Steam mops are very effective when it comes to cleaning floors, but do steam mops damage tile floors? The answer is Yes, if you don’t use it the way it is supposed to be, it will definitely damage the tile floors. Steam mops are considered as the ideal thing to clean tile floors but they can harm it as well. In this guide, I am going to tell you the ways one should not use a steam mop to clean their tile floors which can damage them. I will also include the right way of steaming mopping tiles so that you don’t have to visit other articles. So, without any further talking let’s jump into the discussion!
Using Chemical Cleaners With Steam Mop
There are some chemical cleaners that are prohibited to use for tile cleaning. If you use those chemical cleaners with a steam mop it will damage the tiles. It will weaken the tiles slowly and fade out the actual color of it as well. Moreover, from the chemicals, your steam mop can also get clogged.
Steam mops are supposed to be used only with water so adding anything can harm both e tiles and the steam mop. So, if you have a tile floor you need to know the right way to use a steam mop to ignore damages. Only use water to clean your tiles and, if the steam mop has a two-function system make sure you are using the right chemical cleaners that are suitable for tile cleaning. If you do not consider these things day by day the tiles will keep getting damaged and one day it will come off from the flooring.
Steam Mopping Tile Floors Frequently
Steam mops are something that is not supposed to be used on an everyday basis. Mostly when you have tile floors you have to be strict about this. If you do steam mopping every other day it will damage the tile floors as steam mops have very strong functionalities.
If you expose the tile floors every day to a lot of heat and steam it can weaken the tiles. It will start to make gaps in between the tiles and slowly fade out the actual color of it. So steam mopping every day or more frequently can damage the tile floors. Soon you will see gaps in between the tiles. In that case, you have to change your whole tile flooring which can cost you a good amount of money.
Some Other Ways Tile Floors Can Get Damaged While Cleaning With A Steam Mop:
- If you leave water puddles on the tile floors afte steam mopping
- If you continue steam mopping one place taking too much time
- If you use too much heat and steam
Right Way To Use Steam A Mop Without Damaging Tile Floors
Before cleaning the tile floors with a steam mop make sure you clean all the dust from the floor. For this, you can take the help of a vacuum cleaner. After you are done cleaning the dust, take the steam mop.
As I already said, a steam mop is meant to be used with water only if it doesn’t have the two-function option. So, the right way is to use only water in the steam mop for cleaning tiles. However, if you have the function of using a cleaner, without proper knowledge do not use any chemical cleaner to clean the tile floors.
Read: Do You Need To Sweep Before Using A Steam Mop?
Moreover, Use an average heat for steam mopping. Once in a week, I would recommend you use a steam mop to clean your tile floors. On the other days use a normal mop to clean the tiles if needed. But remember no matter what, do not use a steam mop more than twice for cleaning your tile floors. Always check the floors if any water puddles are left after mopping. If you see any, use a normal mop to wipe it until the tiles look completely dry.
FAQs:
1. Are steam mops good for tiles?
Yes, Steam mops are considered to be the ideal and convenient cleaning option to clean tiles. However, there are certain ways to use the steam mop for tile cleaning. If you follow and maintain those ways properly then the tiles will not get damaged by the steam mop.
2. Does steam mop damage tiles?
Yes, a steam mop can damage tiles if you do not maintain the right ways to clean the tiles. If you use chemical cleaners with a steam mop that is prohibited to use for tile cleaning it will damage the tiles. Moreover, if you clean your tiles every other day or frequently with a steam mop it will also damage and weaken the tiles day by day.
3. Is steaming floors better than mopping?
Both have pros and cons however, steaming is better as besides cleaning it also sanitizes the floors. So if you are steam mopping you don’t have to separately sanitize your floors again. Moreover, steaming helps to get rid of spots and other dirt more effectively than mopping. In these viewpoints, steaming is better than mopping floors.
4. Do steam mops damage floors?
Yes, steam mops can damage wooden floors, laminate floors as these types of floors are not suitable for steam mopping. In the first place, it may not seem like the floors are getting damaged but it actually is getting damaged inside. In case of wood floors, you will see cracks, gaps and in terms of laminate floors you will see swelling after some time if you keep using a steam mop in these types of floors.
Conclusion…
I hope now you know how a steam mop should be used so that the tiles don’t get damaged. A steam mop is very effective and can make your life easy in terms of cleaning. So, all you need to do is be careful and keep the factors in mind that I talked about in the guide so that your tiles don’t get damaged.
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