From grimy to gleaming: how to deep clean your bathroom tiles for a streak-free sparkle

While most people schedule a floor cleaning routine at least once a week, few extend this care to the tiles, particularly those in the bathroom. Yet, bathroom tile cleaning is a task that requires significant effort, often with less than satisfactory outcomes. More often than not, unattractive streaks mar the freshly cleaned tiles, but thankfully, this is not an unsolvable issue.

Bathroom tiles tend to have a glaze that protects their delicate surface from damage and, primarily, water absorption. Using a soft microfiber cloth for cleaning is advisable, as your typical sponge could be too abrasive and damage the glazing. Unfortunately, despite careful washing, streaks may still appear on your tiles, giving the impression of poor cleaning. This can be combated by wiping the tiles dry immediately after washing, albeit this can be pretty tedious.

A homemade tile cleaning solution can bypass the streak problem. How to do it? Fill a bowl with approximately 0.8 gallons of warm water, then add a tablespoon of dish soap and a tablespoon of dishwasher rinse aid. As the name implies, the rinse aid will render your tiles shiny and free of streaks, much like it does to your dishes.

If your bathroom tiles haven't been cleaned in a while and there are signs of mold growth on the sealants, you may need more serious cleaning agents. Using a dishwasher tablet for the cleaning will leave the tiles gleaming - they contain soda and citric acid, which are great for mold removal. The higher-end all-in-one tablets also include a rinse aid, ensuring the tiles are streak-free post-wash.

The case is simple - dissolve a tablet in about 0.8 to 1 gallon of warm water and use a soft cloth soaked in this solution to wipe your tiles. No additional polishing will be required.