Homemade Recipes for Cleaning Tile Floor

Greasy Floors

• Floors around the kitchen sink and stove often get especially greasy and grimy. A little lemon juice goes a long way in cutting through these tough stains. Mix 1 tsp. of Borax, one-half tsp. of washing soda and 2 tbsp. of lemon juice in a cup of hot water until dissolved. Pour the mixture in a spray bottle and squirt it over the greasy mess, then use a sponge mop or a scrub brush to clean it up. Store the leftover cleaner in the squirt bottle for future messes.

All-Purpose Floor Cleaner

• Vinegar is an all-around cleaner that works on any type of tile flooring. Mix some in a bucket in equal parts with water and mop the floor as you would with any other cleaner. Vinegar is a natural antibacterial as well, and is especially good for cleaning bathroom and kitchen floors. It dries quickly to a high, streak-free shine as an added bonus.

Linoleum Tiles

• Linoleum tile floors are best cleaned with a detergent that gets down into their nooks and crannies. Mix 2 or 3 tsp. of natural castile soap into a bucket of hot water and mop the floor as you would with any other cleaner. Dry the floor with a clean towel to keep water from seeping into the seams between the tiles, which can cause lifting. To preserve the floor and add shine, put 1 tsp. of baby oil into the soapy water.

Wax Remover

• Commercial cleaners and waxes leave a residue on linoleum and ceramic tile floors. Brighten your floor by removing this residue with isopropyl alcohol. Mix 3 cups of water and 1 cup of alcohol and scrub the floor with the mixture. Rinse with clear water to remove the residue and alcohol from the floor. Polish dry with clean clothes to avoid streaking and to keep water from seeping under linoleum tiles.