Have you found on ParaTuReforma the ideal kitchen tiles for you, but now you are worried about how to clean them properly? That’s normal. After all, this is the most important maintenance task to preserve their good condition for as long as possible. However, don’t worry. Here we are going to give you all the tips you need to keep them looking splendid without causing them any damage.
Cleaning of kitchen tiles
First of all, we want to make a key point: hygiene in the kitchen is as important as in the bathroom and more important than in any other room in the house. The reason? The activities you do there (cooking, washing dishes, putting the washing machine on, storing food) make it more likely for viruses and bacteria to accumulate. Especially in very delicate areas such as the joints.
In addition, the aesthetic damages of having a dirty kitchen are very relevant. You may have spent weeks, or even months, trying to match the colors of the tiles with those of the countertop and now they don’t look the way you imagined.
Maintenance, one of the keys
Today, most coatings are designed with the purpose of preventing dirt from adhering to them. In fact, it is common to use non-porous materials for this purpose. The best example of this is the porcelain stoneware in our kitchen tiles.
This makes cleaning much easier, especially when compared to the cleaning required for natural stone cladding made from marble, slate or any other similar material. Even so, cleaning should be carried out fairly regularly.
For example, if you want the tiles to retain their original shine and be spotless, you should clean them every time you cook. Or at least once you prepare the last meal of the day. In addition, we advise you to do a deep cleaning at least once a week.
Finding the right product for your tile
This aspect is as important or more important than cleaning your kitchen tiles regularly enough. The reason? If you do not use a suitable product according to the material with which the tile has been manufactured, you will most likely damage it irreversibly. For example, by wearing away its shine or fading its natural color.
Therefore, in case you are going to buy a cleaning product for your kitchen tiles, take a look at the technical data sheet. It will show the surfaces for which it is recommended. Always use it according to the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid unforeseen circumstances.
However, as we will see below, there are products that you are sure to have at home that you can use without any fear.
Tips for good cleaning
Before explaining the best cleaning techniques for kitchen tiles, we emphasize once again that you must be clear about the material of manufacture. Failure to do so can cause serious damage. In addition, you must have the right tools.
The most important is a soft-bristled toothbrush. With it you can safely remove dirt from the most difficult areas. We are talking, for example, about the joints between the tiles, which are particularly prone to mold and mildew.
Another good tip we can give you is to use steam to disinfect and descale the dirt. You don’t need to buy any special device. You can use your clothes iron to do it. On the other hand, never use scouring pads or very hard brushes.
Home cleaning techniques
Now comes the time to explain how to clean your kitchen tiles without any risk of damaging them and ensuring an impeccable result. Let’s take a look at it:
- White vinegar. Add one part white vinegar to three parts water in a suitable container. Stir to mix, then wet a sponge or microfiber cloth. Then rub the tiles gently.
- Ammonia: Want to get an extra dose of disinfection without using such an abrasive element as bleach? Then pour a capful of ammonia into a liter of water and scrub the surface of your kitchen tiles with a sponge.
- Baking soda. A great option if the dirt is quite encrusted. Specifically, what you should do is fill half a cup with baking soda and then add water to form a paste. With a spatula, place the mixture on the stains that you cannot remove and let it act for a few hours. Afterwards, use a damp cloth to remove it. You will be surprised to find that the dirt comes off easily.
- Lemon. A perfect natural ingredient to achieve maximum disinfection. Of course, after leaving the juice of this fruit for 10 minutes, you must remove it with a very damp cloth. The sugars that it contains could stain the surface again if you do not do it.
One thing you should never do is clean your kitchen tiles with toothpaste. The reason is simple. This product has in its composition tiny fragments of stone, so they can scratch the surface.
You should not mix baking soda and white vinegar either. Many people do so believing that they will enhance the effects of both, but what happens is just the opposite. That is, they cancel each other out.
How to achieve the perfect finish in cleaning
Your kitchen tiles are already clean, but you may find that they are not shiny enough. In that case, we recommend applying some glass cleaning liquid with a dry cloth. The surface will look like a mirror.
On the other hand, if you can’t get the joints completely white, don’t worry. In any drugstore you will find joint markers very useful for this purpose. But, if they are insufficient, you can always reapply the grout in the same way as when you laid the tiles.
You already have all the information you need to clean kitchen tiles. All you have to do is choose the products that best suit the material, get down to work and be patient, they will be as good as new!
