Isn’t it annoying when the lovely tiles you installed in your bathroom start to have ugly stains on them?
In this article, we will tell you how to get rid of these stains in your bathroom and what you can do to keep your bathroom tiles beautiful.
Table of Content
How to clean different materials?
Why do bathroom tiles get those stains?
The number one reason why tiles, whether porcelain, ceramic or natural stones end up having stains or moulds is humidity.
Also, sometimes you will get stains on the floor tiles from liquid products and soap that you use in the shower.
Apart from the tiles, grouts will also end up having stains and moulds. You might need to clean your grouts as well from time to time. We will go through this as well in this blog post.
How to clean different materials?
The most common type of tiles used in the bathroom is porcelain and ceramics, but more products can be used in the bathroom. We will discuss all material briefly here.
Not all materials can be cleaned with the same method and products. You need to make sure you are cleaning your tiles with the right method to avoid ruining your beautiful tiles!
NOTE: Make sure you check with a professional on how to clean the tiles in your bathroom. Using the wrong products could potentially damage your tiles.
Cleaning Porcelain and Ceramics
Porcelain and ceramics are highly durable products that can be cleaned with most cleaning products.
Most bathrooms are tiled with porcelain and mosaics.
When cleaning these tiles you don’t have to worry about the products you choose to clean them with.
However, make sure you are using a non-scratching tool to avoid ruining the surface of the tiles.
Cement Tiles 
Concrete tiles are that common for bathrooms but they are a durable choice and they can have a smart and minimalistic look.
Cleaning cement tiles is not that difficult. You can use most products and tools to clean them.
The only thing you need to watch out for is avoiding any acidic cleaning product to clean your tiles. Cement is not resistant to acid and will be ruined once it is it is exposed to acid.
Glass Tiles
Glass tiles come in beautiful shades and colours and can make your bathroom stand out. They are very durable and resistant and you won’t have much difficulty maintaining your tiles.
The main thing you need to make sure to avoid when cleaning glass tiles is avoiding any abrasive products.
Natural Stones
Natural stones are a stunning choice for any bathroom. The natural surface certainly brings out an elegant look in your bathroom.
There are different types of natural stone and each of them has its characteristics.
In general, when it comes to cleaning natural stone tiles and mosaics, you should be more careful than porcelain tiles.
Contact Stone and Tile Projects to get some advice on how to clean your stone tiles.
It’s best to avoid using any abrasive or acidic products when cleaning stone materials. You can use specific stone cleaning products for your type of stone.
How To Clean Bathroom Tiles
After all, it comes down to cleaning.
We highly recommend using Lithofin products to clean your bathroom tiles. You can use whatever product you like. Just make sure what you use is suitable for the material and does not damage it.
It’s a good idea to start by cleaning the walls before cleaning the floor tiles. If you clean the floor first, you will step on it and might have to redo your work.
The best way to go about it is by spraying the product on the tiles and letting it sit for a while.
Then before the liquid dries use a non-scratch scrub pad and scrub the tiles by moving in an “S” pattern from top to bottom.
Once you are done with the scrubbing, rinse everything down from top to bottom.
Now it’s time to dry everything out. You can use whatever tool you find more suitable including a sponge and a cloth.
Repeat the same process for the floor tiles.
Cleaning the Grouts
Grouts, especially light colour grouts, will end up becoming darker gradually.
You can use grout cleaning products to clean the grouts. This is a bit of delicate work and takes some time. Use a non-scratching cleaning pad or a sponge and only clean the grouts. You can also use a light brush (or a toothbrush) to clean the grouts.
An alternative to using liquid products to clean the grouts is steam cleaning.
This is a really cool way of cleaning grouts but you need to purchase the steam cleaning tool.
Steam cleaners usually come with accessories to make it easier to point them towards the grout lines. Make sure you use these tools as you don’t want to ruin your tiles with the steam cleaner.
This method is environmentally friendly and doesn’t cost all that much.
What to do in the long-term
Here is a recommended routine for cleaning bathroom tiles that will ensure your tiles will continue looking good and last longer.
Get them sealed.
No matter what materials you are using in your bathroom, whether natural stone, porcelain or ceramics, it’s a good idea to use the appropriate sealings for extra protection.
Sealing needs to be done repetitively as well. Each sealing has its own set of time. The frequency of natural stone sealing is different from porcelain. Follow what the description of the sealing package says and apply them. They take at least some months, so it’s not something you need to ever so often.
Dry the tiles.
As mentioned, the number one reason why your tiles get stains, moulds or just change colour is the constant humidity in your bathroom.
It is also a good idea to make sure you have good ventilation in your bathroom area. This will in effect keep the tiles clean and nice.
Besides that, what you can do regularly is dry the tiles with a sponge. Do this once or twice a week. Simply rub a sponge on the tiles and dry them.
Sealing does add some protection. If you have sealed the moisture may just sit on the sealing, so it should be easy to dry them with a sponge.
Schedule a weekly cleaning.
Run a weekly cleaning of the tiles and the grouts.
Our recommendation is to use Lithofin products. They are easy to use and environmentally friendly, and they will guarantee that your tiles remain in their best condition.
Make sure you are using the appropriate product. Ask us for any assistance on which Lithofin product to use for your tiles. They cover all kinds of materials.
Extra Tips
- The most important thing to remember is to pay more attention to areas in your bathroom that have more exposure to humidity.
For example, if you have a bathtub, the tub and the tiles around it would be a zone you should pay more attention to and do more work on.
- Ventilation is key.
When designing (or re-designing) your bathroom, run it with a builder or designer on how you can improve ventilation. This is something that not only will help you in keeping your bathroom clean and beautiful, but it is also important when it comes to hygiene.
In case, you can’t do much about the ventilation, make sure you leave the bathroom door open sometimes (especially after shower), and dry the tiles with a sponge more often to ensure the tiles are protected.
- Use a deck brush to clean the floors.
This tool will make cleaning floors much easier so you don’t have to bend or sit on your knees to clean.