How Do I Clean Black Tiles in My Kitchen?

Black tiles are quite popular in both traditional and modern interiors, mainly in the kitchen. There are two main types of such tiles – natural stones, and ceramic or porcelain tiles.

Black tiles are often used in combination with some other color, most notable white. As an example, white and black chequer tile patterns have been popular for centuries.

And the thing is if you own a black tile you will know how stylish and on-trend the color and design are, however you will also be aware that a black tile is a little harder to keep clean looking than some other colors.

To clean your black kitchen tiles, use a mop and bucket with hot water and a squirt of mild dishwashing detergent. If you notice the water getting dirty, empty the dirty water and refill with fresh hot water and a squirt of mild dishwashing liquid.

Contrary to the popular beliefs of other people, you will know that for some reason, when you use many types of cleaning products in your black tile, they seem to show up smudges and smears more than a lot of other colors. 

However, this need not be a problem, adapting your cleaning routine slightly will solve all your problems and will leave your black tile looking as wonderful as when you first bought it.

In this article, you’ll learn what causes black tiles to get dirty, what are the materials you’ll need to clean the black tiles, how many types of black tiles are available and how to clean them, and then how to clean black tiles of the kitchen, etc…

And then finally how to keep your black tiles clean for a long time without putting in too much effort.

Why Do Black Tiles Get Dirty?

Black tiles attract a lot of light and dust particles. And because of that dirt and grime gets stuck on it very quickly and easily.

Another big reason for the black tiles getting dirty is the laziness of the tiler when grouting the tiles.

What happens is that when the tiler is grouting they need to make sure that the leftovers of grout are also cleaned off or else this causes a lot of dirt to attract on the tiles.

Specifically, in the case of black tiles, the color of grout and the tiles is almost similar and the tiler may find it hard to clean the grout. Resulting in some leftovers of the grout on the tiles thus attracting a lot of dirt.

The other cause sadly is mopping. Sadly, because we mop our floors to make them clean right?

But if your mop is dirty then it will make the tiles dirty as well.

If you don’t rinse your mop thoroughly then a layer of soap scum that’s created from the detergent gets stuck on the tiles which later ruins its texture after getting dry.

Materials You’ll Need To Clean Black Tiles:

• Hot water with a mild detergent mixed in it. Dish soap is best.

• A clean mop. Make sure that any dirt that may be stuck from the previous mopping is rinsed off. Or else the tiles will lose it’s texture if you use a dirty mop. Try using a spin mop with a split bucket system.

• Half cup of vinegar. The acidity of Vinegar is 2.5 on the pH scale and this is what makes it such a good cleaner. Because vinegar is so acidic, it can counteract some unpleasant buildups. It can dissolve away soap scum, brines left by hard water, and glue left behind by stickers. (It’s not recommended for natural stone tiles.)

Cleaning Black Natural Stone Tiles 

There are mainly two types of black tiles:

1. Natural stone tiles,
2. And ceramic tiles.

If you have black natural stone tiles fitted in your home then the first thing you must do is avoid any pH acidic solution on it.

This will ruin the texture of the stone and make your floor worse than it was before. 

Only go for a pH-neutral solution. With that, you’ll also need a good spin mop as they will be really helpful in removing stuck-on debris from floors without scratching them. 

Once you have the required material first of all sweep the floor for any dust particles.

Then take warm or hot water and mix it with a pH-neutral solution. Dip the spin mop into your bucket of warm water, wring it out, and start cleaning. 

Begin with cleaning the sides of the room then lead towards the exit.

This should be able to clean the black natural stone tiles perfectly.

What To Do If There’s A Stain On The Black Natural Stone?

The best way to remove a stain from a black natural stone is to take a wet cloth of warm water and remove any debris. This will loosen the grip of the stain on the floor.

Then take plain water and mild soap. Rinse the area by applying mild pressure.

Cleaning Black Ceramic Tiles

Black ceramic tiles are always a victim of grout, sand, and grit. Which may scratch the surface of the tiles if not removed.

While cleaning the first thing you need to do is clean away any debris. With a vacuum cleaner or a broom. Then use a rough tool to remove any sticky residue on the surface. You can use a plastic putty knife for the best results.

Then grab a spin mop & bucket. Fill the bucket with hot water, a squirt of dish soap, and half a cup of vinegar to start mopping the floor. 

Make sure that you don’t use too much soap. Or else the tiles will get a build up of soap scum. And cleaning soap scum is a thing of its own.

Rinse and keep doing it. Then mop once more with plain hot water.

How To Clean Grout On A Black Ceramic Tile?

Grout is one of the biggest troubles black ceramic tiles faces. If there’s even a little grout left on the tile it can attract a lot of dirt and ruin the texture of the tiles.

So, take a bucket of warm water and mix it with powdered oxygen bleach. Then fill it in a spray bottle and spray the solution on the grout lines.

Take an old toothbrush and rub each individual line minutely. 

Soak up the dirty water with a towel as you go. 

Rinse and repeat this process all over the grout lines. This should clean the grout properly.

How To Clean Stains On Black Ceramic Tiles?

Let’s face it. Ceramic tiles are fitted in the highest traffic areas. So they’re highly susceptible to stains.

Stains such as coffee, juice, or tea stains, or food stains.

So wash the surface with hot water and mild soap detergent.

Take a dry cloth with diluted bleach and wipe it on the stain. The stain should be gone. If not then leave the cloth on the stain for a couple of minutes, and then wipe it clean with warm water on the cloth. That should do the job.

Keeping Black Tiles In The Kitchen Clean For A Long Time

You buy black tiles thinking they’ll increase the overall look of your kitchen. And they do.

But keeping them clean is kind of hard.

But if you follow the above advice then it can be done easily.

Below are some of the tips you can use to keep the black tiles clean for a long time.

• Dust and sweep the tiles frequently. You don’t want any dust particles on the tiles. 

• Protect tiles surfaces with non-slip mats or area rugs and countertop surfaces with coasters, trivets, or placemats.

• Clean natural tiles with mild detergent or stone soap. And ceramic tiles with vinegar. 

• Thoroughly rinse and dry the surface with clean, clear water after washing. Dirty water is one of the silliest mistakes you can make to ruin the texture of the tiles.

• Seal the natural stone tiles. Sealing can be a very effective way of making your natural stone tile last a lifetime. Natural stone floors are porous. This means they have holes, which makes them highly susceptible to spills, cooking oil, dirt, and grime. This stuff will penetrate natural stone that hasn’t been sealed properly, causing stains and making it harder to clean and maintain. Sealers impregnate the stone, meaning they seal the holes so liquids and oils don’t penetrate the stone’s surface, but remain on top of the stone for easy cleaning

Avoid the following tips to keep your black tiles clean for a long time:

• Don’t use vinegar, lemon juice, or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine, or onyx surfaces.

• Don’t use cleaners that contain acids such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners, or tub & tile cleaners.

• Don’t use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.

• Don’t mix bleach and ammonia; this combination creates a toxic and lethal gas.

• Don’t ever mix chemicals together unless directions specifically instruct you to do so.

• Don’t use vacuum cleaners that are worn. The metal or plastic attachments or the wheels may scratch the stone’s surface.

Summary

Black tiles are very beautiful and can really improve the look of a kitchen if clean and maintained. And that is the problem with many homeowners. 

But some daily cleaning habits like mopping, dusting, and sweeping can really go a long way in increasing the cleanliness of your tiles.

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