How to Polish Tile Floors?

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A well-polished tile floor can make a room feel clean and inviting. Whether you have ceramic, vinyl, stone, or any other type of tile flooring, giving your tile a shiny luster doesn’t have to be difficult, time-consuming, or costly. The keys to a polished tile floor are a clean and well-buffed surface and regular maintenance.

 

Dirty and discolored grout will stand out once you’ve finished polishing the tile, so it’s best to clean it well before you clean the rest of the floor. You may need to put in a little elbow grease and get down on your knees to scrub the grout well. Treat very dirty grout before you start scrubbing. Sprinkle baking soda over the grout, then spray vinegar onto it. Leave it to sit for 5 minutes before you start scrubbing.

 

If you have a lot of grout, it’s best to use a grout brush because it will be more efficient than a toothbrush. You can buy a grout brush for a few dollars at most department stores or online. Don’t scrub the grout so hard that it starts to flake or chip off! Use a mop to clean the whole tile floor. It’s important that you clean the tile floor well before you begin to polish it. Because you’re not using chemical soap, you don’t need to mix or slosh the water to create suds.

 

Dip your mop into the vinegar solution, wring out any excess water, and mop the floor in broad strokes. Work your way from one end of the room to the other, taking care not to miss any spots on the tile floor. Don’t forget any corners, cabinets or pantries. Apply club soda to remove any built up floor wax. Club soda is an excellent natural and environmentally-friendly wax-stripping alternative.

Fill a clean bucket with only club soda and scrub your tile with a brush to remove old wax. Then use clean water to mop up any residue and allow the tile floor to fully dry. For a stubborn wax buildup, you can let the club soda sit for a few minutes before you scrub it.

How Laying the Tiles?

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Mark your tile layout on the substrate and mark out your first course carefully. If your shower enclosure walls are not perfectly square, or if you plan to install accent tiles, the layout of these tiles becomes increasingly important. Measure up from the bottom of the backer board the height of a tile minus 1/2″. This will give you a 1/2″ overlap over the tile lip on your shower pan.


Make sure that you allow room for the grout joints as well. Mark this with a sharpie or chalk and using a level, transfer the mark across the shower stall. This will be a guide for the top of the first row so that all tiles will be level. Only use dry tiles make sure that the lay out works as well.


Another way to plan out the first row of tiles is to measure the high part and low part of the shower pan. Make the cut spot on the low end a full tile, mark it, and then cut the tiles on the high side down to the level of the uncut tile on the low side. Keeping grout lines away from the inside corners of the enclosure can prevent the need for tiny tiles and poor grout joints. Plan accordingly and always make cuts tight on the inside corner.


Mix enough thin-set for the bottom row. You want your thin-set to be the consistency of peanut butter — not too thick or it will dry out and not too thin or you’ll have a hard time setting the mortar with strength and cleaning. Use an electric drill and a mortar mixing bit attached to your drill to mix your thin-set mortar. This will ensure even consistency and ultimately a better product. Let the mortar set for seven minutes and then mix it again.


Dampen the cement board with a sponge before applying the mortar. If you do not, the cement board will draw the moisture out of the thin-set too quickly, making for a brittle set that is susceptible to cracking.

How to Cleaning tile?

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Avoid cleaning with abrasive materials. Never clean your solid stone tiles with anything that’s abrasive. These can scratch and damage the tiles. When making or buying cleansers, avoid: Hard bristle brushes, Vinegar or lemon juice, Products with acid cleanse.


Trowel some thin-set onto the back of the tile and spread it with a notched trowel. This process is called “back buttering.” Apply mortar to the backer board along with back buttering and then set the tiles on top of that. It’s a lot cleaner, too!


Be sure not to apply too much mortar to the back of a tile. You only need a little in each corner and a little dab in the middle for back buttering. More isn’t necessarily better when it comes to thin-set. Keep in mind that back buttering is only necessary when you are using a larger tile (8″ x 8″ or larger) and you only need to add a little dab of thin set mortar to each corner.


Set the first tile in the middle of the wall (or floor). This will create a pleasant visual effect and allow each tile that is placed beside it on either side seem centered. After back buttering, simply press the tile onto the backer board and apply pressure to make sure that the mortar adhered properly to both the tile and the backer board. Then, give the tile a little twist and tap each one with a rubber mallet, especially the floor tiles.


Wipe away any excess thin-set mortar after pressing the tile onto the backer. Although you’ll be grouting and caulking between the tiles, it’s best not to leave any thin-set on oozing out from the sides of the tile. Dig out any oozing thin-set that you notice. Simply wipe away excess thinset with your finger or a Q-tip.

Grout the Tile

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Mix up a batch of grout and let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Lightly wet the area you’ll be grouting with a damp sponge and dump a bit of grout onto the area. Use a rubber float to smooth it into the joints, attacking each joint at a diagonal angle.


After 30-40 minutes (check the directions on the bag of grout) you want to wipe the excess grout with a damp sponge and a circular motion. Keep wiping with a clean sponge until the tile is clear. The tiles may look a bit hazy even after wiping, so you may have to buff them with a clean sponge to get rid of this haze.


Let the grout cure for approximately 3 days before sealing. Then, seal the grout. Run a thin bead of liquid grout or aerosol grout sealer onto the grout line and wipe away. Let dry and then test its water resistance by dropping water onto the sealed grout. Correctly sealed grout will cause the water to bead up on top of it.


Caulk any needed areas. Make sure to use a grout caulk to match the colors. As you caulk, remember to pull the caulk gun relatively quickly across the joint. Most amateurs caulk too slow and end up dropping too much caulk down on the joint. Other things to remember:Keep the tip angled as you run the bead along the joint.


Match the speed with which you pull the caulk gun trigger with the rate at which you pull the gun along the joint. You don’t want to be pulling the gun fast but triggering slowly, or vice versa. After applying the bead of caulk, “bed” it by running a damp finger across the bead with light pressure. Make sure that your grout chalk matches the grout. Let the caulk dry and redo it if you are not happy with the results.

Using Commercial Polishing Products

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Remove any obstacles that may get in the way. The first thing you should do is remove any furniture or obstacles that may obstruct your ability to clean your floor. This includes tables and chairs, but also placemats and rugs. You don’t want to have to stop in the middle of the process to slide furniture out of the way.


This also includes the family pets! You may want to consider keeping the door closed, using a baby gate, or blocking off the entrance to the room with a chair or something that would prevent any four-legged friends from getting in.


Sweep the floors to remove large dirt particles. After clearing the room, take a broom and sweep up any dust and dirt that may have built up on the tile floor. If you plan to apply wax later, a dirty floor will make it difficult to adhere, and make the floor look grimy. You also don’t want to just move dirt around as you polish, so it’s best to thoroughly sweep the floor first.


Be sure to get into the nooks and crannies and remove as much dirt as you can. You could also use a dry mop, also called a dust mop, to sweep the floor. Dry mops are great for picking up dirt and dust without leaving streaks.


Scrub the grout in between the tiles with a soap and water and a scrub brush. Before you mop the entire floor, take a stiff brush and focus on cleaning the grout in between the tiles. Grout requires a little more effort to scrub clean, so you may need to get down on your hands and knees to scrub it well. Discolored or dirty grout will really stand out once your tile floor is polished.

Commercial Polishing of Tiles

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For really stubborn grout, you can use a toothbrush to scrub it. For stains or darkened grout, sprinkle baking soda over the grout, then spray white vinegar over it. Let the baking soda and vinegar sit for 5 minutes, then scrub the grout with your toothbrush.


Mop the floor with warm water and 1 to 2 drops of dish soap. A little bit of dishwashing soap goes a long way. One to two drops is plenty for 1 gallon (3.8 L) of warm water. Dip your mop into the bucket and slosh it around a bit to get the water nice and sudsy. Then wring the mop into the bucket to remove any excess water.


Start at one part of the room and work your way across the entire floor, mopping in big sweeping motions. It’s best to use as little soap as possible when cleaning your tile because excess soap can leave a residue on the tile. Make sure the bucket is large enough to hold 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water without sloshing over the sides.


The bucket itself should be clean to start with as well. You don’t want to start by adding more dirt to your soapy water! When you are finished mopping, clean your mop by rinsing with clean water so that it doesn’t harden and build up dirt. Allow the tile floor to fully dry. When you have finished mopping the floor, empty the bucket and rinse out any residue to give your floor some time to dry.


It’s very important to let your tile dry completely before you do anything else to it. Wet tile will make it difficult to add any cleaning solutions or to buff the tile. Wait at least 1 hour to let your floor dry. You can use a fan in the room to help your floor dry quicker.

How Cleaning Wood and Composite Tiles?

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Sweep the wood or composite tiles every few days. Try to sweep your tiles every day or as soon as you notice dirt, leaves, or grime. Use a soft, natural bristle broom to remove the debris that’s on the tiles. Regular sweeping will prevent your tiles from becoming caked with dirt or stained.


Wash the tiles with soap and water at least once a month. Fill a 5 US gal (19 L) bucket with water and a few squirts of mild dish soap. The water should be soapy and bubbly. Dip a mop into the soapy water and wring it out. Mop the tiles until you’ve removed the dirt. You can use a string mop or sponge head mop. Just avoid using a scratchy or abrasive mop on the tiles.


Rinse the tiles. If you’re cleaning a large space, take a garden hose and rinse the tiles with clean water to remove any soap residue. If you’re cleaning a small area, you can dip the mop in clean water and wring it out. Mop over the tiles so they’re rinsed with the clean water.


Remove any grease stains. As soon as you notice an oily stain, wipe up whatever caused it. Dip a sponge or soft cloth into soapy water and wash the stain. This might remove the stain on its own. If not, use a deck stain remover that’s specifically made for wood or composite tiles. You’ll need to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The longer the stain sits on the tile, the harder it will be to remove. That’s why it’s important to clean up the stain quickly.


Deep clean your tiles twice a year. In addition to keeping your wood and composite tiles swept and clean, you should try to deep clean the tiles in the spring and fall. Buy a tile cleaner developed for wood or composite. It should contain sodium hypochlorite. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Sodium hypochlorite will prevent mold and mildew from growing on your tiles.

How Cleaning Solid Stone Tiles?

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Dry mop solid stone tiles every day or two. Dry mop your tiles every day or as soon as you notice dirt or debris. The dry dust mop will prevent sand and grit from rubbing against the tiles which can cause scratches. You should dry mop if your tiles are made of:Granite, Slate, Limestone, Marble, Sandstone.


Wash the tiles with soap and water. Fill a 5 US gal (19 L) bucket with water and a few squirts of mild dish soap or stone soap. Dip a mop into the soapy water and wring it out. Mop the tiles in small, overlapping circles to remove the dirt and prevent streaking.


Choose a soapstone with a pH level of 7 or try to find a soapless cleanser since it won’t leave streaks. If you’re using dish soap, choose one that’s phosphate-free and biodegradable.


Identify if you should use a bleach solution. To remove algae or moss, clean the tiles with a bleach solution. If your solid stone tiles are near a pool, patio, or hot tub, wash them off with clean water. Pour 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water into a bucket and stir in 4 tablespoons (59 ml) of bleach. Use a sponge or mop to wash the area with the mild bleach solution.


Rinse and dry the tiles. If you’re cleaning a large space, take a garden hose and rinse the tiles with clean water to remove any soap residue. If you’re cleaning a small area, you can dip the mop in clean water and wring it out. Mop over the tiles so they’re rinsed with the clean water. Wipe the tiles with a soft cloth until they’re dry and let them air dry completely.

How to Clean Outdoor Tiles?

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Outdoor tiles are a great way to beautify a space, but you do need to clean them regularly. Identify what your tiles are made of (porcelain, wood, composite, or solid stone). Dust or dry mop the dirt and debris before you wash the tiles with a mild soap or vinegar solution. You’ll need to deep clean the tiles once or twice a year to prevent mold and mildew from growing. To keep the tiles looking great, always avoid using abrasive cleansers and products.


Remove stains as soon as you notice them. Try to remove any stains as soon as you notice them. Fill a 5 US gal (19 L) bucket with water. Buy a commercial floor cleaner that’s safe to use on porcelain and add 3 to 4 capfuls of the product to the water. Use a small brush or mop to scrub the mixture over the stain until it’s removed. Avoid using an oil-based cleanser for stain removal on your porcelain tiles. These can leave an oily residue on the tiles which can make them slippery.


Avoid cleaning with abrasive materials. While you might think that you need to scrub built on dirt with a rough brush, you should avoid anything that’s abrasive to the porcelain. Avoid using abrasive cleaners like: Hard bristle brushes or steel wool, Cleaning products with ammonia or bleach, Oil-based detergents or wax cleansers.


Avoid cleaning with abrasive materials. Your wood or composite tiles may become slightly scuffed over time. These scuffs may disappear on their own, so avoid trying to remove them with abrasive cleansers (like sandpaper or pressure washers). If you place salt or ice on your tiles in the winter, clean it off as soon as the hazardous weather passes. Ice and salt can damage the tiles if they sit on them for very long.


You’ll need to change the water several times and keep rinsing until the soap residue is completely removed. Stone tiles tend to fade in color over time due to sun exposure, so use a stone enhancer and sealer to protect them. Make sure you find one that is safe for outdoor use.

How Preparing the Shower for Tiles?

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Gut the shower stall down to the studs. You may need to remove the shower pan and ceiling, as well. Do not put down any plastic because this can trap moisture and lead to rotting. Instead, use a product that you can paint on to help prevent moisture.


Choose a vapor barrier to install and introduce according to manufacturer directions. If you fail to install a vapor barrier, you might grow mold and mildew as moisture from your shower escapes through the tiles and into walls. Improperly installed tile and grout can allow water vapor to pass into the space behind.


When installing a vapor barrier on an exterior wall, it may be helpful to seal a plastic vapor barrier to the concrete floor but not all the way up to the top of the ceiling. With insulation improperly installed, or in colder climates, there’s a chance that condensation that forms behind the vapor barrier will cause the framing members to rot. In order to avoid that possibility, install the vapor barrier with space to spare so that the gap behind the vapor barrier can breathe. Use a roll on product, such as Red Guard.


Wedi boards are another option some consider even better than cement board. If you choose a membranous barrier such as Trugard or Kerdi, you can install plain old drywall or you can just install a cement board instead.


Put up a sturdy cement board backer. Putting up cement board is just like putting up drywall. You cut it to fit using a grinder with a diamond bit, and then screw it to the studs. Leave a 1/8″ gap between panels and then a very small space between the shower pan and the bottom of the backer so that the two don’t squeak by rubbing together.