How to wash the tiles in the bathroom from plaque?
One of the main problems that every housewife faces when cleaning the bathroom is related to the effective cleaning of tiles from limescale and rust, while not causing harm to health and without damaging the surface of the tile. After all, most modern detergents contain various alkalis and acids in their compositions, which must be handled with extreme care.
In this article, we will talk about how to get rid of various contaminants on the tiles in the bathroom using different means. Consider what folk methods exist, and which ones are the most effective and economical. After all, only proper care will help to maintain the cleanliness and shine of the coating for a long time.
Peculiarities
Tiled or ceramic tile is a durable and very hardy material, which is why it is very often used for finishing in the bathroom. With proper care, this facing material will last for decades and retain its original gloss and shine. In addition, among the advantages of such a tile, one can also note:
- a huge selection of colors and shapes, which allows you to implement any design in the bathroom;
- excellent wear resistance to temperature changes, steam, grease, chemical and cosmetic substances;
- simplicity and ease of use and cleaning.
In order not to start pollution, Tiles need to be cleaned regularly. Most housewives know that first of all, limescale appears on the surface of the tile, which is caused by a too humid room and hard water. In addition, it is not possible to avoid the appearance of rust and mold. Few people think about it, but the usual shampoos, shower gels and toilet soaps also leave marks on the tiles.
If the tile is not taken care of in a timely manner, then its surface will fade, an unpleasant brownish tint will appear, and black mold will grow more and more every day.
With advanced pollution, it will be much more difficult to wash the tile. And this will require additional efforts, primarily in the form of financial investments, and you will also have to spend several times more energy and time on cleaning. Therefore, preventive measures are much more effective and less costly.
Types of pollution
Before you clean the tile, you need to understand the nature of the pollution. This is necessary in order to choose the right cleanser and method of its use. The main types of pollution on facing materials in the bathroom are:
- limescale - we mentioned it above. The main reason for its appearance are drops of water, which contain various minerals. There are especially a lot of such additives in hot water, it is she who often leaves whitish marks and stains. If they are not removed immediately, then over time the surface of the tile will become cloudy and rough. Subsequently, getting rid of this ingrained dirt will be difficult. Prevention of the appearance of limescale is the use of soft wipes, which must be immediately wiped dry on the surface of the cladding after taking a bath.
- Mold in the seams and fungus - appear due to dampness and poor ventilation of the room. For the bathroom, these pollution are a big problem. Mold and fungus grow very quickly and in the first place harm human health. These contaminants look like dark and even black spots. Special products containing various acids will help to qualitatively remove blackness. But these cleaning fluids must be handled with care, wearing rubber gloves and a face mask to prevent skin contact and inhalation of harmful fumes.
- Rust - usually appears due to poor quality water. Various detergents will help remove it. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to prevent the appearance of rust on your own. Therefore, only regular cleaning and cleaning will help keep the cladding clean.
- After renovation, you can often see stains from grout on the facing surface. Of course, as long as the material has not hardened, it can be quickly removed. But it will be quite difficult to clean the dried grout from the tile, especially if the surface has a relief pattern. Currently, cement grout and epoxy resin are used to grout tiles. To remove them, special softening agents based on acids are usually used.
But in order to prevent the appearance of such contaminants, it is better to glue the surface of the tile with film and construction tape before grouting:
- sealant - used to seal cracks and joints of tiles. It contains silicone, which is added for a stronger grip. Therefore, it is very difficult to remove the sealant from the lining.In places where scratches do not appear, you can use a sharp knife, which carefully needs to cut off the protruding parts of the material. To remove more visible areas of the tile, special chemical compounds, such as solvents, will help to soften the silicone, and then it can be wiped off the surface of the cladding.
- Sometimes during the repair process, the tile may get scale from welding. Ugly stains appear on the surface of the tile, which can be easily removed from unglazed tiles with any detergent. If you have a glazed cladding, then it is almost impossible to remove weld stains. In this case, you will have to replace the damaged tile.
As you can see, in the bathroom you can deal with almost any kind of pollution. You just need to have the necessary knowledge and make some efforts for high-quality cleaning.
Funds
In order for the tiles in the bathroom to please with their brilliance, you can use not only professional detergents, which contain various chemical compounds and acids, but also folk recipes. At home, you can easily and quickly prepare high-quality mixtures that can quickly clean the cladding and give it its original appearance.
Consider the most popular of them:
- Vinegar and baking soda paste able to remove dried grout from the surface of the tile. To do this, you need to mix the ingredients in equal proportions, and apply the resulting mixture to the contaminated surface. After twenty minutes, clean the tiles with a soft brush and rinse with water.
- Lemon acid removes limescale and adds shine to the surface. You can use squeezed lemon juice, fresh lemon slices, or citric acid solution (1 tsp.per glass of water). Just wipe the dirty area and leave for a deeper action for 15-20 minutes, then thoroughly clean the surface with a soft brush and plenty of water. This tool is one of the most effective and economical at home.
- Remove hardened grout, limescale and sealant will help ammonia solution (1 tablespoon) and water (1 liter). Instead of ammonia, you can use white spirit. Apply the prepared mixture to the contaminated facing coating, leave for 10-20 minutes, then rinse with plenty of water.
- Ordinary dishwashing gel helps to deal with light pollution. It must be applied to dirty places, left for a quarter of an hour, and then washed off with plenty of water.
- Helps get rid of mold and germs bleaching powder. Of course, the smell is a little unpleasant, but this remedy is very effective. It is necessary to dilute the chlorine powder in water, apply the resulting solution to the tile, paying careful attention to the seams. Leave for a deeper effect for 10 minutes, then rub the contaminated areas well with a brush and rinse with plenty of water.
- To bleach the darkened seams will help the usual hydrogen peroxide. It should be applied to the surface, left for 15-20 minutes, then carefully clean the seams with a brush and rinse with plenty of water..
- By using steam cleaner you can get rid of not only limescale, but also thoroughly clean the seams from fungus and mold. This device heats water to a high temperature to form steam and cleans the surface with a powerful jet. A huge plus is that the steam cleaner allows you to remove germs, thus disinfecting the surface and the bathroom as a whole.
The main role is played by how well the facing surface will be wiped after washing. It is better to use soft microfiber cloths or bamboo towels for these purposes. These fabrics not only absorb excess liquid, but also perfectly polish the surface of the tile.
Cleaning methods
Of course, most housewives use special detergents to clean the cladding in the bathroom, which can be purchased at any store. Below we will consider the most common of them, we will tell, for what types of pollution they are more effective, and what reviews do these or those means have:
- Mr Muscle ("Bathroom Expert"). The manufacturer indicates that the product cleans dirt, disinfects, adds shine, and does not leave streaks. The cost is from 250 rubles. It is applied to the surface with a sprayer. According to customer reviews, the product cleans ceramic tiles and seams well, as well as plumbing. After using it, there are really no streaks left, the surface becomes clean and shiny. But it does not cope with too old pollution. Only suitable for daily cleaning. Among the minuses, an unpleasant pungent citrus aroma is noted.
- Cilit Bang ("Anti-attack + shine"). The manufacturer notes that this product fights limescale, rust, soap stains and stubborn dirt. The cost is from 250 rubles. The bottle has a sprayer for easy application. Customers mark this tool as one of the best. With it, you can easily remove difficult dirt not only from tiles on the wall, but also on the floor. To do this, it is enough to leave the product for 5-10 minutes on a dirty surface, then rinse with plenty of water.Using Cilit Bang you can easily clean even embossed tiles without any extra effort. Among the minuses of the hostess, an unpleasant pungent smell is noted.
- Domestos ("Double Strength"). The manufacturer assures that the agent kills microbes and cleans the surface as much as possible. The cost is from 180 rubles. Most customers note that with the help of Domestos, you can wash not only the bathroom, but also the toilet. Thanks to this tool, it is much easier to wash tiles from mold and plaque at home than with other means. Of the minuses, it is noted that the liquid has an unpleasant smell of bleach and it cannot be used to wipe off rust.
- Cif ("Anti-Raid"). The manufacturer indicates that the product removes limescale, stubborn dirt, soap stains. The cost is from 180 rubles. Most customers note that with the help of Cif, you can clean the matte surface of the tile from plaque, and in a matter of minutes the cladding will regain its original shine. In addition, the tool does an excellent job with old dirt and rust. And also the embossed tile is cleaned without much effort. Among the shortcomings of the hostess, the persistent smell of bleach is noted.
- Comet ("7 days of purity"). The manufacturer writes that the product removes limescale and rust, disinfects and keeps clean for up to seven days thanks to the protective layer. The cost is from 200 rubles. Customers mark this tool as one of the best for cleaning the bathroom, as it does its job perfectly. In order to remove old stains and the tile shines like new, it is necessary to leave the liquid on the surface for a deeper effect for 10-15 minutes. Mistresses separately point out that there is no trace of rust left in a matter of minutes.The smell of the product is chemical, but not caustic, like many similar products.
- Unicum ("To clean the bathroom"). The manufacturer writes that the product gives shine and cleanliness to the bathroom and toilet room, instantly removes soap and limescale, rust, mold, fungus, leaves a protective nanolayer that prevents further pollution. The cost is from 200 rubles. Mistresses note that this liquid has a pungent odor and cannot cope with old stains and mold. But it perfectly removes plaque, rust, polishes the surface.
- To remove mold, customers use a special tool from this manufacturer. - Unicun ("To remove mold in the bathroom"). This liquid removes mold and fungus from any surface in seconds for a long time. The cost of such a product is from 180 rubles. Customers indicate that this is one of the most effective means to deal with a similar problem. The smell is chemical, but not pungent. There are no downsides to this tool.
- "San Klin" ("Santik") - liquid for cleaning tiles, earthenware and sanitary ware. The manufacturer promises to remove limescale, rust and other contaminants. The cost is from 180 rubles. The hostesses noted that the tool copes with the main tasks, but old stains are beyond its power. Among the minuses indicate an unpleasant odor and the appearance of chemical burns on the skin if gloves are not used.
Tips & Tricks
There are a number of simple guidelines to help keep your bathroom in top condition:
- If you want the facing coating to always please you with cleanliness and shine, it is necessary to wipe water drops from the surface immediately after they appear.To do this, use soft microfiber cloths that will not scratch the tiles.
- To prevent dampness and mold in the bathroom, install a good ventilation system.
- If you want to add extra shine to your tiles, you can use regular glass cleaner. It is worth noting that this tool can be used daily without fear of causing damage to the lining.
- For dark tiles, do not use a solution of warm water with soda, as the latter can leave white stains behind.
- Textured tiles require more thorough cleaning, as dirt can accumulate in the recesses of the pattern. For such washing, soft brushes and napkins with a large pile are suitable.
- Experts recommend changing the grout every few years. In this way, you will remove the old material with damage from fungi and mold. Then it is necessary to treat the joints with an antiseptic, and close the seams again.
- When using any cleaning agent, do not apply it to the entire surface at once. First, try how the cladding behaves in a less noticeable area.
- Be sure to follow safety measures when using any detergent: protect your skin with rubber gloves, wear a face mask so as not to inhale toxic fumes of various acids.
- When cleaning the cladding, it is better not to use cleaners with abrasive particles, as they will easily damage the surface.
One little trick is to use melamine sponges to clean the tiles. With this sponge, you can wash the surface of the cladding without the use of special tools. It is enough just to moisten it in a small amount of water and wipe the contaminated surface.
Some housewives use polishing wax to give shine to the tiles. This tool is mainly used for cars. The polish must be diluted in water and applied to a clean and dry veneer. After a few minutes, the surface should be wiped with a soft cloth. Wax will give a beautiful shine to your tiles, and the special water-repellent properties of the polish will prevent the formation of limescale.
As you can see, keeping a bathroom clean is not difficult at all. The main thing is to remove dirt on time, then the tile will always sparkle like new. And a tidy bathroom will always speak of you as a good hostess.
How to clean the tiles in the bathroom to crystal clear, see the following video.
Girls, for cleaning I advise melanin sponges, they clean everything instantly, and you don’t need a detergent, nothing .... moisten a little with water and that’s it. Wipes everything!