Introduction
Bathroom tiles are quick to catch grime and gunk. In the best-case scenario, it just looks bad and in the worst-case scenario, it can cause accidents. You can search for “home cleaning services near me” and hire professionals to clean your tiles for you. Let’s check out how you can clean and paint your bathroom tiles to make them look their best.
The Details
- Deep clean your tiles – The best way to revive your bathroom tiles and make them look their best is too deep clean them. While you should clean your bathroom tiles regularly, most people don’t have the time and energy for that. It’s also labor intensive, and everyone can’t afford a weekly cleaning service. However, deep cleaning bathroom tiles is different from deep cleaning other parts of your home. Let’s check out the best way you can do it.
- Run hot water over the tiles – Regardless of the cleaning solution you use to clean your tiles, you need to run hot water over them for a few minutes. The hot water opens up the pores on the ceramic tiles and allows you better access to the trapped dirt. This lets you clean more efficiently in less time and with less effort wasted on scrubbing.
- Cleaning method – When you clean the bathroom tiles, make sure not to press too hard on the tiles with the brush or scrub. You don’t want to scratch or damage your expensive tiles. Instead, you need to adopt a consistent and gentle brushing motion to clean the tiles without damaging them. After you’re done applying the solution and cleaning the tiles, rinse off the liquid with cold water and pat everything dry with a thick towel.
- Tile grout – The ceramic tiles in your bathroom are designed to deflect most of the dirt and grime. However, that’s not the case with gaps in between the tiles. The grout collects most of the dirt and gunk and can become extremely filthy over time. You need to pay extra attention and probably more time to clean tile grout.
If there’s mold and scum accumulated on the grout, apply the cleaning solution to that surface and let it sit on the grout for a few minutes. After that, get a slim toothbrush and scrub off the scum with a bit of extra force and pressure. Make sure not to hit the tile surface with the brush.
- Natural vs Artificial cleaning solutions – You have access to two kinds of cleaning solutions for your bathroom tiles. There are regular cleaning solutions you can get at the supermarket. They use harsh chemicals and can easily tackle grime and soap scum. Sometimes, you would have to opt for a strong limescale remover from the supermarket since other things would not get the job done. Make sure that you read the labels and don’t buy solutions that may damage your tiles.
On the other hand, there are natural cleaning solutions like vinegar and baking soda. They are not as strong as supermarket cleaners. However, that is enough if your bathroom tiles are not extremely dirty. You need to spray a layer of vinegar or baking soda over the tiles overnight and clean them off along with the trapped dirt the next morning. Follow up with a thorough rinse.
- Painting tiles – After you’re done deep cleaning the tiles and not satisfied with the way they look; you have a few options. The best option is obviously to replace the tiles with new ones. However, that defeats the deep clean you did and the purpose of this article. The next best thing is to paint the tiles to give them a brand-new look. However, depending on the target finish, prepare to remove a few tiles and re-grout them.
- Paint for bathroom tiles – If you have paint in your garage that’s left over from painting the walls or your furniture, it can’t be used for painting your tiles. Instead, you need to buy tile paint that is designed to adhere to the smooth ceramic surface and provide protection against scratches and mold. If you’re not sure about the color or designs for your tiles, you can get inspiration from the internet and choose options that are easy to do with a brush or a roller.
- Painting method – If you want a polished finish on your tiles, you need to remove the grout and paint those tiles individually. You can easily buy a grout-removing tool from the local hardware store. After the grout is removed, clean the tiles thoroughly so that there’s no speck of dirt or dust on them. They need to be thoroughly clean so that the paint adheres to the surface properly.
After cleaning and drying the tiles, get a tile primer and apply it to the tiles carefully. Make sure to apply the primer at the right time, since they come with varying drying times that range from a couple of hours to half a day. After the primer dries off on the tiles, lightly sand the surface to create pores so that the paint can stick to it for a long time.
Next, apply a thin even coat of paint to the tile and allow it to dry. For those challenging corners, you can use a thin synthetic brush. Depending on how vibrant or dark the paint finish needs to be, you can apply additional coats of paint and follow it up with a few coats of varnish. The varnish acts as a protective layer and makes the paint last longer.
Conclusion
Research shows that average bathroom tiles contain over 700 bacteria on each square inch. That’s the average tile that doesn’t even look too dirty. On the other hand, if your tile looks very dirty, it’s several times more unhygienic and completely ruins the aesthetics of your bathroom. Fortunately, you can search for “home cleaning services near me” and hire pros to clean them for you.
