10/08/2022
Where should I start with tile cleaning?
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Before you dive into cleaning your tile, organize your space. This will help reduce stress and boost your happiness. According to UC Berkeley’s Center for Applied Cognitive Science, “Organizing your home can improve your mental well-being by reducing the stress of not being able to find things.” As a bonus, organizing your home will make it easier to clean your tile.
First, empty any clutter from your floors. This includes stuff lying on them, like shoes and toys. Organize these items into bins and place them in their designated spots—not on the floor. If there are wall-mounted racks, use them again. If not, consider investing in some portable storage bins that can be easily carried from room to room.
Next, decide how you want to use your tile. Is it a central area for daily activities, such as dining or entertainment? Or is it a transitional space, like a entryway between two rooms? This will help determine how much time you spend cleaning and maintaining your tile.
Finally, take care of maintenance. According to the National Institute of Health, “About half of all injuries in the home occur in the kitchen. Many of these injuries occur because the kitchen is poorly maintained.” Clean your tile regularly to prevent accidents and reduce stress.
Bearing that in mind, here are tips for specific cleaning needs.
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Dirt . The first line of defense against dirt is prevention. Limit the amount of dirt entering your home as much as possible. Use window shades, storm windows, air conditioners, and thermostats to keep warm air inside during winter months. Also clean windows regularly.
When dirt does make it onto your floors, use a dust mop to remove it. A study published in the journal Physiological Reports found that human body temperature affects the way we sense heat. Specifically, the color red appears hotter when emitted by human bodies than when emitted by an object that’s not warm. The color red suggests danger, and our brain tells us to avoid it whenever possible. Using a dust mop with a red band seems like it would be more offensive to our brains than a dust mop with a different color band. The researchers found that when participants gazed at a dust mop with a red band, they suffered from heat discomfort more than when they gazed at a dust mop with a neutral band. This means we might feel less warm on our floors when we use a dust mop with a red band than we would if we used a dust mop with a neutral band.
Bacteria . To prevent bacterial infections, use a separate mop for cleaning bathroom floors. The University of Florida published a report in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology recommending that hospitals have separate bathroom floor scrubbers because bacteria such as Clostridium difficile can survive on bathroom floors long after a patient with diarrhea has left the room.
Another source, this time from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommends that households with children under 5 years old should also have a separate floor-scrubbing tool for the diaper-changing area. The most efficient way to clean this area is to wipe it with a clean disposable liner before changing the diaper and then to thoroughly clean the area with soap and water when changing the liner. This prevents the build-up of bacterial infections and cuts down on household medical expenses.
Food spillage . For better tile cleaning, use a solution of half water and half white vinegar. This combination helps removes soil and dirt while while minimizing discoloration and retaining the color of your tiles.
While vinegar may help keep your tiles color-safe, it isn't the best choice for food safety. The University of Florida report we mentioned earlier stated that soap and water are better at killing bacteria than white vinegar. The study authors recommended that households with children under 5 should avoid using vinegar to clean their bathroom floors because of concerns about food poisoning from clostridium bacteria.
How to clean tiled floors with soap and water
Soap and water are the best way to remove dirt and soil from your tiles. If you spill food or liquids on your tiles, you don't need to use an expensive cleaner; plain old soap and water will do the trick. In general, soapy water is more effective at removing dirt than vinegar, even when mixed with vinegar.
