Tile floors in your commercial space are a great investment. They are made to last, are fairly low-maintenance, and are aesthetically pleasing. Seems like a win, win, win for your commercial building in Niagara Falls! However, if not cleaned regularly and taken care of properly, tile floors can leave you commercial space looking dirty and dingy. Also, ceramic or porcelain tile floors should be cleaned differently than marble or natural stone tile floors. At PCS Niagara, we offer specialized commercial cleaning services here in Niagara Falls, so we have a lot of experience with cleaning and maintaining ceramic, porcelain, marble and natural stone tile floors. Here is all you need to know about how to properly clean tile floors and keep your commercial space looking its best.
In this article we will go over ceramic or porcelain tile floors since these are the most common. You should sweep or vacuumed ceramic and porcelain tile floors at least twice a week for low traffic areas and daily for high traffic areas. This will remove surface debris, dirt, and dust that build up on the floors and dull the finish of your tile. Using a microfiber duster or dust mop on these floors will also help pick up dust and hair easily, which can be missed by a broom or vacuum.
To keep grime and build-up at bay on your tile floors, they should be mopped weekly (depending on foot traffic, you may need to mop more or less frequently). Since these tiles are impermeable and do not scratch or lose their shine easily, you can use almost any type of floor cleaner. All-purpose floor cleaners, dish soap, and even white vinegar are safe to use on ceramic or porcelain tiles. Mix your cleaner of choice with warm water and be sure to squeeze out the excess water so your mop or rag is damp but not soaking wet before using. Use gently, even strokes as you move across the floor and take your time to be sure no spots are missed. One important step that is often overlooked is to change out the water regularly. As you rinse your mop or rag, you will notice that the water will get darker or more cloudy as the grime and dirt build up. Be sure to dump the dirty water and refill it regularly or you can leave streaks and hazy lines on your floors. If you do notice that lines are being left behind from hazy water, you can get a clean rag with a mixture of hot water and vinegar and run it over the floors to finish them off.
When it comes to the grout, you should spot-clean every time you mop. For the grout as a whole, you need to clean it every 2-3 months. Dirty grout lines will make even the cleanest floors still appear dull, dingy, and dirty. You can use specific store-bought grout cleaning solutions, or mix up your own bleach solution to remove build up from the grout. Be sure to wear gloves when using any cleaning solutions or bleach mixtures. After you have sprayed the cleaning solution on the grout, let it sit for a few minutes before wiping and rinsing it off.
While these methods may help maintain the cleanliness of your floors, it can be a lot of work and not guarantee the best results. Especially if it’s a commercial space, that may be too much square footage than you can handle! For a sure way to keep your tile floors looking and feeling clean, call PCS and schedule your commercial cleaning services today.
