How To Clean Bathroom Tile

No one likes to do it.

Cleaning bathroom tile can be tedious work, especially if we are trying to clean those tiny little tiles that looked so cute when we picked them out.

Now that they have become mildewed and require hours worth of cleaning, rethinking their design is inevitable.

Most people don’t realize that tile grout is not water proof and should be replaced every two to three years depending on how often it is getting wet.

The grout should be sealed every year to ensure the grout stays as intact as possible.

Here are a few tips and hints to keep your bathroom tile clean and mildew free.

Regular Cleaning:

Tile can be cleaned with a variety of things.

Vinegar, baking soda, salt and lemon juice are the best, least expensive and most effective products to clean with.

Try this mixture to create a paste that will get most any soap scum built up on tile.

• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup vinegar

Mix these ingredients together to create a paste and rub them on with a non-abrasive sponge to attack most anything stuck on the tile.

If you find that you can’t get in certain corners, try using a Q-tip, old toothbrush or even a cotton ball soaked in cleaner.

Leave it in the corner several minutes and the goo will come right out.

Dip a sponge in lemon juice and wipe down tile surfaces to create a shine, leave the area smelling fresh and leave a touch of citrus to disinfect and discourage mildew. The citrus will also remove body oils and soap scum.

In addition to regular tile, you will want to make sure you are maintaining the runners along the shower door very clean as well.

If you can’t reach inside the runner with your handy old toothbrush turned scrubber, then use Q-tip dipped in cleaning solution.

Another trick is to just pour the vinegar in the runner, wait several minutes and rinse well with water. Usually that will flush out most of the dirt and accumulations.

Mold and Mildew:

Mold and mildew are another source of problems when it comes to keeping tile clean.

Shower curtains are notorious for collecting all sorts of soap scum and mildew and spreading it to the tile and grout

Try to dry the tile after every use. Do not allow standing water to sit on the tile.

Spraying the tile regularly with straight white vinegar will cut down on the mildew

Using lemon juice on a sponge every so often will cut down on the soap scum.

Bleach will instantly remove mold and mildew. Be sure to rinse the bleach off completely as it is very slippery. If bleach gets on your skin and is not completely rinsed of it will burn your skin due to it's high alkalinity.

There are other ways to help prevent mold and mildew on tile. These are simple ways to help keep your bathroom cleaner in general.

• Leave lights on whenever possible to reduce humidity and create a less comfortable environment for mold and mildew.
• Decrease humidity by leaving door cracked when showering, blow drying hair in bathroom and installing a ceiling fan that sucks the air out of the room.
• Clean regularly. Mold and mildew feeds on itself…the less there is, the less it will grow.
• Keep everything as dry as possible. Use the used towels to dry up anything left wet, take out wet towels, and consider hanging wet towels in bedrooms or other closet.
• Wax all surfaces, or apply rain-x which will cause the water to come off in sheets. Your tile will be dry which stops mildew and mold from growing.