Can You Clean Tiles With Steam?
Any homeowner or DIY enthusiast who has tried scrubbing bathroom tiles knows the toil of getting tiles clean. The task is hard labour, to say the least. And in most instances, you barely progress before you're exhausted and frazzled.
Cloths and cleaning solutions seem handy at first. But they crumple and seem pointless in the face of grout and dirt that refuse to go off.
Anyone who has heard of steam cleaning tiles wonders if it's better than conventional solutions. The answer is yes, it usually is. And here's all you ever need to know to get those tiles squeaky clean and spotless!
Why Do Tiles Get So Dirty?
Tiles accumulate dirt over time as water drains across their surface, and our feet regularly step and walk on them.
The culprits for bathrooms and kitchen tiles are usually soap residue, cosmetics, and even dead skin washed off when showering or cleaning. Floor tiles invariably collect dirt as you step on them with outdoor shoes or even through indoor footwear.
In most homes, tiles remain separated by grout (sand and/or cement mixture) that holds them in place and segregates each piece. This layer is normally lower compared to the tiles' surface.
So, dirt and grime make their way into these cavities and stay put till a heavy cleaning fixes the problem. Also, years of accumulation harden the dirt that first went in, making it even harder to remove.
How Can You Clean Tiles With Steam?
Cleaning tiles with steam remains one of the most practical and convenient ways to get your porcelain as pretty as new. We're listing a step-by-step steam cleaning process here that you can refer to and apply to most steam cleaners.
However, remember that exact application and best practices may vary depending on your steam cleaner model, type of tiles, and degree of cleaning you desire.
First things first, though. Get yourself a high-quality steam cleaner designed for hard surfaces like tiles. Go for a model capable of doling out about 175°C (347°F) within the steam boiler. You can expect at least 100°C (212°F) of steam and heat through the nozzle.
Also, experts recommend getting a machine that churns out 6 bar steam pressure for best results. Look for models that come with multiple nozzles and attachments for working around different corners and tiled areas.
Here’s an overview of how to clean your tiles with steam cleaners.
• Step 1: Sweep the tiled area to remove any loose debris or dirt before you proceed with steam treatment. This prep work will result in better steam cleaning.
• Step 2: (OPTIONAL) Grab a cleaning solution suited for tiles. Labels such as 'Safe for stone' or similar indicators come printed on products that work well for tiles. You can soak the tiles beforehand or apply the solution when steam cleaning.
• Step 3: Plug in your steam cleaner and let it reach the desired temperature. Most cleaners make a beeping sound or provide a visual indicator when ready to use.
• Step 4: Clean the grout first. Pick one of the brush nozzles that came with the cleaner. Wider brushes work better for spaced-out sections, and smaller nozzles serve best in grout cavities. As you brush over the grout, you can use a soft cloth to wipe away the residues that jolt out from the gaps.
• Step 5: Next, replace the brush nozzle with a steam mop and work on the tile surface. Gently mop the tiles with your steam mop, ensuring that the remaining dirt and stains come off.
• Step 6: Finally, use a dry and soft cloth to wipe the tile surfaces dry so that no remaining dust settles on the wet surface.
How Are Steam Cleaners For Tiles Effective?
Steam cleaners remain effective solutions for tile cleaning because they use heat treatment, water, and mopping action to clean the surface. Few other home remedies can leverage the advantage of all these cleaning actions in one go.
You can use microfibre cloths to wipe the tiles manually. But you can't heat them up to the almost-boiling temperatures that steam cleaners apply. Household mops and cleaning solutions cannot draw the same pressure as steam cleaners. Also, strong and acidic home cleaners can eat away at the tiles or lead to discolouring because of the chemical content in the solutions.
Should I Be Steam Cleaning Tiles Myself?
Steam Cleaning Services are the best tile cleaners Brisbane has to offer, so we know how to clean tiles and get looking like-new again.
You can perform your own steam cleaning and get it right with enough practice or experience. And for the do-it-yourself homeowners out there, it's a good way to fine-tune your maintenance and cleaning skills while saving money on hiring experts.
However, your cleaning results will likely not match the precision and efficiency of the professionals. So, if you have the budget and prefer the cleaning to be executed well, hiring professionals remains your best bet.
But if ordinary cleaning and moderate results satisfy you for now, doing it without expert intervention is also a viable alternative.
When Should I Hire A Professional For Steam Cleaning Floor Tiles?
The two main areas where professionals offer an obvious advantage are expertise and experience.
First off, they come trained to handle steam cleaners safely, responsibly, and to good effect. For instance, professional cleaners will be more adept at optimally using the machine to save time, energy, and power. Moreover, they can operate the machine at the best temperature and handle the nozzles more precisely than the average guy.
Additionally, their experience in dealing with different grout conditions and types of tiles is another huge advantage. Whatever your grout and dirt scenario, there's a good chance the professionals have dealt with (and successfully cleaned) a similar project. So, right off the bat, they know where to start and what approach to use in comparison to you hiring a machine yourself.
Our cleaning process adheres to the standards of ANSI/IICRC S220 Standard for Professional Inspection of Hard Surface Floor Coverings, so you can be sure that your tile flooring is with the experts.