Home Cleaning: 5 Best Tips in Cleaning Bathroom Tiles

Commercial Bathroom Tile Cleaners

First off in our list is one that you can frequently see in most grocery stores. Commercial bathroom tile cleaners like Mr. Muscle or Domex do live up to their names, if applied properly. They have the right ingredients that can really remove grimes (surfactants) and stains (bleaching agent).

So how do you properly use them? Spray them evenly on bathroom walls and floor, and soak for 10-15 minutes. Scrubbing it immediately, which is a common mistake, will not help at all because the chemicals need some time to separate the grime and stains. After soaking, use your scrubbers or brush to remove grime and stains. Rinse the walls and floor thoroughly.

Cons:

• A bit pricey compared to other products for cleaning bathroom tiles
• Some brands may leave a stain due to coloring
• May have strong odor (not safe for those with respiratory problems)
• Very acidic and may irritate your skin on prolonged exposure
• Must be rinsed off completely (not safe for pets)

Vingegar

This is a cost effective way of getting those stains and grimes out of your bathroom tiles. On the floor, pour some vinegar and spread. Let it soak for about 10-15 minutes. For walls, stick and soak toilet paper damped with vinegar on stained tiles and tile grout for 10-15 minutes as well. Scrub with your usual all purpose cleaner and scrubber/brush, and then rinse.

Different types of vinegar have different concentrations of Acetic Acid (chemical name of vinegar). So if you are wondering which type of vinegar is the best, go for the commercial white cane vinegar which normally are more acidic compared to Apple Cider vinegar.

Cons:

• Strong odor
• may require repeat application as acid strength varries

WD-40

Surprisingly, WD-40 is also good at removing tile grimes and stains. Aside from lubricating joints and removing rust on metal surfaces, you can use WD-40 to loosen up stains and grimes on your bathroom tiles. Most of the stains in your bathroom tiles are made by hard water deposits or lime deposits. WD-40 breaks the bond between those deposits and the tile surface, making it easier to scrub away.

To use WD-40, spray a small amount on affected tile surface. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Scrub using your scrubber or brush and only rinse when you are already satisfied with the cleaning. Rinsing it too early will remove the WD-40 and it would be difficult to remove the remaining stain without re-applying WD-40.

Cons:

• A bit expensive compared to other cleaning products
• May leave a particular odor
• If not rinsed well, surface will be slippery

Baking Soda and Liquid Soap

This is not a 2-in-1 entry, you will need both baking soda and liquid soap to make it work. If you are at it, this would be a great experiment in chemistry. You will need a ratio of 2:1:1 of baking soda, liquid soap and water. This means you will need 2 cups of baking soda for every cup of liquid soap and water. For starters, you can mix half a cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup liquid soap and 1/4 cup of water. Mix evenly and spray or spread on tile surfaces. Let it soak for 15-20 minutes and then scrub. Rinse thoroughly and that’s about it.

You might be wondering what kind of liquid soap is the best. Experts have weighed in and found dishwashing liquid soap to be the most effective.

Cons:

• may be difficult to mix
• takes more soaking time

Steam Cleaning

Technically a technique or equipment to use together with any of the above materials to make bathroom tile cleaning easier. Steam has been proven effective in cleaning surfaces such as clothing and walls. Steam helps to loosen up grimes, dirt and stains stuck on your tiles. 

If you have a steam cleaner already, this will be very helpful in cleaning your bathroom tiles. If you don’t have one, close your bathroom windows and toilet seat, turn off your exhaust fan/vent, and then open your hot water to fill in your pail or bath tub. Close the bathroom door and wait until your tub or pail is full. You can do other chores while leaving your bathroom closed for steaming. After 20 minutes, use the cleaning material you often use for your bathroom tiles cleaning or any of the above methods for a faster cleaning and soaking time.

Cons:

• Depends heavily on availability of steam cleaner or hot water
• May cause burns and scalding if not properly done