Our day-to-day activities can result in grime accumulating on our stairs, car seats, and carpets. When this happens, all we need to do is whip out our carpet cleaner.
With its wide range of applications, naturally, we wonder, can carpet cleaners be used on tile floors too? This guide explains why you should not use a carpet cleaner on a tile floor and the best alternative way to quickly clean your tiles.
Can I Clean Tile With Carpet Cleaner?
The two popular carpet cleaners in the market are:
- Bissell Carpet Cleaner
- Hoover Carpet Cleaner
Many of us already use a Bissell or Hoover carpet cleaner. Since we already own them, using them on tile floors would be ideal. But, is this a good idea?
Can You Use a Bissell Carpet Cleaner on Tile Floors?
To understand whether we can, we need to look at how carpet cleaners work.
Carpet cleaners are machines that use brushes. These brushes soak up the liquid and are used to scrub the floor. The bristles used are sharp, making them effective at removing dirt, stains, residues, and dust from carpet fabrics.
You can use the Bissell carpet cleaner to clean your tiles occasionally since the cleaning brushes and the endcap holding them are made of plastic. Both Bissell and Hoover carpet cleaners are less likely to damage your tiles if you use them once in a while. However, although useful on fabrics, the sharp nature of these brushes can be damaging to tiles. If you use carpet cleaner on a tile floor on a regular basis, it is more than likely that you will scratch it. What’s worse is that these scratches are difficult to remove and can leave your tiles looking faded and worn out.
Using a carpet remover on tiles will damage them in the long run. To save yourself the hassle and regret, you shouldn’t use a Bissell or Hoover carpet cleaner on your tile floors.
You should not use carpet cleaners on hardwood floors or laminate floorings as well since the hard brushes may remove the protective coating on the wood and cause damage to your wood floor.
Don’t let this get you down, though. There are other easy and effective ways to clean your tiles.
What Can You Use to Clean Your Tiles?
1. Use a Vacuum Cleaner
The first item you’ll need is a vacuum cleaner or a soft bristle broom. Between the two, a vacuum cleaner would be more efficient. Use this to clean your tiles and eliminate any dust or dirt. This will help prevent your tiles from becoming dull.
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To maintain your tile floors, you should repeat this step once or twice a week.
2. Clean and Mop
It would be best if you mopped the tile floor once a week after you’ve vacuumed or swept the floor. The mop and cleaner you use will depend on the type of tiles you have.
Ceramic Tiles
With regular maintenance, ceramic tiles are a beautiful and worthwhile flooring option.
These tiles are made from fired clay, making them a brilliant, durable choice in the long run. Despite this, it’s still essential you take the proper steps when cleaning them.
It’s best to avoid sponge mops when cleaning ceramic tiles. This is because they direct dirty water into the grout lines and make ceramic tiles more challenging to clean. The best option for cleaning ceramic tile floors would be a flat mop.
To clean the floor with the mop:
- Mix a gallon of warm water and a couple of drops of a mild detergent.
- Mix this and let your mop absorb the solution before mopping the floor.
- Add new water to the mixture often. This will ensure you’re not using dirty water to clean your tiles.
Ceramic tiles have a higher absorption rate, so you must dry the tiles immediately with a cloth once you’re finished mopping.
Porcelain Tiles
Porcelain tiles are more robust than ceramic tiles and have a lower absorption rate. This means they’re more resistant to water damage. They can remain in top condition for decades with proper and regular care.
For cleaning products, make sure to avoid using ammonia, bleach, or acids. Regular use of these products will increase the water absorption rate of the tiles and make them more vulnerable to damage.
Instead, mix 2 cups of vinegar and 2 gallons of warm water. After you’ve mixed them together, rather than using a mop, you’ll want a sponge or clean microfiber cloth or towel.
Soak your sponge or cloth in the mixture and clean the floor using a back and forth motion. You should then empty the mixture and use hot clean water to rinse the floor.
After this, you can let the tiles air dry or use towels to wipe the floor dry.
Stone Tiles
Natural stone tiles can include slate, granite, and marble. These types of tiles are more high maintenance. If you use the wrong cleaners, you can risk your stone tiles becoming dull, faded and discolored.
You will need a mild cleaning tool and solution to clean stone tiles.
For the tool, you can use a sponge. For the cleaning product you use, the solution should have a well-balanced pH.
It would be best if you didn’t use cleaners with acidic properties. You should therefore avoid using lemon or vinegar. Ingredients like these can create unattractive streaks and discoloration on your tiles.
Instead, you can mix a couple of drops of a gentle dishwashing soap with a gallon of warm water.
Dip your sponge in this mixture and clean your tiles. Next, empty the dirty water in the bucket and clean the sponge. It would be best to rinse the floor with fresh water and your clean sponge.
To dry the tiles, you should immediately use a soft towel.
Vinyl Tiles
Vinyl floors are a cheaper option and require the least amount of maintenance. With the proper treatment, you can also make them last longer, making them cost-efficient and convenient.
When cleaning, make sure you avoid using a steam mop. Vinyl tiles don’t interact well with high levels of heat or moisture. Instead, use a soft string mop.
For the cleaning solution:
- Mix a cup of white vinegar and a gallon of warm water.
- Soak your mop in the mixture and squeeze the excess out.
- Mop the tile floor using the solution
- Use a soft towel to dry the floor.