How do I look after a tiled floor?
Knowing whether the tile is porous, the routine that keeps grout looking new, and the cleaners that damage stone.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 45 min
- Read
- 4 min
- Safety
- caution
Short answer
Find out whether it is porcelain, ceramic or natural stone first, because stone needs sealing and is damaged by acidic cleaners including vinegar. For everything else, sweep often, mop with a pH-neutral cleaner, and keep the grout sealed.
Tiled floors are close to maintenance-free and the two things that ruin them are the wrong cleaner on stone and neglected grout. Both are avoidable and only one is reversible.
Safety
Step by step
- Find out what the tiles are.Porcelain and glazed ceramic are non-porous and tolerant. Natural stone — slate, limestone, travertine, marble — is porous, needs sealing and is etched by acid. A drop of water that darkens the tile means it is porous.
- Sweep or vacuum before mopping.Grit is what wears a glaze and scratches stone, and mopping drags it around. This does more for the floor's life than any product.
- Use a pH-neutral cleaner.Safe on everything including stone and grout. Strong alkalis break down grout sealer over time and acids etch stone.
- Never use vinegar or limescale remover on stone.It dissolves the surface and leaves a dull patch that cannot be cleaned off — only re-polished. This is the single most common way stone floors are ruined.
- Change the water often.A dirty mop redeposits a film that dulls the floor and collects in the grout. Two buckets, or fresh water halfway, makes a visible difference.
- Dry it after mopping.A microfibre cloth or a dry mop over it stops water marks and streaks, particularly on dark and polished tiles.
- Seal natural stone and reseal it.An impregnating sealer, usually every one to three years depending on traffic. Test by dripping water on it — if it darkens, it needs resealing.
- Seal the grout even on porcelain.Grout is porous whatever the tile is. A grout sealer applied after cleaning is what keeps light grout looking new instead of grey.
- Clean grout with a brush, not more mopping.A stiff nylon brush and a grout cleaner, worked along the lines. Mopping cleans the tile and pushes dirt into the joints.
- Deal with spills quickly on stone.Wine, oil, citrus and anything acidic. On sealed stone you have minutes rather than seconds, but the damage from citrus is immediate.
- Use mats at the doors and felt pads on furniture.Almost all wear on a tiled floor is grit carried in on shoes and furniture dragged across it.
- Repair damaged grout before it spreads.Cracked or missing grout lets water under the tiles, which lifts them. Raking out and regrouting a small area is far easier than relaying tiles.
Tips
- The water-drop test tells you what you have: if the tile darkens, it is porous and needs sealing and gentle cleaners.
- Sealing the grout is the highest-value thing you can do. It is what makes the difference between a floor that stays looking new and one that goes grey.
- Steam cleaners are fine on sealed porcelain and ceramic but can degrade grout sealer and are not recommended on some stone. Check before using one.
Common mistakes
- Cleaning natural stone with vinegar — The acid etches the surface permanently, leaving a dull mark that cannot be cleaned away — only re-polished by a specialist.
- Mopping without sweeping first — Grit is what actually wears the surface, and a mop drags it across the whole floor. Sweeping first does more than any cleaner.
If it doesn't work
Grout gone grey or dark
Cause: Unsealed grout absorbing dirt — Fix: Clean with a grout cleaner and a stiff brush, let it dry fully, then apply grout sealer.
Dull patch on a stone floor
Cause: Acid etching from vinegar, citrus or a limescale product — Fix: It cannot be cleaned off. Light etching can sometimes be polished out by a stone specialist; use pH-neutral cleaners from now on.
Floor streaky or filmy after mopping
Cause: Too much cleaner, or dirty water — Fix: Rinse with clean water, use less product, change the water more often and dry the floor afterwards.
Tile loose or hollow-sounding
Cause: Water under it through failed grout, or adhesive failure — Fix: Lift and re-bed it, and repair the grout that let the water in.
Questions people ask
How do I clean a tiled floor without damaging it?
Sweep first, then mop with a pH-neutral cleaner and change the water often. Never use vinegar or limescale remover on natural stone — it etches the surface permanently.
How often should tile grout be sealed?
Roughly every one to two years in a kitchen or bathroom. Drip water on it — if it soaks in and darkens, it needs resealing.