- Mops can collect and develop bacterial growth as they sit in storage.mop head image by green308 from Fotolia.com
Using a mop and bucket to clean your tile floors may be a thorough method, but it can take a lot of time and can prove a messy chore. Several alternative ways of cleaning your tile floor use less water and take less time while still delivering similar results. Choose the best method for your needs--and always test every cleaning method and device on a small area of your floor to ensure it does not scratch it or change the color or texture. - You've probably noticed how hard it is to mop up all of the dirty water before it dries to the floor and needs cleaned again. One way to prevent this from happening is to use a wet/dry vacuum, which sucks up dirt, dust and debris as well as dirty water. Using a wet/dry vacuum ensures that you've picked up all of the dirty water. Choose a vacuum with soft rubber wheels that will not scratch your floors. Do not use a vacuum that has a beater, or choose one where you can remove or raise the beater off of the floor, as it can easily scratch the tile.
- Hand washing your floors is perhaps the most thorough way of cleaning your floors, but it will require you to get on your hands and knees and scrub out tough stains. To do this, use a soft-bristled brush and a floor cleaning solution of your choice to loosen stains on tile and grout. Pay special attention to the tile and grout in areas around doorways. Relieve the pressure on your knees by putting a cleaning or gardening pad or a rolled up towel underneath them as you work. This method is possible for those with a small amount of tile flooring in their home, but is not a practical option for those with a lot of square feet of tile floors.
- Long handled floor dusters, such as the Swiffer, are useful ways of picking up dirt, hair and other debris from your floor. These dusters have a film on them that attracts the dirt and collects it rather than spreads it around. Change the duster cover as soon as it is full to ensure that you are picking up as much as possible from your floor. Several brands offer wet cloth options for the same models, as well.
