Keeping your tiles looking new is all about knowing what type of cleaning regime is right for the tile you have.

Stone tiles
Because stone tiles are made from natural materials, they require a different cleaning regime to ceramic tiles. What many people don’t know is that stone such as granite and marble is highly sensitive to harsh cleaning chemicals, and over time, they can fade the natural colour of the stone. In fact, stone responds best to a simple soap and water mix that gently cleans away dirt and stains.

Stone is also highly absorbent and attracts other natural materials such as dirt, so in order to prevent your tiles from becoming stained, it’s important to seal them.

Ceramic tiles
Ceramic tiles can handle a bit of a harsher cleaning regime than stone, but if a green approach is what you’re after, soap and warm water is again the best regime. For harsher stains, oxygen bleach is a good alternative to chlorine-based cleaners. Alternatively, exclusive to Megasealed is their ‘Megaclean Green’ Tile and Bathroom cleaner with Eucalyptus. A natural and safe bathroom and tile cleaning alternative, tough on grease and mould, it contains pure eucalyptus essential oil, a natural disinfectant, purifier and deodoriser. Simply spray it on, leave for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the amount of dirt and mould, and wipe off.

Grout
Over time it’s natural for grout to become mouldy or stained. One way to avoid the more obvious marks in grout is to choose a coloured grout, which will hide the dirt to some extent. Epoxy grouts, such as Megagrout MG11, are also chemical and stain resistant and have an absorbency rate of 0.0001%, making them more waterproof than ceramic tile.

A good tile maintenance regime doesn’t discount a little bit of elbow grease, but by making sure your tiles and grout are sealed properly and harsh chemicals are avoided, your tiles will look great for years to come.