Removing Stains from Tile

Written by Amy Gordon (last updated March 23, 2020)

Tile has always remained the most preferred floor material for bathrooms and kitchens. Not only are these natural clay units available in numerous colors and patterns, they are also water resistant, and stains can be easily removed from them.

Stains on tiles are mainly caused by hard water, mildew, and rust marks. The grout between tiles also gets extremely dirty over time if it isn't cleaned regularly. Here is a stain removal guide to help you get a spotless kitchen or a sparkling clean bathroom for many years to come.

You will likely have to use some harsh chemicals to remove stains from your tiles, so make sure to wear gloves and goggles when applying these chemicals. Keep your windows open while cleaning.

Removing Rust

Iron deposits in water can cause ugly rust stains on your sink or shower tile. To remove rust from your tiles, use a commercial rust removing powder. To prevent damage to your tile, mix each tablespoon of rust remover with two tablespoons of poultice powder (diatomaceous earth) before using it. Add small amounts of water to the rust remover mixture until it has the texture of paste. Apply the solution over the stains and cover them with plastic lids. Leave the whole thing for the next twenty-four hours. After removing the poultice, if you find the rust has not gone entirely, remix and reapply the rust remover poultice.

Stains from Organic sources

Organic stains result mainly from tea, coffee, soft drinks, and dyes used in textiles. To deal with these stains, make a poultice containing hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of ammonia.

Oil Stains

In order to remove oil stains from tiles, first cover the tiles with any kind of absorbent powder, like cornstarch or whiting. Wait for at least half an hour and then brush away the powder. Spread the area with more powder, and this time, leave it for twenty-four hours. The next day, use a stiff brush to scrub your tiles with hot water and detergent. Finish the process by rinsing your tiles and wiping them dry.

In the case of more stubborn grease stains, scrub the stains with a mixture of poultice powder and acetone or amyl acetate (easily available in any medicine shop) and then rinse it off.

Removing Stains from Grout

You can make a mixture with some simple household materials that can be safely applied on a regular basis to keep grout clean. Take 1/2 cup of baking soda, add to it 1/3 cup of ammonia and 1/4 cup of white vinegar. Put the whole mixture into 7 cups of water and sponge it onto your grout.

Removing Blood Stains

First cover the bloodstains with paper towels. Then spray on the paper towels a solution freshly made of any disinfectant (like phenol liquid detergent) and water. Wait for fifteen minutes before removing the towels, then wipe the area with a fresh set of paper towels.

Author Bio

Amy Gordon

Amy Gordon loves keeping things simple, natural, and safe so she can spend more time having fun. Every day she learns new things about making life at home easier and she loves to share it with you! ...

MORE FROM AMY

Removing Ketchup Stains

The most important part about removing a ketchup stain is to get as much of it out as possible as soon as you can. To ...

Discover More

Removing Stains from Walls

Stains on walls are easiest to remove by cleaning them as soon as they happen. Different stains need different cleaning ...

Discover More

Planting the Christmas Poinsettia

Instead of throwing away your beautiful Christmas poinsettia, consider planting it in your yard. Make sure to tend the ...

Discover More

The Power of Microfiber! Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths will become your favorite tool for every cleaning task. This 36-cloth package is perfect for hundreds of uses in the garage, kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and all around the house. Each cloth is tough, streak-free, lint-free, reusable, and washable. Check out Microfiber Cleaning Cloths today!

More Cleaning Tips

Removing Stains from Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is beautiful and can last for a long time, if you take care of it properly. But what to do about stains? ...

Discover More

Removing Stains from Concrete Floors

Various concrete stains can be removed with a little scrubbing and the right chemicals. Here you will find a guide to the ...

Discover More

Repairing Stained Linoleum

There are times when no matter what we try, it seems like we can't get that stubborn stain out of the linoleum. In ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 2 + 8?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.