For many people, a tile floor is perfect for the kitchen. It looks good, it lasts a long time, and it’s easy to clean, right? Well, while sweeping and regular mopping might be sufficient for daily use, the fact is that tile floors can get dirt and grime in between the cracks. Unfortunately, the grouting is the one spot that doesn’t get cleaned with a mop or broom.
Thankfully, there are plenty of tips and tricks out there to help you keep your kitchen tile floors looking their best, all without having to spend your whole weekend on your hands and knees.
To help save you even more time, we collected the best methods and arranged them for you right here. Let’s get started.
Step One: Prevent Dirt From Getting Stuck
As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When it comes to your kitchen tiles, this statement is more accurate than you could know. Why spend all of your time cleaning grout if you don’t have to?
Here are a few ways that you can keep your floors spotless without breaking out the mop bucket or a brush.
Use Area Rugs
Places that get a lot of foot traffic in your kitchen are also where dirt and grime collect the most. For many households, these spots can include the sink, the stove, and the refrigerator. If you put a small area rug beneath each of these locations, you’ll be able to keep dirt from setting down in the first place.
To make it even easier on yourself, be sure to get rugs that are washable and dryable in the machine. This way you can toss them into your weekly laundry and never miss a beat.
Clean Spills Immediately
For the most part, grime gets into your grout because of moisture. Although dry dirt can collect in the cracks, you can usually get it out with a stiff broom. As such, you want to keep your floors as dry as possible. If there’s a spill, clean it thoroughly and make sure that it’s dry before you start walking on it. It won’t keep the whole floor spotless, but it will save you time in the long run.
Step Two: Use a Vacuum or Power Mop
Regular mopping is great and all, but the issue is that the material can’t get deep into the grout to remove the dirt and grime stuck there. Instead of trying to clean your floors manually, try a vacuum cleaner with a mop setting.
What makes these appliances so much better is the fact that they can get deep into the grout and scrub it clean. This way you don’t have to use a brush and get on your knees. Best of all, you can replace your old mop with one of these devices and use them for your weekly or monthly cleaning.
Step Three: Clean it More Often
One of the biggest reasons that dirt collects in your grout is because you let it go too long between cleanings. If it’s been months since you’ve mopped or scrubbed your floor, then you’re in for a long day.
While it can be challenging to make time for cleaning (especially because it’s such a chore), it’s much better to do it frequently than wait until your tiles change color. The best thing to do is find a time of the week and take an hour to focus on your floor. This way you can keep the grout looking fresh, and you (probably) won’t have to pull a Cinderella to get the results you want.
The other side to this is remembering to let the floor dry afterward. As we mentioned, liquid and moisture are havens for dirt and grime, so walking on a freshly cleaned (but still wet) floor is the best way to undo all of your hard work. Instead, plan on doing something else for a couple of hours after cleaning to be sure that you don’t have to mop again immediately.
Step Four: When In Doubt, Call a Professional
Although you probably can’t afford to pay someone to come in every week, a professional deep cleaning is the best way to get your kitchen tile back to its original shine. The reason that we suggest calling in the pros is that it’s much easier to keep something clean than it is to reverse months or years of dirt buildup.
Another thing that professionals can do is seal your grout. This is a semi-permanent solution that will keep your tiles looking their best for longer, but it can be pricey, so only do it if you’re desperate for a final solution to your grout problem.
We suggest using a cleaning service every six months or so, depending on how much dirt collects on average. For example, families with pets and kids are going to need some extra help compared to those without.
Bottom Line
If you’re ready to upgrade your floors, rely on Remnant King Carpet to come to the rescue. If you’re tired of your old and dingy tile and grout, contact us today to see what options are available that are easier to maintain. Don’t settle for drab flooring, upgrade to the best!