How to Clean Tile Floors

• Dusting: Sweep, vacuum, or dry-dust ceramic tile floors as necessary. Glazed tiles scratch more easily than unglazed tiles, so use a broom with soft bristles, a dust mop, or a brushless vacuum on these surfaces.
• Washing: You can use almost any nonabrasive household cleaner when mopping tile floors. Dish soap, ammonia, vinegar, all-purpose cleaners, and tile cleaners all work well to clean tile.
• Caring for grout: Grout is porous, so you need to seal it to prevent stains. Choose an easy-to-apply but short-lasting surface sealant or a longer-lasting penetrating sealant. Reapply surface sealants once or twice per year. Penetrating sealants last 3–5 years.
• Cleaning stained grout: Remove stains from grout by applying a paste of oxygen bleach and water and letting it sit for 30–60 minutes. Scrub with a toothbrush or scrub brush designed for cleaning grout and rinse.