Grout and Tile Cleaning Archives

Who Told You To Clean Your Tile Like That?

Posted Wednesday, October 17th, 2018

Have you ever just zoned out in a blank stare down with a couple of dirty tiles while you shower in the morning? Going over every cleaning method you’ve tried in your head that has brought you and your tile to this arrestingly defeated moment.

There are a lot of ways to clean the tile in your home, some good and some not so good. It seems like everyone has a different recommended “best way” to clean your tile, so it won’t be much of a surprise that we do too! Luckily, we’ve been in the business of cleaning tile and grout for over 45 years, and we’re happy to share our expertise with you.

Common Tile Cleaning Mistakes

If you aren’t careful, things could go very wrong when attempting to make your tile glisten again. There are so many different products on the market claiming to be the cure all for all of your tile cleaning needs, making it difficult to pick the correct one. Not to mention that there are a surprising amount of variables involved when deciding what methods and products to use on your tile.

Do you have ceramic tile or natural stone? Is it sealed or unsealed? Are you more concerned with the grout lines? Are you or your family allergic to certain chemicals… on and on and on.

Knowing what you are cleaning and how the method of cleaning will react to your type of tile can be an enormous factor when trying to effectively get your tile looking great again.

Please note that we always recommend consulting a professional about the best way to clean your tile and grout. Better safe than sorry!

Natural Stone

If you are dealing with natural stone or slate, then you will want to make sure to use something very mild. With natural stone tiles, you will want to make sure not to use any harsh chemicals. To be completely honest, you are safest simply using hot water with very light agitation and nothing too abrasive.

Ceramic Tile

My friend, you are in luck! If you are trying to clean your ceramic or porcelain tile, then you have so many more options available to you. That being said, this can also be a problem though. There are a lot of great cleaning products on the market for you to bring back the shine to your tile. You can use anything from soapy water, vinegar, oxygenated bleach (OxiClean), citrus cleaners and more. Now, not all of them will be the best product for you to use in your given situation, but you’ve got options.

Ceramic tiles are going to be some of the more durable cleaning surfaces allowing you to use a wider variety of cleaning options without damaging or losing their shine. One of the safest options we recommend when trying to tackle something on your own would be a simple cleaning using vinegar on your tile with regular scrubbing, but nothing too aggressive. This mild cleaning method will handle most jobs, and regular maintenance of your tile.

Cleaning Products to Use

Now when dealing with more difficult buildup on your tile, you may want to turn to some more potent solutions. Products like bleach, while very effective at disinfecting and removing a lot of grime, can be toxic and noxious to you and your family. When you have some really tough cleaning situations try an oxygenated bleach product instead of a standard bleach. They will be much more friendly and environmentally safe when dissolved with water.

One thing to be cautious of though, is using a cleaner like OxiClean AFTER using vinegar to clean your tile. Hydrogen peroxide is found in many of these oxygenated bleach products, and when combined with vinegar can create a dangerous reaction forming peracetic acid. This is VERY VERY BAD.

Always rinse your tile clean of other products before using one of these strong products.

Play It Safe!

You could try any of these options to clean your tile after figuring out what is best for your situation, or you can make it super easy and just call Modernistic. Our team has been at this longer than the lifespan of some tile floors. We have an array of cleaning products and methods in our arsenal ready to take care of whatever situation you may have. Don’t hesitate to give us a call and schedule an appointment today so you don’t have to deal with it all by yourself!

The tile and grout pros at Modernistic have been helping Michigan homeowners with their tile cleaning needs for over 45 years! Call or click today if you have tile and grout cleaning questions. Make it Simple & Quick!

How To Keep Your Tile From Looking Dingy

Posted Wednesday, July 11th, 2018

Tile can be an attractive and durable flooring option for your home. It doesn’t show wear nearly as fast as carpet or wood and is more robust than laminate. However, with time you might notice that it is looking a little dingy, especially the grout. The tiles themselves are easy to clean with any kind of mop or brush – but the grout is a different story. Because grout is so porous, it is very susceptible to staining and is much harder to clean than non-porous tiles. Luckily, there are some options to help keep your tile from looking dingy.

While there are many chemicals available in stores for cleaning all the surfaces of your home, sticking to natural solutions is often safer. Some products can permanently discolor grout lines or leave a waxy finish on the tiles. That’s why using a mixture of 50% vinegar and 50% hot water is a great option to use on your grout – it’s a safe, all-natural cleaning solution!

The first step to keep your tile from looking dingy is to sweep your floor to remove any excess dirt and debris. After that, apply the vinegar solution to the floor and use a brush to scrub it into the cleaning lines. Buying a brush with a long enough handle to use while standing can help save your back from working on your hands and knees. Once the solution is scrubbed into your grout lines, use a mop to get as much of the liquid up as possible.

If you have more serious grout stains and do decide to use a chemical product on your grout, make sure to test it in an inconspicuous spot such as behind an appliance to make sure there aren’t any adverse effects.

If you don’t have the time to spend possibly a few hours scrubbing your floors, a professional cleaning company might be the best answer. The skilled technicians at Modernistic will use environmentally safe cleaning products to scrub your grout lines before using a truck mounted system at 1000 psi to blast away and vacuum up any dirt and debris. Our cleaning method also removes the cleaning solution and water right then and, after the cleaning, the technicians will wipe any excess water away with towels to make sure the floor is clean and ready to use right away. Check out the video below for more info about the process!

You don’t have to put up with tile floors that have lost their shine. Whether you choose to DIY or call in the pros, you have options to help keep your tile from looking dingy and dirty!

Click on the video below to see our simple & quick tile cleaning process!

Modernistic is Michigan’s most trusted tile and grout cleaner! If you want the best professional tile and grout cleaning possible, click or call today!

22 Before and After Photos To Envy

Posted Monday, May 22nd, 2017

Before and After Modernistic!

At Modernistic, when we say we’ll get it clean, we mean it! You may have to reconsider the 5-second rule after you see these 22 before and after photos.

Contact Your Local Modernistic

How Road Salt Affects Your Floors and Carpets

Posted Wednesday, December 7th, 2016

Winter floor care that will make your hardwoods and tile last.

Winter weather in Michigan brings its share of hassles. We spend hours shoveling, winterizing, and de-icing everything in sight. Most of us rely on one of the commercial brands of ice melt to do some of the work for us. These handy, calcium-chloride based products melt away stubborn ice and keep our walkways safe. City road crews and private businesses use rock salt liberally as well. Eventually, it’s inevitable that we track it into homes and businesses, where it can damage our floors. The experts at Modernistic have a few recommendations that should help you protect your hardwoods and tile from salt this winter.

Apply salt sparingly.

People often use too much ice melt thinking that, unless the salt is actually touching all of the ice, the product won’t work. This isn’t the case. Salt dissolves in the thin layer of water always present on the surface of the ice. As it dissolves, it lowers the freezing point of the liquid, since salty water freezes at temperatures far lower than fresh water. As the saltwater solution spreads over the surface of the ice, it naturally distributes salt evenly, and continues the thaw. Using a moderate amount of salt will be just as effective and reduce the chance of salt being tracked into your home.

Know how to identify salt on the floor.

Most often salt appears either in the form of small granules or white splotches left behind when puddles of salty water dry on the floor. Although most often salt will leave a white mark on the floor, don’t assume that without visible stains there is no salt residue. Different ice melt formulations will leave a slick film instead of a white stain. Check the floor to see if it feels sticky or oily, and remember that it’s almost impossible to avoid salt during the winter.

When you see salt on your floor remove it as soon as possible.

Sweep up any undissolved salt you see, and try to keep wet shoes at the door and on a mat. As with most spills and dirt on your floor, the longer the salt sits the more likely it is to permanently mar the look of your hardwood or tile. It will scratch the floor just like any dirt, but the effect of salt on your floors can be much worse. In fact, salt can even dissolve the surface finish on floors, making it imperative to remove it quickly.

Use a neutralizing cleaner on your floors.

If you see or feel dissolved salt on the floor, you will need to use a special cleaner to remove it.

Salt is alkaline, which means that normal cleaning products, which have a neutral pH, will only spread the alkaline salt around without removing or dissolving it. To make matters worse, since the salt residue is sticky, it attracts dirt as well. Instead of using your ordinary cleaning solution, switch to a neutralizing cleaning agent that will change the pH of the salt.

How to make your own neutralizing cleaner.

You can pick up a neutralizing cleaner at your local hardware store, but if you don’t feel like making a special trip you’re in luck. You probably already have a neutralizing cleaner on hand – distilled white vinegar. White vinegar is a safe, weak acetic acid. A half cup in a bucket of water should react with the alkaline salt residue and safely neutralize it so that it wipes away easily.

What if your floor finish is already damaged?

If your hardwood and tile are already looking dull and damaged, we know how to help. Modernistic’s unique hardwood cleaning process will remove salt, as well as dust, dirt, and dander. We vacuum, deep clean, rinse, and re-coat your hardwood so that it gleams like winter never happened.

Often entry areas, like mudrooms, have tile floors. If the surface of the tile seems dull and scratched, it might be time to let the professionals at Modernistic clean and reseal your floor. Not only will our penetrating sealant restore the shine to damaged tile, but it will protect your floor from further damage. You can use our easy online booking system to get a quote and schedule either service online here.

Serving Jackson, MI for 40 years.

How should you clean your tile and grout?

Posted Thursday, September 8th, 2016

Hey Holland, cleaning your tile and grout is a lot easier than you might think.

Tile is a perennial choice for many home owners because of its durability, water resistance, and pleasing aesthetic. But for many, cleaning tile conjures images of getting down on hands and knees to scrub grout with a tooth brush.

However, with regular care and the proper preventative measures, you can keep your tile looking beautiful with minimal care. Here’s what to keep in mind.

What kind of tile do you have?

Your cleaning approach will vary depending on your tile. Do you have stone, ceramic, or marble? Is your tile glazed or unglazed? Particularly porous or unglazed tile will be more prone to staining, and will require extra attention. Be sure to clean up any spills immediately, and never use a cleaner with a product containing color.

As for glazed tile, you’ll want to avoid any oil-based cleaners as they will leave a slippery residue over your tile.

Regular maintenance

Depending on the traffic in your household, you will want to remove dirt and other debris on a daily or weekly basis. You can do this by sweeping, dusting, or vacuuming. A microfiber cloth or a slightly dampened mop are also effective.

When you’re ready to mop, dust your tile first to avoid pushing dirt into your grout. Clean using clear water and a mild cleaning agent with a neutral pH.

Dry your tile when you’re finished

Wet tile is a slipping hazard, so you should always dry it when you’re done cleaning. Drying your floor will also leave it looking shinier by removing water spots, and it will prevent moisture from seeping into your grout. Either a terrycloth towel or a dry mop work well for this.

Have a professional clean your tile and grout annually

Even with regular maintenance, your tile will dull over time. An annual cleaning by a professional can bring back the shine, and a protective sealant will make your tile easier to clean throughout the rest of the year.

So, if your tile could use a little TLC, contact the professionals at Modernistic to schedule a cleaning today.

Get your tile cleaned before the semester starts

Posted Wednesday, August 17th, 2016

It’s more than just a dirty grout and tile problem

We spend a lot of time cleaning school districts in the Lansing area, and that means we see a lot of tile: in kitchens, bathrooms, and sometimes even classrooms. These are large areas, and they’re usually too big for thorough treatment by the in-house janitorial staff. If you haven’t checked in a while, your tile could be due for some special attention. Here why you should add professional tile cleaning to your back-to-school checklist.

Cut back mold, mildew, and other allergens

Grout doesn’t get dirty just from dirt: because it’s a porous material, it can grow mold, mildew, and harmful bacteria. This can lead to allergy trouble for both your students and faculty. While a good mopping can get rid of a lot of grime, it doesn’t cut down on the mold. And by adding moisture to the environment, it can even make the problem worse. A professional cleaning can rid you of this problem, ensuring your students have a healthy start to their year.

Prevent small problems from becoming a big issue

Right now your tile might just look a bit scratched and worn. But with school back in session, your tile is about to experience a lot more traffic. As in most situations, a bit of preventative maintenance now can keep you from having to close off parts of your facility for repair work. At Modernistic, we always finish our tile cleaning by putting down a layer of sealant, which prevents staining and makes the floors easier to clean in the future. We can also draw attention to any cracks in the tile or grout work so you can address them before they get worse.

We can help Lansing area schools get their tile cleaned before the semester starts

Our powerful, truck-mounted extraction system can remove all grime and other contaminants from your grout and tile in a fraction of the time it would take anyone else. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.