Having outdoor tiles is an excellent way to keep your outdoor areas fantastic and functional, with a wide range of customisation options for even the most discerning of designers to find a style they’ll love. However, the Australian outdoors comes with a wealth of differences compared to its indoor counterpart, with the main change being the amount of dirt and debris that can quickly build up in outdoor spaces without consistent maintenance.
The fact is that outdoor floor tiles have to put up with a lot, and even the sturdiest of materials are going to start showing their age eventually without a little bit of TLC to keep them looking sharp. At Tilemall, our outdoor wall tile and floor tile range is difficult to top, boasting a hand-curated range of beautifully manufactured tile designs and styles for you to choose from. So, to ensure our tiles stay looking as good as the day you bought them, let’s go down the list and look at a few ways you can clean and maintain your outdoor tiles.
Tools You’ll Need For Outdoor Tile Maintenance
Naturally, with a job like this, there are going to be certain tools necessary to make sure that you are getting the best of the best out of your efforts. Luckily, compared to many cleaning jobs of this kind, outdoor tiles don’t take too many things to get you started. The items you will require include:
- Water, either through a hose or buckets
- Your favourite tile cleaner (look for one that is outdoor tile-specific if possible)
- A sturdy, firm bristled broom, or scrubber if you preferred
These are the things that will be necessary for your tile cleaning and maintenance. However, there are also items that will make cleaning significantly easier and less time-consuming that you may want to pick up. These are:
- A leaf vacuum/blower for removing debris
- A pressure washer
Once you’ve got your materials together, you can start preparing for outdoor tile maintenance 101!
Prepare Your Outdoor Tiles For Cleaning
Before you start deep cleaning your outdoor tiles, it’s important that you first take the time to prepare the area. What do we mean by preparing the area? For outdoor tile maintenance, this means removing any debris, dirt, and other obstructions before wetting the area with water. This will ensure that you can start to clean the space without having to move around and spread dirt as you go. Once you've got that out of the way, you can start the real clean.
Scrub Away
Assuming that you don’t have the pressure washer that we discussed earlier, it’s time to start scrubbing away with your bristled broom. Apply pressure, and work through each tile, removing grit and grime as you go. Take your time with this step, as it’s worth doing right to avoid inconsistent colouring in your tiles from dirt and grime left over.
Mix Some Tile Cleaner in With Your Water
Once you’ve removed the majority of the discolouration and dirt, if you’re still finding that your outdoor tiles aren’t looking their best, it’s time to bring out your tile cleaner. Depending on the material of your tiles, they can hold stains from leaves and other debris getting mixed in with the rain, so it’s good to have a specialised tile cleaner rather than your generic alternative. Each tile solution will have different requirements, so make sure you follow the instructions in terms of solution amounts and best-use practices.
Rinse Away the Solution For a Flawless Finish
This is where a hose can come in handy. Once you’re done cleaning and scrubbing your tiles, simply rinse away the debris with clear water and allow your tiles to dry. At this point, your job is done, so sit back and marvel at your excellent work.
~ Outdoor tile maintenance isn’t an everyday thing, and as long as you’re getting quality tiles, you shouldn’t have to worry about them too much. That said, it’s important to care for your tiles, especially your outdoor ones, so make sure to give them a little love every time they start to look a bit worse for wear.
To learn more about tile care, and a wealth of other tile information, make sure to explore the Tilemall tile blog for new articles several times a month.
