How to Steam Clean Ceramic Tile

The power of steam to clean your ceramic tile.

Using a steam cleaner to clean ceramic tile on the floor and the walls can remove that sticky residue often left behind when using traditional floor cleaners. The high-pressure steam both cleans and disinfects the ceramic tile surfaces without the use of harsh chemicals that can sometimes damage ceramic tile or grout. Using a steam cleaner protects your skin from those same harsh chemicals. Steam cleaners can heat the water up to 220-degrees Fahrenheit to blast dirt out of small cracks and crevices that a regular mop would leave behind.

Sweep your ceramic tile floor with a broom or dust mop to pick up larger items of debris that the steam cleaner might not catch. Wipe down ceramic tile walls with a dust rag to remove cobwebs that sometimes gather in the corners.

Remove the fill cap and fill the water tank on your steam cleaner with distilled water. Depending on the type of steam cleaner you own, the tank attaches to the handle or is a separate container. Do not add any cleaning products to your water tank. Replace the fill cap.

Attach the microfiber cloth provided with your steam cleaner to the steam cleaner head. Some steam cleaner cloths attach to the cleaner head with hook and latch strips while others use elastic.

Plug your steam cleaner into the wall outlet. Turn on your unit if your unit has a separate on off switch. Some units turn on automatically when you plug the cord into the wall outlet. Some models of steam cleaners are ready for use within 30 seconds, while others require several minutes to heat the water in the tank.

Pump the handle or squeezed the trigger on your steam cleaner to release the steam through the microfiber cloth. Move your steam cleaner’s head back and forth over your ceramic tile the same way you would when mopping your floor with water.

Unplug your steam cleaner from the wall outlet to change the microfiber cloth or to change an attachment to clean ceramic tile on the wall. Plug the steam cleaner back into the wall outlet to heat the water.

Clean ceramic tile on walls or countertops by moving the microfiber cloth or attachment back and forth across the tile. When steam cleaning shower wall tile, wipe the tile down with a terry cloth towel immediately after cleaning to remove the loosened soap scum and hard water deposits.

Unplug the steam cleaner from the wall outlet. Remove the microfiber cloth from your steam cleaner. Allow your ceramic tile to dry. Since you are using steam instead of water, drying times are much shorter than mopping or cleaning with soap and water.

Things You Will Need

  • Broom or dust mop
  • Dust rag
  • Distilled water
  • Terrycloth towel

Warnings

  • Do not get your hands or bare feet near the head of the steam cleaner while it is operating to avoid burns.
  • Floors can be slippery immediately after cleaning.