How to Clean Mexican Tile Floors

Mexican tile floors are quite appealing, making them very popular. If you are a proud owner of these, learning how to clean Mexican tile floors is critical to keep them looking good.

How To Clean Mexican Tile Floors

Cleaning Mexican tile is not as complicated as it may seem. Mexican tiles are hand-made and demand subtle cleaning methods. Therefore, this is the appropriate and easy method to clean Mexican tile. 

Step 1: Remove All The Furniture & Rugs 

In the first step, you need to clear the area of your house before proceeding with further cleaning and Mexican tile restoration measures. 

1. Remove the rugs before you clean Mexican tile, from all over the area that you want to clean. 
2. Keep the furniture aside, or shift them to another room for the time being. 
3. Pick up all the doormats, and remove anything else that has dust trapped underneath it. 

Step 2: Clear The Dirt & Dust Off The Floor

In the second step, you need to eliminate dirt, dust, and debris off the Mexican and Saltillo tile floor. Follow these steps to clear your Mexican tile:

1. Use a vacuum cleaner hose or broomstick to clean Mexican tile. 
2. Make sure you thoroughly vacuum or broom the Mexican tile to remove all possible dust or dirt. 
3. Pay special attention to the Mexican tile areas that were hidden behind or below the furniture, rugs, and doormats. 

Tip

Make sure to use a floor tool attachment with a vacuum cleaner hose for cleaning the dust, dirt, and debris off the Mexican tiles.

Step 3: Prepare A Mixture Of White Vinegar And Water

For most Mexican tile restoration cases, only water-based cleaning is enough for the Mexican tiles. A bucket of water is enough to clean away loose stains over the tiles and in the grout lines. However, white vinegar is also useful for some robust cleaning solutions. This also works great for cleaning travertine tiles.

Fill the mop bucket with water and one cup of white vinegar for every gallon of water in it. Prepare a mixture of it and get ready with the mop and spare fabrics to move ahead with further cleaning. 

Note: If you wish to use branded cleaning solution for your Mexican and saltillo tile floors, you can use it instead of white vinegar. Buy it from any of the online or offline stores!

Step 4: Mop The Floor

Now is the time to clean Mexican tile with the ready-to-use solution from the previous step. Follow the below points for a clear understanding of what to do:

1. Use a mop that has a long bar for easy gripping. 
2. Dip it in the bucket of white vinegar and water solution.
3. Pull out the mop and squeeze it. Squeezing is important as you want the mop to be damp instead of wet. 
4. Mop the saltillo tile floor thoroughly, without missing any corners or grout lines. 
5. If the solution or mixture in the bucket gets too dirty, change the water and add white vinegar to it. 
6. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with the state of the Mexican tile and grout lines. 
7. Turn on the ceiling fans, or let the Mexican tile air-dry before you replace rugs and furniture. 

Cleaning Of Wax Coatings Or Epoxy From Mexican Tile Floors

Wax coatings, epoxy, urethane, topical acrylic, and other such residues on Mexican tile and Saltillo tile require different forms of cleaning. Therefore, here are the steps that will help you clean such types of residues from Mexican tile and Saltillo tile:

Step 1: Covering Of Furniture, Doors, And Other Surroundings

You need to cover the baseboards or any sensitive areas before you clean Mexican tile. It will help avoid the splashing of the cleaning agents onto the surfaces of furniture, doors, and other areas.  

Step 2: Remove Dust, Dirt & Debris From The Mexican tile

Residents need to clear the dust, dirt, and debris off the floor before cleaning Mexican tile. 

1. Use a broom or vacuum cleaner to clear Mexican tile from any debris. 
2. Clean around the corners to leave no dust or dirt. 
3. Double-check the dirt removal outcomes to ensure that the Mexican tile is clean.

Step 3: Use A Heavy-duty Coating Stripper Solution

1. For the strong coatings or residues, dilute the heavy-duty coating stripper solution using clean water. Make sure that the mixture solution is of ratio 1:1. 
2. Use a chemical-resistant paintbrush for applying this solution or coating on the stain region. 
3. Let the solution dry over the Mexican tile for around 20 minutes to 2 hours. The drying time will vary depending upon the toughness of the wax or epoxy coating. The stripper coating is active for around 24 hours, and you need to complete the cleaning within that. 
4. Now, you need to rub the coating properly using a nylon bristle or scrubbing brush. You can use a scrubbing floor machine with specifications such as 130 to 140lbs and 175 rpm. 
5. Rinse the Mexican tile floor with clean water to clear out the residue of the stripper solution. 
6. Repeat the process for all the areas that have robust wax or epoxy coatings. 
7. Once the Mexican tile is dry, you can uncover the furniture, doors and place the essentials back in their place. 

Method 3: Cleaning Of Grease, Soap Scum, Or Oil From Mexican Tile Floor

1. Cover the furniture, doors, and other surrounding objects. 
2. Prepare a solution by using a degreaser and heavy-duty alkaline cleaner mixed with warm water. 
3. Use a chemical-resistant sprayer with low pressure, a mop, or a sponge for applying this solution on the greasy or oily Mexican tiles. 
4. Use a nylon scrubbing brush for rubbing the solution over greasy areas or soap scums. Keep scrubbing it with more solutions until you get satisfaction. 
5. Rinse well and use clean water for mopping the Mexican tile after the greasy textures are out. Remove all the residues of the cleaning solution from the Mexican tile. 
6. Repeat the rinsing process until you get back that original appeal of the Mexican tile floor. 
7. After the ceramic tile floors dry, uncover the furniture, and doors and replace the objects in their place.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Frequently Should I Clean My Mexican Tile Floor?

You should clean ceramic tile floors for at least once or twice every year. You can do the general water or white vinegar cleaning more often, like once in 2 to 3 months. However, at least one deep cleaning and Mexican tile restoration session are important in a year. 

Are The Cleaning Methods The Same For Both Indoor And Outdoor Mexican Tiles?

Yes, these Mexican tile restoration methods are apt for cleaning both indoor and outdoor Mexican tiles. Pick a sunny day to clean the outdoor ceramic tile floors, as the natural drying process will be faster. 

Conclusion

These Mexican tile restoration methods are necessary to ensure proper care of the Mexican tile floors. You need to get all the supplies ready and plan out a spare day to clean Mexican tile. It takes time, and you cannot rush on it, as it would lead to improper cleaning. So, pick the ideal Mexican tile cleaning method that’s best for you.