Tile floors are beautiful and versatile and a very common choice among homeowners not only because they are so varied in terms of style and design but also in terms of durability they really are quite tough. Generally speaking, tile floors are slightly easier to maintain than some other flooring options as well, although any would benefit greatly from at least an annual professional cleaning, and, if you are planning to sell your home, a once over before the for sale sign goes up. There are some things however that you should also never to do a tile floor, at least not if you want it to remain as beautiful as possible for years to come and impress your guests and those all-important potential home buyers. Here are three of the ‘biggies’:
Using Bleach and Ammonia Based Cleaners
It is usual for most people to clean their tile floors on a fairly regular basis and that is certainly no bad thing. You do have to be careful about what products you use when doing this though. While bleach and ammonia may not do too much damage to the tile itself, they will eat away at the grout in the grout lines, not only discoloring it but degrading it as well. Dirty grout is ugly, and unsanitary, but weakened grout is even worse, as it compromises the integrity of the whole floor. Letting Spills Sit
Most people will react with lightening quick speed if a spill occurs on their carpet but if the same thing happens on a tile floor they are often less worried. That however is a mistake. The longer a spill sits the more damage it can potentially do, even to something as tough as tile. And it is not just liquids either. A blob of tomato sauce for example is very acidic and can eat away at the tile and the grout as well as stain it, so quick cleanup is still a must.
Failing to Protect a Tile Floor from Furniture
Tile is pretty tough and it can indeed stand up to a lot of punishment. It will however still chip and crack if it is subjected to excessive force and that can include the weight of something like a dining set. In order to protect your tile floors use furniture protectors underneath the legs of tables and chairs and other freestanding furniture.
A Real Deep Cleaning – A Must for Your Tile Floors
Daily sweeping and weekly mopping is great but even if you are very meticulous about it it is still not quite enough. A tile floor will really benefit from a professional cleaning, especially if the home it’s in is being staged to sell. Here’s a great idea if you have both carpet and tile flooring in your home. When you schedule your carpet cleaning, schedule a cleaning for your tile as well, in the long run you will be glad you did.