Easy tips for cleaning bathroom tiles

Ceramic and vinyl tiles — two very different materials — are relatively low-maintenance, easy-to-clean surfaces. However, both tiles can scratch. To prevent this, it's important to keep them dirt-free.

• Sweep both ceramic and vinyl tiles with a broom or vacuum. Trapped dirt and sand are highly abrasive and can cause lasting damage to matte and glossy finishes.
• If you vacuum, avoid using the machine's beater bar (for carpets), which can permanently damage tile finishes.

• Clean floor tiles by going over them with a damp mop. Again, this goes for both ceramic and vinyl tiles. Damp mopping removes stubborn, smeared-on dirt.
• Never use excessive amounts of water with vinyl tiles, since the water can seep under the tiles and damage the glue.
• Avoid soapy or oily cleaners, as they can leave a dull film. If anything, add a splash of vinegar to the mop water. An alkaline-based, all-purpose cleaner is also effective.
• Or, use a specialty tile floor cleaner available from hardware and home improvement stores. Follow manufacturer's instructions.

• Wipe them regularly with a damp sponge.
• As with floor tiles, avoid soapy or oily cleaners. Add a splash of vinegar to the water, or use a commercial bath-and-tile cleaner.
• Another alternative is to add 1 capful of methylated spirits to 4 litres (4 quarts) of water in a bucket and wipe down the tiles using a sponge or clean, soft cloth.
• Never use abrasive scrubbers or cleaning products, such as scouring powders. These can scratch glazed tiles, dulling the finish and making them more susceptible to dirt.

• Do it regularly so that the scum and mildew don't have a chance to get a foothold in the porous surface. Indeed, it's a good idea to clean grout after you shower, while it's still steamy moist and the soil has been loosened.
• Mix together 50 ml (1/4 cup) of vinegar with 4 litres(4 quarts)of water and scrub the grout with a toothbrush or nylon-scrubbing pad.
• For more cleaning power, go over it once with a degreaser or bath and tile cleaner, which will loosen the germ-harbouring soap scum, and then with a disinfectant all-purpose spray, to kill the germs themselves.
• Let your cleaning products do the work for you. Too much scrubbing grinds the grime in deeper.
• Spray or wipe each product on and leave it on for several seconds.
• Wipe it down with a clean, wet sponge to rinse off the cleaning solution.
• If you must scrub, use a long-bristled brush that is not too stiff (you don't want to wear down the grout) or use an old toothbrush. Steel wool is too abrasive.

• For really grimy grout that stubbornly resists standard cleaning methods, try a solution of chlorine bleach and water.
• Make sure the area you're working in is well ventilated, and wear rubber gloves.
• Then mix together 250 ml (1 cup) of bleach and 2 litres (2 quarts) of water in a bucket.
• Using a toothbrush or nylon-scrubbing brush, scrub the dirty areas then let the solution soak for 10–20 minutes before rinsing with clean water.
• Rinse a second time — again with clean water, not the water you used in the first rinse — and wipe the area dry with a clean cloth.
• You can also spray on a ready-mixed commercial product.