Tile Stain Removal

For centuries, people have been using ceramic tile for its strength and beauty. It’s a great option when you’re looking to give your home a new look. Tiles are no longer used just for flooring, either: they are now often used on walls and counters.

Ceramic tiles come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes that can be used just about anywhere, no matter how odd the fit might be.

An added bonus to having tile in the home: it’s fairly easy to care for, no matter where you live.

Knowing how to clean your ceramic tile is essential to making clean up as simple as possible. In fact, of all your household chores, cleaning tile is probably the least time-consuming.

General Cleaning of Ceramic Tile Floors

For general cleaning, sweeping or vacuuming tile floors daily will go a long way toward keeping them clean and protecting them from damage.

If you prefer to sweep, use an indoor broom with soft bristles or something similar to a Swiffer sh-mop.  If you’d rather vacuum, use a light vacuum that’s designed for floors—you don’t want to use one that has a powerful beater brush.

A Damp Mop is all You Need

In most cases, all you need for cleaning tile floors is a soft, damp mop.  Try this first, before you add anything to the water. Simply wet the mop, wring out any excess water, and mop the floor, changing the water as needed.

You can also use a spray mop, like the product manufactured by Rubbermaid. What I like about the Rubbermaid model I use is that I can add my own cleaning solution, whether it’s plain water or something a little stronger for really dirty floors.

If you need to sanitize the floor, add 1/2 cup regular household rubbing alcohol to 1 gallon of water. The alcohol will both kill bacteria and deodorize. Rinse and dry when you’re finished.

Tile and Grout Cleaner

This is a great homemade tile and grout cleaner that is safe for frequent use. It also works well for removing soap scum and cleaning tile counters.

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/3 cup ammonia
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 7 cups water

Combine all of the above items into a spray bottle and shake well to mix thoroughly. To use, just spray it on the tile or grout, then wipe it dry with a paper towel or a cleaning towel.

Removing Blood Stains

A blood stain should wipe right up if you get to it right away.

If not, then wet a paper towel and blot up all that you can. Cover the stained area with a clean piece of paper towel and apply a liquid detergent like Dawn and a little cold water on the paper towel.

Let this solution sit for 30 minutes, then wipe away the stain.

Removing Burn Marks

Gently rub the burn mark or spot with #0 fine-grade steel wool along with either cold water or a detergent solution.

Heel and Scuff Mark Stain Removal 

Use either Mr. Clean Magic erasers which should easily remove the scuff mark, or use a pencil eraser to easily remove heel marks.

Removing Ink Marks from Ceramic Tiles

Ink marks should come off easily using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, or you can try gently scrubbing using #0 fine steel wool and an all-purpose detergent solution.

If the stain remains, try using ammonia. Pour a little on a clean white cloth and cover the ink mark. Leave on for about 15 minutes, then clean the tile with your preferred cleaning method and wipe dry.

Ammonia can discolor grout, though, so be careful to keep it on the tile only. Make sure the room your working in is well ventilated as ammonia has a strong smell. You could even wear a paper mask while working.

As we mentioned before, sweeping and a damp mop is all you really need to keep your ceramic floors clean. When maintained, they’ll look great for years to come.