In this article we will discuss what cleaning products are suggested for routine maintenance and every day cleaning of ceramic and porcelain tile floors as well as natural stone floors like marble, travertine, limestone, slate, flagstone, terracotta and granite. In previous articles we already explained how to actually mop properly and prevent dirt accumulation on the floor and in the grout lines. In this article we will explain what cleaning products are effective, non effective or even harmful to your floor. A basic cleaning product for routine mopping is a neutral cleaner. Neutral means PH neutral or 7.0. The label of cleaning products state their ph and you should look for something that has a ph between 7-9. The benefit of a neutral cleaner is that it is not soapy and will not leave a film of residue if diluted properly like soapy cleaning products. This soapy residue is common of many detergents and cleaning products. This soap residue requires a lot of water to rinse it out (think dishes). Most people use insufficient water to properly rinse out this soap residue. This causes a haziness and distortion of clarity of the tile. Furthermore dirt tends to stick to this soap film creating a cleaning nightmare and perpetual dirty looking floor. Another benefit of a neutral cleaner is its mildness and inability to harm or cause damage to most surfaces including polished marble and natural stone. Many household cleaning products even 100% natural can totally ruin marble and other common stones like limestone and travertine. Vinegar is one classic example that would require professional marble refinishing and polishing.
In next article we will focus on the most common examples of improper or ineffective cleaning methods used for tile and grout as well as for marble and other natural stone,
