There's a reason makeover scenes are a familiar trope in the movie industry. The excitement of watching something outdated transforming into a new creation is overwhelming. Whether it be changing someone's outfit, their hair, their skill set or their home, makeovers draw us in and keep us watching. So when you give your floors a facelift, how do you keep that "wow" factor that it gave you the first time you saw it? You keep it looking its best, right? You can do the same and maintain that just-like-new look for your tiles with these 11 Floor It pro-tips:
1. A beautiful floor starts with beautiful grout, so clean yours regularly. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide to one part water and apply to your grout. Scrub with a toothbrush until sparkling.
2. Time is of the essence when it comes to spills. If you let renegade liquids stay in place for too long they will start seeping into your grout or the tile itself. Soak up as much as you can with paper towel, then use a mop and some hot water or mild detergent to get the rest.
3. One eco-friendly way to maintain a clean, glossy, odor-free floor is to mix one cup of white vinegar with a gallon of water and mop your floor with it regularly. Your tiles will look fantastic and you won't have to worry about your family coming into contact with any harmful chemicals.
4. If you do decide to go with a store-bought cleaner, make sure to test it in a small, discreet area of your floor before going to town with it. The last thing you want to do is clean your floor with a new product and find out your tile reacts poorly to it later on.
5. Once your floors have been thoroughly cleaned, go over your floor one more time with some water. If you don't you will be leaving a blanket of cleaning solution residue all over your gorgeous tile.
6. Sweep or vacuum your floor at least once a week. Failing to do so will allow grit and dirt to build up on the floor's surface. The danger here is that walking on dirt eventually wears on the floor, like sandpaper to wood. It also means you will run the risk of debris getting embedded in your floor.
7. To prevent damage to your tiles, ensure that your contractor plans on using properly sized grout joints. Every tile requires a different size, and pairing the a grout joint with an incompatible tile could mean trouble down the line. When tiles inevitably expand and contract with changes in the weather, grout joints prevent them from running into one another. Very important.
8. Make sure a quality sealer is used on your grout once it is installed to prevent damage. A good sealer will keep dirt, grime, water, and stains from getting to your all-important grout. Replace your sealer biannually if you can, but only once a year if you must. Don't let that grout get dingy!
9. Have your floors steam cleaned by a professional every year. Tile is porous and will absorb some of the mess it has encountered during its use. It really needs to be cleaned thoroughly if you want to keep it looking the way it did on its final installation day.
10. Bite the style bullet just a bit if you're completing the look of your room with heavy furniture. You'll begin to notice blemishes on your floor if protective mats are not put underneath your favorite couch or table.
11. You probably saw this coming, but our final tip is to get a professional involved. Get to know a flooring contractor you can trust so that if a tile breaks or a question arises you will be ready. We'd love that professional to from Floor It, so call (616)826-6668 for more information!