Is there an economical way to clean your kitchen tile?

[BAM]

So the off white color of my floor tile just holds on to dirt/discoloration. The grout is also discolored and I want to whiten that as well. Is there something I can use to clean it that is fairly simple and won't cost a lot? I'm thinking I have to use something like comet to scrub each tile.....on my knees. I'm not wanting to try that option.........yet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Bam

 

[TRSTACIE]

Absolutely! Get the tile cleaner from Home Depot. It costs less than $10 and will remove all the dirt from your tile. The trick is to spray the cleaner in along the lines and then let it sit there about 10 or 15 minutes. Wipe it up and you're all done!

I have a Haan steamer. Those things work magic on tile too but the machines are kinda pricey. I absolutely love them though. I have one that has attachments and one that is just for the floors.

 

[BAM]

Absolutely! Get the tile cleaner from Home Depot. It costs less than $10 and will remove all the dirt from your tile. The trick is to spray the cleaner in along the lines and then let it sit there about 10 or 15 minutes. Wipe it up and you're all done!

I have a Haan steamer. Those things work magic on tile too but the machines are kinda pricey. I absolutely love them though. I have one that has attachments and one that is just for the floors.

Thank you so much! Do you know the name of it or do they only sell one type?

Bam

 

[TRSTACIE]

It's probably the Zep brand...I think I still have some at home. I will look when I get home and then post it. I use it in my rental condo all the time. My renters seem to really get the tile super dirty.

 

[BAM]

It's probably the Zep brand...I think I still have some at home. I will look when I get home and then post it. I use it in my rental condo all the time. My renters seem to really get the tile super dirty.

Great, thanks, I appreciate it!

Perhaps you should leave a bottle for your renters with instructions on how to use it. Just a thought.

Bam

 

[fit44]

It's probably the Zep brand...I think I still have some at home. I will look when I get home and then post it. I use it in my rental condo all the time. My renters seem to really get the tile super dirty.

Thanks for sharing!
I was going to hire someone to come in to clean my grout. The estimate was $650 for my entire first floor.

 

[TRSTACIE]

It's TileLab Grout and Tile cleaner. As for the renters, that's a good idea although he still hasn't used the cleaner for the glass stovetop and he has been there over three years!!!!

 

[TRSTACIE]

Fit44 - If you have a lot of tile you might want to look at the Haan. It uses super hot steam (212 degrees F) to lift up the dirt. I get made fun of all the time because I steam clean everything...even the car! Qvc has the best price on them. Of course the grout cleaner will work as well but it might be more of a hassle for really large areas.

 

[BAM]

It's TileLab Grout and Tile cleaner. As for the renters, that's a good idea although he still hasn't used the cleaner for the glass stovetop and he has been there over three years!!!!

View attachment 2531

Thanks so much for the name and picture. I'll be on my way to Home Depot soon! As for your renter, aye, aye, aye. I can only imagine what it looks like. Maybe you can add a few things in your lease agreement stating maintenance that's mandatory for them to do. You can state that there will be a monthly inspection. It's really amazing how people live. I'm sure we could all share stories of that.

Thank you again for the great suggestion. I'm looking forward to having clean tiles and grout. Woo Hoo!

Bam

 

[BAM]

Fit44 - If you have a lot of tile you might want to look at the Haan. It uses super hot steam (212 degrees F) to lift up the dirt. I get made fun of all the time because I steam clean everything...even the car! Qvc has the best price on them. Of course the grout cleaner will work as well but it might be more of a hassle for really large areas.

I wanted a steam cleaner for the longest time. My xbf got me one but I never used it. I don't have a whole lot of tile or floors but for some reason I thought it would be great to have. Since I never used it, I decided to return it and get the $$$ instead which I could use. One day I do hope to get one. There are so many out there so it's hard to know which one is better than any other. Thanks for the suggestion on the Haan. I will keep that in mind for when the time comes.

Bam

P.S. I'd be steaming just like you. I'd look for any and everything to steam. Hey, things can't be disinfected enough if you ask me. I just wish I could do that to some people's mouths and attitudes!

 

[fox2star]

Hey, thanks for posting this!

I too have an off white tile floor in the kitchen and both bathrooms. I will be getting the cleaner at Home Depot,

Can you post the model/link to the Haan steam cleaner that works on tile?

 

[rdnsdn]

Is the Home Depot brand for white grout only? I have beige grout which is better than having white but it too darkens with dirt. Thanks.

Sharon

 

[TRG]

Can we have a feedback?

 

[TRSTACIE]

The Tile Cleaner works on all colors of grout and tile. The grout in my apartment is white and the grout in my condo that I rent out is a dark brown. It really is amazing. I learned about it from my contractor. I used it incorrectly the first time...I didn't read the instructions and let the cleaner sit on the time for the 10-15 minutes. It still got clean but not near as clean as it did when I used the cleaner properly. The tile in the kitchen isn't sealed either so it gets very dirty. After using the cleaner, it looked it did when the contractor first installed it.

I have two Haan steamers:
This one is the floor only unit although I have used it on walls too until I realized the paint was starting to come off (yes it gets that hot!). This one heats up very quickly. It's not my exact model but it's close. Mine doesn't have the swivel head and I think it was a little bit more expensive which is kind of annoying! I use this one a lot on the carpet to kill the dander and dust mites which really help my son's allergies. I use it on the mattresses too. Just remember to let the unit fully heat up before putting on the carpet attachment. Otherwise, the steam will not reach it's maximum temperature.

http://www.qvc.com/Haan-Slim-&-Ligh...ELL-_-IOFFER-_-1&relType=IOFFER&refLocation=1

This is the one with attachments...again...it's not my exact model since they have upgraded it. This one works amazing on bathtub tile. It's great for the car too. I have used this one on countertops and mirrors. I have even steamed the fridge and oven doors. One word of caution about this one though is that connections between the attachments is not water tight -- they may have fixed that problem with this new model. This means that every now and then a some drops of water leak out and it does kinda hurt when the water hits your hands or arms. It's not enough to really burn anyone but it isn't a fun experience. I still love the machine though. This one takes a lot longer to heat up for some reason...3 minutes. Plus, once you run out of water, you have to wait for the unit to cooldown (maybe 10-15 minutes) before adding more in. The slim and light you can refill at will.

http://www.qvc.com/Haan-Complete-Professional-Multifunction-SteamSanitizer-Search-Results.product.H362342.html?sc=H362342-SRCH&cm_sp=VIEWPOSITION-_-7-_-H362342&catentryImage=http://images-p.qvc.com/is/image/h/42/h362342.001?$uslarge$

The pads for the both units are interchangeable. The only time I have had streaks is if I didn't change the pad often enough. I even wash the pads in the washer...they are very easy to clean.

HTH!

 

[fit44]

The Tile Cleaner works on all colors of grout and tile. The grout in my apartment is white and the grout in my condo that I rent out is a dark brown. It really is amazing. I learned about it from my contractor. I used it incorrectly the first time...I didn't read the instructions and let the cleaner sit on the time for the 10-15 minutes. It still got clean but not near as clean as it did when I used the cleaner properly. The tile in the kitchen isn't sealed either so it gets very dirty. After using the cleaner, it looked it did when the contractor first installed it.

How do you use the cleaner properly?

 

[TRSTACIE]

How do you use the cleaner properly?

Just spray it and resist the urge to wipe it up immediately. Let the cleaner sit on the tile for 10-15 minutes. I am impatient though so I usually walk away or the waiting with something wet on the floor drives me crazy! If you don't wait, you might have to scrub a little to get the tile clean. If you wait, all you have to do is just wipe it up.

 

[fit44]

Just spray it and resist the urge to wipe it up immediately. Let the cleaner sit on the tile for 10-15 minutes. I am impatient though so I usually walk away or the waiting with something wet on the floor drives me crazy! If you don't wait, you might have to scrub a little to get the tile clean. If you wait, all you have to do is just wipe it up.

Thanks again! I can't wait to try this. I love white grout, but I think next home will have dark grout.

This is why we no longer have carpet in the main area of our home.

 

[TRSTACIE]

Aww...he looks so innocent too! I have a dog too though and I know how they can be! I am envious of all that gorgeous tile!

 

[lisavh2]

We use an Oreck Floor Machine on our tile a few times per year. It is an orbiter. You can buy or rent from Oreck stores. I just use any floor cleaner in a bucket of water. We get the floor wet with the solution than go over with the orbiter with the brush attached and then use a string mop to clean up the dirty water. It's pretty quick and easy. The brush get the tile and the grout clean.

As a plus the orbiter also has a bonnet for cleaning carpet, and a stiffer brush for cleaning cement.

 

[lkl]

for grout, I use a chlorox pen and line between the tile and let it sit 30-60 mins. very good results