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Tiles are an essential part of every household and hence, should be cleaned regularly. This is done to maintain your interiors and also to prevent any dirt from accumulating on the sides of the tiles. Most tiles will start to develop rigid stains that have to be cleaned by a professional. This, undoubtedly, will incur higher costs just for maintenance can even lead to tile repairs.

Let us guide you through some few basic steps required to clean and maintain different floor tiles.

Porcelain Tiles

One of the big advantages of porcelain tiles is that they require low maintenance. Glazed porcelain tiles, along with other types of porcelain tiles, do not need to be cleaned. But in order to preserve such tiles, you can clean them at least twice a week. All you have to do is clean the tiles with a sponge or a mop that’s wet with water and ¼ cup of vinegar. This should suffice to maintain the texture of polished porcelain tiles.

Ceramic Tiles

Since ceramic tiles are made out of clay material, there are a variety of ways that one should follow in order to maintain its quality. Otherwise, the surface of ceramic tiles will slowly wear off and reveal the clay underneath such as that of glazed ceramic tiles. There are three methods to create ceramic tiles – dry press, extruded, and the slush mold methods. The dry press method is carried out on glazed tiles when the tiles are dry and put under high pressure. The extruded method is done when the material is wet, while the slush mold method involves having the wet tiles treated under extreme heat. Regularly clean ceramic tiles using water and vinegar in order to avoid damaging these tiles. You can also opt for a professional to get it cleaned from time to time.

Natural Stone Tiles

Granite floor tiles and marble floor tiles are made out of limestone and molten lava respectively. As such, these tiles absorb water easily and are considered to be almost stain-resistant. With this, Stone Floor Tiles are usually used for bathrooms, kitchen, and floors. These types of tiles can simply be cleaned using the normal soap and water mixture on a regular basis. water and soap on regular basis. Remember not to add vinegar to the mixture. If there happen to be any stains on the surface of the tiles, opt for a polishing method that’s usually done by professionals.

Travertine Tile

Like granite floor tiles, travertine tiles are also made out of limestone. Hence, they cannot be cleaned using harsh chemicals. Only clean travertine tiles using a soft sponge or mop.  As these tiles are generally soft in nature, they are highly prone to cracks and tend to require extra care. It is also preferable to not use such tiles in high foot traffic areas. Travertine tiles are usually used in restricted areas that do not require as much maintenance.

Slate Tile

Slate tiles are durable, dense, and have darker tones compared to other types of tiles. These tiles are known to have a smooth texture, which makes it great as kitchen slabs or areas with high foot traffic. You can easily clean such tiles with a wet mop.

Tips for Cleaning Tiles

• Never use ammonia or acids to clean the tiles as they may damage and discolour the material.
• Do not use wax cleaners or oil-based cleaners for ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles.
• Never use agents that contain dyes to clean marble and granite tiles.
• Avoid using steel rug pads to clean tiles. This will change their texture and may even break the edges of the tiles.
• Having a rug outside of your main door can also filter out dust and prevent them from entering the house, which can eventually accumulate in the gaps between the tiles.
• Always wipe and vacuum the tiles properly before using water or soap on it. This is to prevent the dust from mixing with the water.

At TM Tiling Singapore, we deliver quality tiling services. Browse through our past tiling projects for wood tile design inspiration. We conduct a thorough inspection before any tiling job and deliver top-notch service from HDB BTO flats to commercial areas. Contact us now to speak with our direct tiling contractors – Call us at +65 6653 5655 or email us at enquiry@tmtiling.com. Our team of tiling experts will get back to you as soon as they can.