Tile floors basically don’t need complicated care routine or maintenance service to preserve its appearance. Here are a number of tips you can follow to make tiles in your house always look nice and last longer:
Cleaning
You can vacuum or sweep on a regular basis to keep debris (such as sand or dirt) away from the floor and prevent surface scratching. It’s important to do deeper cleaning, you can use a damp mop and a cleaning solution for this part. When you spill something on the floor, always clean it up immediately to prevent stains or makes it more difficult to clean if you leave it too long.
It’s not recommended to use acidic, ammonia-based, bleach and abrasive cleaners to deep cleaning your floor. If you are in doubt, it’s better to consult with the manufacturer to determine the right cleaning solution for the tile.
Protection
You should place mats and rugs in high traffic areas of your house as they collect dirt and debris that would reach the floor. Don’t forget to clean out the mats and rugs daily to remove debris.
Also, you may need to install feet protectors for your furnitures, to prevent any potential scratching or staining. If you really have to move the furnitures in your house, you should do it carefully and ensure the piece is lifted up and not dragged across the tile floor to prevent scratches or other damage to the tiles.
Grout Sealing
Grout sealing should be done to prevent porous which can cause any liquid to be absorbed. The grout should be sealed on a regular basis. Allow the grout in new floors to cure for about a month before sealing, the tile floor should be cleaned and dried. If the grout is stained/dirty, a mild bleach solution and scrub brush will help to rub it off, then you can start sealing once it’s dry completely. Sealing the grout and tile repels moisture, it protects the floor from staining or discoloration.
Repairing
You don’t need to to refinished, resurfaced or reglazed the floor on a daily basis. However, you may still need to repair the tile when it’s broken or damaged. The damage can occur to a grouted joint or a tile may break.
The grouted joint should be removed first using a mechanical rotary tool or a hand tool (i.e. chisel). You need to work carefully to prevent damaging the tiles next to it. If the grouted joint is damaged, it should be free and clear of debris, then you can fill in the new grout. If the tile is damaged, you need to start over by removing all grouted joints surround it, then carefully remove the tile using chisel or mechanical cutting tool. The mortar or adhesive on the floor under the tile should be scraped and removed as well.
It is recommended to consult with a professional to determine the most appropriate way of grout sealing or repairing your tiles/grouts and flooring tile maintenance in general. Instead of doing it by yourself, you can leave it to professionals like Tile Tech Solutions and have it done for you. Check out their listing here.