Laura's Home and Gardening Blog

Concrete tiles are an asset to many a person's homes. But, if they're to remain that way, they do require some attention. Cleaning your concrete tiles isn't an arduous task, but if you want to take an eco-friendly approach, you may worry whether it will become more difficult. Fortunately, there are plenty of eco-friendly ways to clean your concrete tiles.

First brush and dust 

Trying to make sure anything stays clean is a redundant process when you don't prepare in advance. Whether your tiles are indoors or outdoors, make sure you rid them of dust and dirt prior to cleaning with a wet solution. Failing to do so means you won't produce the best results.

Turn to vinegar for outdoor tiles

Thanks to its acidic nature, vinegar is excellent at burrowing beneath stains and lifting them from concrete tiles. If stains aren't present, they will help to maintain their fresh facade.

To clean your tiles with vinegar, mix around 65mls of vinegar with a litre of warm water. Use a mop, just as you would when applying any other cleaning solution. Allow them to dry in the sun and repeat on a monthly basis, or when someone makes a spillage.

Tackle seriously tough stains using bicarbonate of soda

From oil through to substances that have left their mark on your concrete tiles, bicarbonate of soda is often a useful tool in tackling them. As it is a mild alkali, it encourages grease and dirt to break apart. When you mix it with an acid such as vinegar, you cause an acid-base reaction that has a volcanic effect on stains.

Mix enough bicarbonate of soda and vinegar together to form a paste. Identify the specific stain you need to tackle, then apply the paste to it. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes, then scoop it up and scrub the rest away using clean and warm water. While it may not eliminate the stain altogether, it should have a significant effect.

When all else fails, invest in a power washer

Sometimes you may find that your concrete tiles are in a sorry state. One example is when you move into a new home and find that they're suffering from algae and mildew, as the previous owner didn't care for them. Before using everyday cleaning methods, it's worth using an eco-friendly weed killer. Then, either rent or buy a power washer and use it to blast away dirt that's otherwise difficult to budge. 

When it comes to keeping your outdoor concrete tiles, a little effort goes a long way.