Outdoor tile is the best way to make use of your exterior areas for lounging, walking, or decorating. However, given their exposure, these will need to be cleaned more often than indoor tiles. Here’s how to best take care of them.
Cleaning Your Porcelain Tiles
In order to keep your outdoor porcelain tiles clean, it’s always a good idea to sweep them on a daily basis, or at least every other day. Use a soft or natural bristle broom so that you don’t damage or scratch the tile in the process. Wash the tiles with clean, warm water every week and a mop. Remember to wring it as much as possible so that moisture doesn’t accumulate on the tiles. Once a month, deep clean the tiles with clean water and some white vinegar, stirring the mixture well and using a mop to loosen any dirt between the tiles. Once you’ve cleaned them, rinse them with the mop and dry them with a towel. The reason you use this instead of actual cleaners is so that you don’t damage the tiles themselves. Hard bristle brushes, oil-based detergents, and cleaning products with bleach or ammonia can damage porcelain.
Cleaning Wood and Composite Tiles
Now, when you’re working with wood or composite tiles, you will want to sweep them every few days, once again with a soft and natural bristle broom. This way, they won’t get stained with dirt. At least once a month, you will want to wash the tiles with a mop soaked on mild dish soap and water. Make sure you use a mop that isn’t scratchy so that you don’t damage the tiles. Rinse them with a garden hose or with the mop. If you spot any greasy or oily stains, wipe it up, dip a sponge into soapy water, and wash the stain off. You should deep clean your tiles at least twice a year, for which you can use a specialized tile cleaner for wood and composite tiles that contains sodium hypochlorite. This, in turn, prevents mold and mildew from growing on the tiles.
Cleaning Stone Tiles
Solid stone tiles should be dry mopped every one or two days. A dry dust mop will remove the sand and dirt from the tile surface without scratching it. This is particularly important when you are cleaning slate, limestone, sandstone, granite, and marble tiles. After dry mopping, wash the tiles with mild dish soap or stone soap by dipping a mop into soapy water, wringing it out, and mopping in small, overlapping circles. Sometimes, when dealing with moss, you might have to use bleach solutions. In such cases, pour no more than four tablespoons of bleach into two gallons of water and wash the area with the mixture. Rinse and dry the tiles to remove any soap or bleach residue with clean water and a soft cloth. Once again, avoid abrasive cleaning materials.
Find the Best Outdoor Tile
Taking care of your outdoor tiles is obviously very important, but sometimes not even the most thorough cleaning will get them looking their best again. In such cases, we at Amirian Home and Glendale Tile are ready to help you find new tiles for your outdoor areas. To find your next outdoor tiling, browse our website or visit our showroom at 4116 San Fernando Rd.
MT: Properly Take Care of Your Outdoor Tile and Keep it Looking its Best
MD: Outdoor tile is the best way to make use of your exterior areas, but these will need to be cleaned more often than indoor tiles. Here’s how to best take care of them.