Dial-a-Maid
Have you ever noticed that the interior walls of many highway tunnels are tiled? Ceramic tiles have 2 big advantages, says a 40+ year old Residential Cleaning Service in Evanston, Il. Tiles are easy to clean ( think of the constant fumes, dust, tire particles, and exhaust in a tunnel, and tiles are durable (having to withstand grime, vehicle emissions, water leakage, temperature changes, artificial light, sunlight and vibrations.
Compared to the abuse tiles take in a tunnel, cleaning and maintaining your tiled bathroom should be a piece of cake. Here are a few hints located in Bottom Line's Best-Ever Home Secrets, by Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen:
* Wet a sponge with distilled white vinegar, wipe it over the tile and grout and then use an old toothbrush to scrub it. Rinse everything clean with plain water.
* Mix 1 part borax powder (available at supermarkets or drugstores) with 2 parts baking soda, then add enough water to form a thick paste. Dip an old toothbrush in the paste and scrub the grout and tile. Rinse it clean with plain water.
* Do you have an old fashioned typewriter eraser at home- the kind that's round and has a brush attached? If so, rub the eraser on the grout, then brush away the eraser particles.
* The grungiest grout is usually underfoot between floor tiles. If you want to get the grout back to its original color and are willing to work hard to do it, stock up on sandpaper. Cut the sandpaper into 2" strips. Sand the grout with a folded piece of the sandpaper strip. It's a tedious job, but if there's a big difference in the way it looks, and you love it, then keep it up, says a 40+ year old Residential Cleaning Service in Evanston, Il.
Once you complete the sanding, wipe the floor clean. You may also want to apply a coat of tile sealer (available at hardware and paint stores).
