Nothing brightens up a room like a freshly mopped floor with shiny, gleaming tiles. But we’ve all been there – you spend an hour on your hands and knees scrubbing every inch, only to step back and see a floor full of muddy streaks and footprints. No one wants that!
The key is using the right techniques and products to get your floors sparkling without any evidence you were there. But how can you easily clean your shiny floor tiles from top to bottom without leaving a trace? Continue reading as we go over the simple process.
Gather Supplies
Before getting started on the floors, you’ll need to gather all the necessary cleaning supplies. Trust me, the process can be smooth and efficient if you have all the necessary supplies. And here’s what you’ll need:
- Mop – You’ll want a good quality mop that allows you to wring out excess water. Look for one with a rotational spin feature to properly wring out the mop head.
- Bucket – Use two buckets – one for the cleaning solution and one for rinsing. Label them to avoid getting them mixed up.
- Cleaning solution – For shiny tiles, a mixture of warm water and vinegar works best. The vinegar will help cut through grime and leave no residue.
- Rags and towels – Have some clean cotton rags or microfiber towels on hand. You’ll use these for buffing up excess moisture at the end.
Gather all these supplies and set them up before you get started. You want your cleaning solution mixed and ready to go so there’s no down time once you begin mopping.
Prepare The Floor
- Before mopping, you’ll need to fully prepare the floor surface.
- Give your tiles a thorough sweep or vacuum to remove any loose debris or dust.
- Make sure to get into the grout lines and corners. This prevents spreading grime around as you clean.
- Also, remove any small furniture, rugs, or other items that are sitting directly on the floor.
- You’ll need full access to clean the entire surface. Shiny tile shows all flaws easily, so you can’t miss any spots.
- Giving the floor a good sweep and clearing any objects gives you a blank slate for mopping.
Mix the Cleaning Solution
Now it’s time to mix up your cleaning solution. For the best streak-free results, a vinegar-based cleaner works perfectly. The vinegar cuts through dirt without leaving any soap scum or hazy residue.
- Simply fill your mop bucket partway with warm water then add 1⁄2 to 1 cup of white distilled vinegar.
- You can use more or less vinegar depending on how dirty your floors are.
- More vinegar equals more cleaning power. Stir to combine.
- Some people also like adding in a few drops of essential oil like lemon or peppermint.
- This adds a light fresh scent. Just be sure to use sparingly – too much oil can also leave streaks on tile.
- Once mixed, your vinegar cleaning solution is ready to go.
- Give it a quick sniff to wake yourself up for the task ahead!
Mop the Floor
Now comes the fun part – mopping! In this case, working in small sections is key.
Dip your mop head in the cleaning solution then wring it out very well, leaving it just barely damp. If it’s overly wet, you’ll leave puddles that can lead to streaks and long dry times.
- Start mopping in the very back corner of the room, working side-to-side across one small section at a time.
- Slowly move forward to the next section, overlapping slightly along the edges. Continue working back-to-front through the room.
- Rinse the mop pad out frequently in your second bucket. You want to lift dirt up, not just spread it around.
- Take care when transitioning across doorways or between rooms. It helps to have two mop heads to use between the cleaning and rinse buckets.
- Mop slowly and gently to avoid splashing. Stay observant of streaks as you work.
- Go back and touch up any problem spots you see before moving on.
Buff the Floor
Once the entire floor surface is mopped, it’s time to buff away any remaining moisture. This prevents streaks, shiny spots, and residue from developing as it dries.
- Using a clean, dry rag or microfiber towel, pad across the floor in wide, circular motions.
- Focus on one small section at a time. The light friction will soak up any standing water and leave a uniformly matte finish.
- Be extra thorough around the edges of the room and any corners or built-in fixtures.
- Change your buffing towel frequently to prevent just spreading water around.
- Work slowly and let each section fully dry before moving on.
- Continue buffing and drying until the whole floor looks evenly matte with no slick or shiny spots.
- The buffing step is key for avoiding streaks on shiny tile floors.
- Take your time and keep at it until any remaining moisture is gone.
Allow to Dry
Once fully mopped and buffed, your floor needs time to finish drying undisturbed. Keep all furniture and area rugs picked up. Avoid walking on the tiles until totally dry. The slight pressure of steps can lead to new streaks forming.
You can replace small objects and furniture after just 30 minutes or so. For at least 2-3 hours, refrain from dragging furniture legs across the floor, even with pads. Allow a full 24 hours before putting down any area rugs. Caution and patience preserves your hard mopping work.
In that day you should avoid wet mopping again. Your floors need time to fully dry out from the deep clean. But you can now enjoy your streak-free, brilliantly shiny floors!
Final Thought
Cleaning shiny tile floors doesn’t have to leave a mess of streaks and footprints behind. And with the right cleaning technique above, you can safely restore the brilliant gleam without evidence of your hard work. All it takes is some time and elbow grease.
