How to Clean Tile Joints Clogged with Dust
Whether they’re ceramic or earthenware, white or grey, all sorts of tiles can easily get clogged with dust. It must be said that this material is often placed in the dirtiest places in a house! How can you clean tile joints? Here, we give you some tips and tricks for an effective and lasting cleaning.
First of all, even though you have to pay special attention to the tile joints, which get dirty very quickly, you should know that it’s impossible to properly care for the joints if the tiles themselves aren’t clean. Begin, therefore, by cleaning the tiles, then wash the joints. You should also know that floor tiles are much dirtier and at much greater risk of being damaged than wall tiles. Because the dirt and the wear aren’t the same, the products used for their respective cleaning will therefore be different.
Cleaning floor tile joints
On floor tiles, and especially on their joints, dirt and residue of all sorts accumulates. Debris from under shoes, grease, and – above all – dust builds up and easily gets embedded in the joints of your tiling. Don’t worry, though, because you can quickly make them look like new again. For that, first use a product that you can spray on the joints and all the tiling so that it acts chemically on the dust. Let it rest for a few seconds, then finish the job with a mechanical action – that is, by scrubbing the joints coated with the product using a brush. Let the product rest for a few seconds, then remove all the product with an absorbent sponge. The products to use:
- Dishwashing liquid, because it’s a cleaning product that won’t attack the tile joints.
If your tiles are shiny, a mixture of dishwashing liquid and ammonia will clean but also polish the joints and the tiling thanks to the effects of the ammonia. However, make sure to protect your hands from the ammonia!
A simple, mild soap, such as Marseille soap, will also do the job perfectly and won’t damage your tiling or the joints in any way.
Cleaning wall tile joints
While the joints of the wall tiling in your bathroom or kitchen also get clogged, they don’t get dirty in the same way as those of floor tiling. In effect, because the room in which wall tiling is found are more humid, the tiles accumulate dust that then turns into small clumps and gets embedded in the tile joints. Also subjected to splashing from cleaning products, mould may appear in the joints of the wall tiling. However, as with floor tiling, wall tiling and its joints must not be cleaned with overly acidic products. Avoid bleach, therefore, which seriously damages the joints in case of regular cleaning! The products to use:
- Baking soda mixed with warm water, because it’s a mild product with excellent cleaning properties that you can scrub the joints with using an old toothbrush.
- Black soap, which can be found in the form of a paste, is an ideal cleaner and dust remover when placed finely along the entire length of the joint before being rinsed.
If the joints of your tiling are truly too clogged and you can no longer get them the way you want them, you can also rely on cleaning specialists who will take care of this chore for you and who will definitely make your tile joints look like new!
