If you’ve fallen for a beautiful porcelain tile design, just wait until you hear about its other winning qualities: This practical and durable flooring surface is also among the simplest to clean and protect. It should retain its strength and beauty, and outlast any other floor surface in your home. There is only one proviso: You must dutifully clean and protect porcelain, even when it lulls you into thinking that it’s already sparkling clean.
1. Blot up spills as soon as they occur with a rag or paper towel. Avoid allowing even small puddles of water to accumulate on the tile.
2. Sweep or vacuum the tile at least twice a week. It may look rather harmless, but even a thin layer of dust allowed to sit on the surface of porcelain tile can dull its beautiful luster over time.
3. Mix a solution of 1/4 cup white vinegar and 2 gallons of water in a bucket. Mop the porcelain tile once a week with a non-abrasive sponge mop.
4. Rinse the floor with cool water, especially if the porcelain tile was heavily soiled. Rinsing the floor with water only helps prevent a coating from forming on the surface and returns it to its usual shine.
5. Dry the floor with a microfiber cloth. This optional step eliminates the potentia for water stains, which can be especially visible on darker shades of porcelain.
Things You Will Need
- Rags or paper towels
- Broom or vacuum
- White vinegar
- Water
- Bucket
- Sponge mop
- Microfiber cloth
Tips
- Place area rugs near doors and along high-traffic areas to minimize the amount of dirt that is tracked along your porcelain floor.
- You can use a cleanser formulated for porcelain instead of vinegar and water, but be sure to rinse the floor with cool water after.
Warning
- Refrain from using cleansers that contain bleach or ammonia and avoid oil-based products. These can mar the porcelain finish. Refrain from using steel wool pads on porcelain, which could create rust stains in the grout.
_ SF Gsate_