Cleaning Old Tiles
Tiles are a popular choice especially in flooring. And one of the major reasons is its durability. If you use tiles in your house, they are guaranteed to last for a really long time. They can withstand heavy furniture over them and hardly get scratches.
However, as time goes by, the tiles might gather up dirt which can cause them to lose color. Outdoor tiles, kitchen tiles, and bathroom tiles are the most common victims of this problem.
Before thinking of new flooring options, try to consider cleaning the tiles first. More often than not, you will still be able to restore the tiles to their old glorious state. Here are some common problems in old tiles and how to address them:
- Discolored gouts- the gout is the gap between the tiles where the white adhesive used to attach the tiles are visible. The gout is usually white and the quality is one which can easily gather dirt. It is usually the first indicator that the tiles are getting old. If your gout is already yellowish or brownish in color, then you have to do deep cleaning right away. It’s safe to use a strong bleach. It can help remove the discoloration and restore the bright white color of the gout.
- Stains- if you haven’t tended to your tiles for a long time, you might notice that there are already some stains which are stuck to the tile. Try to inspect it closely and find out what type of stain it is. Each stain usually has an equivalent cleaning agent. But in general, you can use a detergent to wash the tiles. Most of the stains would be removed but if it’s still there, you can also use a bleach to clean it.
- Molds and Mildew- for tiles found in areas which are commonly damp, molds and mildew are very common. Luckily, there are cleaners which are specifically made to remove molds and mildew. If you want to use household items, you can grab a baking soda or white vinegar. These two can actually get rid of molds and mildew effectively.
These are just three of the many other things you can do to revive your fading tiles. But the most important tip that you should note of is that you should clean your tiles regularly and don’t disregard them. This will help avoid problems such as a discoloured gout and stains which are hard to remove.