i also have cordless dyson that we use at least every other day.

I am worried about slipping if I put something like wax down.

Featured Answer

krissie55

11 years ago

Alcohol/water (50/50) works great. Put some in a spray bottle. Spray floor and then use wet mop to mop the floors. No rinsing needed and no residue left on the floor. Floors dry fast too.

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Comments (9)

krissie55
12 years ago
Sounds like you have a matt finish unsealed tile.

When you drop water on the tile, does it absorb the liquid fast or does it sit on top? This will indicate whether tile has a sealed finish. Water will sit on top of a sealed surface.

Sealing a porous tile does not usually make it slippery.
mellyc123
Original Author
12 years ago
they do not absorb the water, they have a shine to them, they are just so uneven on the surface that them seem to grab all dirt.
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graywings123
12 years ago
I'm assuming we are talking about ceramic tile?

If I had your problem, I would consider area rugs or runners for the heavily traveled pathways OR using a steam cleaner in place of the cleaning products. The steamer isn't going to keep the floors cleaner, but it is easier to use, IMO.

Actually it might help keep the floor cleaner if the cleaning products you are now using are staying on the tile and are causing dirt to adhere to the tiles. The steamer uses only water, so there's nothing left behind.

Get a good steamer, a canister model, not a steam mop. And be prepared to use it repeatedly at first to remove the cleaning product residue. It can take some work before you get the gunk out of the tiny crevices of the tile. I did this recently on a not-smooth tile floor belonging to a friend of mine. I kept going over one small area, changing out the steam cleaner's cloth (I use microfiber). I did an area that was 3 feet by 3 feet and I went through 3 cloths (microfiber) until no more dirt came off.
jannie
12 years ago
I keep my bathroom tile floor clean with Rejuvenate Tile and Grout Cleaner. I found it at the hardware store. Works great on the tile but my grout is permanently stained gray. Whatever happens, Good Luck to you!
bulldinkie
11 years ago
I use a bleach cleaner on my white bathroom ,I wet area soap it up use brush,rinse good,its nice white just did mine.I was told once wash with like pinesol it has oils in it so tile grout doesnt dry out
lindac
11 years ago
Another who suspects you have a build up of cleaners....get the floor really clean....rinse and rinse again and they should stay....unless you have a situation where paople have sticky stuff on their shoes.
Isabel Williams
2 years ago
I have white subway tiles on my bathroom floors and im going crazy mopping them 3 to4 times a day the dust is crazy .cansomeone tell me what to do.
Tammy Botham
2 years ago
FYI, the Norwex mop does diddly squat for grout. I don't recommend it for tile at all. I know this doesn't address the white tile issue but, you don't need a gross grout to boot.

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