You’ve used our free kitchen design online tool to build your dream kitchen, and now you want to make sure it stays that way. One of the toughest areas to keep clean in a kitchen is the floor. This is especially true in the summer, when your family continues to track dirt, sand, and grime from the great outdoors all over your shiny tile. Follow these five tips and your floors will continue to sparkle all summer long.
1. Replace your sponge mop with a rag or chamois style.
There are a lot of trendy home cleaning products on the market. Many of them even make cleaning easier, but just because something is easier doesn’t mean it’s better. Sponge mops fall in that category as they actually trap more dirt in your grout. To avoid this, use a rag or chamois style mop instead, and make sure to frequently change out the water as you clean.
2. Make a DIY grout cleaner.
Baking soda is truly one of the best ingredients for cleaning grout. Make your own solution by mixing baking soda and water to create a paste. Apply your DIY grout cleaner with a toothbrush and let it sit overnight. The next day, scrub the grout using a metal brush and then remove any excess product. Your grout should look good as new!
3. Keep grout clean longer.
Once you’ve taken the time to clean grout, make your work last longer by applying a silicone-based sealant. Resealing grout is necessary from time to time and it’s an easy DIY project that you can tackle in just a half hour. Once the tile and grout is clean, you will apply your sealant with a foam paintbrush. Follow the instruction on the product, but most will instruct you to apply one layer and then let it dry for ten minutes or so before applying a second coat. Save this project for a day when you can stay out of your kitchen for a while — ideally in the evening so you can allow the sealant to fully dry overnight.
4. Create reminders to make cleaning floors more routine.
If you’re a busy parent, busy career person, or both, remembering the last time you cleaned your kitchen floors probably feels like forever ago and seems like yesterday all at the same time. Take the stress out of the equation and designate certain days for doing different tasks, or pick a single day each week to get really down and dirty. Mark it in your calendar, write it on a whiteboard or set an alert on your phone. Use kitchen cabinet organizers to neatly store your cleaning supplies so you can grab them and get to work without wasting any more of your precious time.
5. Give tile back its shine.
If you feel like your tile is looking a little ruddy, even after a good clean, you may be experiencing soap scum buildup. Don’t worry; it’s not as gross as it sounds! All you need to do is use an all-purpose cleaner to wipe down tile and get rid of any residue that your soapy solution may have left behind.
Ready to take on your tile this summer? To recap, all you’ll need are a few key items:
- Baking soda
- Rag or chamois style mop
- Silicone based grout sealant (and foam brush to apply)
- Kitchen cabinet organizers
- All purpose cleaner
- A get-it-done attitude!
At The RTA Store we help make your dream kitchen a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) and Pre-Assembled kitchen cabinets, and accessories with the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let us make your kitchen dreams come true with the help of our free kitchen design tool!
