A tile is a thin object with different shapes including a rectangular and square shape. It is a hard-wearing material that is manufactured, such as stone and ceramic. Tiles are commonly used for flooring, roof coverings, and walls, among other things.
If you have tile flooring in your home, it must be cleaned on a regular basis, just like other types of floors. Having darker tile floors in your home does not mean it will be less dirty. It simply means that the dark color conceals the dirt.
The question as to how often to vacuum your tile floors is the subject of discussion in this article. Different households have different cleaning needs depending on size, traffic, and how much dirt accumulates on the floor.
Continue perusing to learn more in the detailed care guide for tile floors.
In this post we will cover:
- Why should you vacuum your tile floors?
- How Often Should You Vacuum Your Tile Floors
- Additional Tile Floor Tips
- Is it better to sweep or vacuum tile floors?
- How should you steam clean tile floors?
- How should tile floors be maintained?
Why should you vacuum your tile floors?
Hard surface flooring, such as tile floors, does not trap and retain loose soil and dust in the same way that carpets do. Dirt and soil, on the other hand, can accumulate in grout lines, corners, and crevices and should be removed as soon as possible.
When loose soil accumulates on tile floors, it scrapes the surface and can even cause permanent damage to the flooring. Excessive bacteria and dirt will harm your respiratory system, and food particles will serve as a breeding ground for mildew and mold.
While you can clean tile floors with a mop or broom, the best tool for a spotless clean is a good vacuum cleaner.
If you use a vacuum meant for carpets and rugs, it will struggle to capture dust and hair and may even scratch and damage the tile floor if the vacuum has a beater bar.
How Often Should You Vacuum Your Tile Floors: A Care Guide
All floor types collect dirt from sources such as human skin cells, pet dander, debris, and the excrement of dust mites. A dirty floor is unsightly, and when grime and grit are allowed to accumulate on the floor, it can cause permanent damage to your flooring finish.
Generally, hard floors require to be vacuumed on a weekly basis, including tile floors. However, if a lot of sand and dirt is brought into your home, if you have pets, or live in a dusty area, the vacuuming frequency will be more than once a week.
You should not allow dust and dirt to accumulate on the tile floors for any longer than necessary. That is because dander, dust, and other allergens can get into the cracks between the floorboards. As a result, it’s best to stay on top of the dirt.
Keep the floors as clean as possible by having regular wet and dry cleaning of the tile floors. If you have pets or small children, then you need to vacuum your tile floors every single day.
Since they are so active, small children and pets bring a lot of dust and dirt into the house. Furthermore, pets tend to shed their fur around the house, which will eventually end up on the tile floor.
Pets drop fleas, hair, and dander, which can cause or aggravate diseases and allergies. Pets also carry a lot of dirt on their paws, especially if they are allowed to go outside the home more frequently.
However, if you cannot find time to vacuum your tile floors every day, focus on rooms that receive high traffic and furniture where your children and pets spend most of their time in the house.
A vacuum cleaner makes the work easy since it takes the heavy work off your hands.
The rooms and areas in your home that receive more traffic, such as the living room, entryways, and kitchen, will need more frequent vacuuming.
Low-traffic areas, such as a formal dining room or guest room, only need to be cleaned once a week since they accumulate less dirt.
If you want a clean tile free of residue it is best to have a cleaning schedule for both wet and dry cleaning. For wet cleaning, mop the tile floors in the bathroom once a week because germs tend to build there.
The floor in the kitchen needs cleaning once every two weeks.
For dry cleaning, vacuum the tile floors once every week or when you can feel debris or visibly see them. Use a vacuum attachment that has soft bristles and then finish the job with a broom and dustpan.
Porcelain tile floors require to be vacuumed once or twice a week. When you invest in a quality vacuum cleaner that fits your budget, it will not only leave the tile floors sparkling and spick and span, but it will also prolong the life of the floor.
Additional Tile Floor Tips
Keep the cleaning of tile floors light by avoiding leaving large amounts of water on the floors, because standing water will only be absorbed partly. It will also leave marks that will need additional cleaning to clear.
Avoid using hard tools such as beater rolls, steel wools, and scouring powders as they will damage the tile floors. Instead, make use of sponges and microfiber cloths to remove tough stains from the tile floors.
Pay close attention to the grout because it does not get cleaned along with the tiles. Therefore, ensure that the grout is given a good clean once a month and, if it is unsealed, seal it.
Eliminate spills as soon as they occur to prevent stains on the tile floors. Always have a spray bottle with equal parts of water and vinegar ready for cleaning minor messes.
Use natural products such as baking soda and vinegar to clean tile floors. Such products are great for families with children or pets who prefer to avoid the use of chemicals that may be harmful.
Conclusion
Tile floors need tender-loving care just like all other types of floors. Therefore, they should be cleaned as often as possible, depending on your living situation. Generally, tile floors are required to be vacuumed once per week.
However, depending on the size of your household, the traffic that your home receives, and the presence of small children, and pets, the frequency with which to vacuum your tile floors will vary.
For instance, if you have young children or pets, more dirt will find its way onto your floors. Therefore, you have to vacuum the floors as frequently as every day or two or three times a week to stay on top of the dirt.
On the other hand, if you have a smaller household without young children or pets, and little traffic, you should vacuum your tile floor once a week or every two weeks which will be be enough.
FAQs
Is it better to sweep or vacuum tile floors?
Every person has their technique of cleaning the tile floors. However, which is the most useful way between sweeping and vacuuming? Vacuuming and sweeping are both effective ways of cleaning tile floors since both eliminate dirt from the floors.
While some argue that the broom provides better control when it comes to cleaning tile floors, many people agree that a vacuum cleaner makes the cleaning easier.
The main target of the broom is to sweep the floor clean since it removes dirt and pushes it until it can be disposed of.
When you use the broom to sweep the tile floors, you will notice that even the small debris is collected. It does not require attachments to access tight spaces and other areas that are difficult to reach.
Sweeping is, however, more beneficial for ceramic and stone tile floors. The method is most suited for tile floors when displacing and moving debris and dirt from places considered out of the way.
Vacuuming, on the other hand, is best utilized when cleaning liquid substances from your tile floors.
Brooms are not efficient when it comes to removing liquid from tile floors. Vacuum cleaners consist of a bare floor setting to assist you in cleaning garbage from hard floors, such as tile floors.
Some are even designed to manage water to assist in eliminating stains as spills.
When it comes to tile floors, it is better to vacuum than to sweep. Use a vacuum cleaner without a beater bar to prevent scratching and dulling of the tile floors. Vacuum attachments will be helpful for collecting dirt in between tiles and along edges.
How should you steam clean tile floors?
Steam cleaning your tile floors is easy because it is something you can do by yourself. Begin by sweeping the tile floors to get rid of loose dirt and debris that may not be caught by a steam cleaner.
Fill the water tank on your steamer with distilled water and avoid adding cleaning products to the water tank. Attach a microfiber cloth to the head of the steam cleaner, then plug the steamer into an electric source and turn it on.
Pump the handle or squeeze the trigger so that steam can be released through the microfiber cloth. Move the head of the cleaner back and forth over your tile floors.
Change the attachment and microfiber cloth as necessary and remember to unplug your steamer before doing so.
Plug the steamer in again to heat the water before use, and when you are done, unplug it and then remove the microfiber cloth from the steamer. Give the tile floors ten to twenty minutes so that they can dry.
How should tile floors be maintained?
Understanding the best way to care for your tile floors will help you maintain their beauty while keeping them close to their original condition.
Tile floors should be regularly swept to remove and loosen most of the dirt that adheres to the surface of the flooring, especially those with a textured surface.
Make use of labor-saving devices such as a vacuum cleaner to sweep the tile floors. The vacuum should not have a beater bar to prevent the scratching and dulling of the tile floors.
The attachments that come with a vacuum cleaner are essential since they are useful when it comes to collecting dirt in between tiles and along edges.
Do not allow dirt to have its way with your tile floors. To contain and minimize dirt being tracked at your entryways, use walk-off mats because it is easy to shake the dirt off them.
The mats will reduce the dirt that gets to your tile floors while reducing the wear of the floors’ finished surface. Ceramic tile floors require regular damp-mopping as per the recommendations of the manufacturer’s tile and grout cleaners.
Spot clean the tile floors with a clean cloth or sponge to eliminate heavier soil on the flooring using the cleaners that have been recommended. Ensure you rinse well and wipe for more shine.
Textured tiles need mild scrubbing using an electric polisher or scrubber or a soft brush with a mild detergent. After that, thoroughly rinse with warm, clean water to remove leftover residue. Remove any film from the floor by wiping it with a clean towel.
Once your tile floors have been laid and grouted, maintain the areas exposed to water by caulking. It keeps the area looking good while preventing subsurface damage.
After the installation of the tile, give the grout ample time to cure, then seal the tile and grout to offer protection from spills and dirt. It will also slow down the staining process.
Avoid using scouring powder, steel wool, and other abrasives which can scratch the tiles’ finishing. Steer clear of ammonia-based cleaners or bleach, as they will discolor your grout if you frequently use them on your tile floors.
