By Nanci Dixon
Anyone with a tile floor in an RV knows that it gets dirty, even when the rule is shoes off at the door. Dust, grit and bits of food can all add up to a floor needing help. There are a variety of ways to clean tile floors without leaving streaks. Before you start cleaning, though, vacuum. That way you won’t get all the dust, pet hair and crumbs stuck in your mop, Swiffer or rags.
Here are some of the most popular products and suggestions to get a clean streak-free floor
- Use a Swiffer Sweeper. A Swiffer can be used for two things, wet mopping and dry sweeping. The trick when using the Swiffer is to go over the floor several times with the wet mop pads (saturated with cleaning solutions), followed by using the dry pads to dry the floor and eliminate streaks and stickiness.
- Use a vinegar and water solution to clean tile floors. You can try a ratio of 50/50, or make a large amount by using 1 cup of vinegar to 1/2 gallon of water. If you’ve got a lot of gunk on the floor, try adding a teaspoon of Dawn dish soap to the mixture too.
- There’s a good chance you’ve heard people rave about the Shark Steam Mop. It’s one of the most popular floor-cleaning products on the market. It steams and sanitizes without using any harsh chemicals, and it stores up small – perfect for an RV.
Cleaning grout
If your tile floors have grout in between (or kitchen or bathroom countertops and other surfaces too), you probably know that what once used to be white is now a dark tan color. Gross. The easiest and most effective way to clean grout is by mixing warm water and baking soda in a bowl until it becomes a paste. Then, using a small brush or toothbrush, apply it to the grout. Let it sit on the grout for several minutes before wiping it off. Do this before you clean your tile floors.
As with any product, read the label carefully and follow directions. Also, use water sparingly – you don’t want to soak RV floors. The floors are generally over a wood substrate that does not take kindly to being wet.
Related:
8 tips for cleaning glass shower doors. No more grime or streaks!
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Water & vinegar at 1to1ratio will etch most anything. And I think Dawn dish soap on a floor would require rinsing. We full time in our 5th wheel and I use 1part Simple Green to 10 parts water, or Murphy’s Oil Soap, same ratio. Neither require rinsing, get things clean, and both smell good! It’s also important to do this regularly, not when the floors are so dirty you can’t stand them any longer!
I like Murphy’s Oil Soap for general all around cleaning. It does a good job and does not seem to be harmful to anything.
I’ve used a mixture of warm water and vinegar in my home, and noticed the tile(s) are etched as a result. I would recommend a test area in your RV before cleaning the entire floor with this type of mixture.