Mosaic tile is a mix of different sizes of tiles, colors, shapes adequately arranged in a sheet to enable easy installation. Unlike the mosaic, terrazzo is a smooth flooring style, which is not smooth.
It most likely originated in ancient Italy. In simple terms, this flooring style involves mixing chips of different marbles into a cement mixture to bind them correctly. Mosaic and terrazzo tiles, like several tiles, are primarily ceramic.
Various ways to clean mosaic and terracotta tiles include using hydrogen peroxide, detergent, baking soda or vacuum cleaning. Let’s get into detail on how to clean mosaic and terracotta tile floors.
Read: How to refinish terrazo tiles
Differences Between Mosaic and Terracotta Tiles
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The first noticeable difference is the texture of both tiles. Mosaic tiles are perfect for places in the home where incidences of water spillage are very high.
This helps because the surface is not smooth and would probably reduce the rate of domestic accidents in the house.
Terrazzo, unlike the mosaic tile flooring, is smooth. Terrazzo is quite slippery and can lead to domestic accidents, sometimes fatal. It is not suited for wet prone areas because of its smooth nature.
The second noticeable difference is the design pattern for both tiles. Terrazzo is another form of mosaic, distinguished by its patterns.
While there is some sort of uniformity in the mosaic design, the terrazzo does not have such luxury. It is not arranged decoratively.
This does not imply that the terrazzo is ugly; it simply means it has a different form of beauty. The second noticeable difference is the level of smoothness between both.
How to Clean Mosaic and Terracotta Tile Floors
There are different ways to clean your mosaic and terracotta floors. Various ways include using hydrochloric acid, baking soda, detergent, vinegar, vacuum, etc. Learning how to clean mosaic and terracotta tile floors is essential as it helps maintain a clean environment devoid of germs.
1. Using Hydrochloric Acid
This should only be used when other methods have been exhausted and the stain remains. It should be appropriately diluted before usage. This is the most effective way known by us to clean mosaic and terracotta tile floors.
- Properly ventilate the room before using hydrochloric acid. Make sure there is free-flowing air in and out of the room. A properly ventilated room while using any cleaning acid is significant.
- Get a bucket with at least a ten-liter capacity pour about five liters of water inside the bucket. Make sure to pour the water into the bucket before adding the acid for safety purposes.
- Pour a cup of hydrogen chloride into the bucket of water. Use either a glass or a plastic container to measure the acid; never use a metal container. When handling acid, be careful not to spill on your hands or any part of your body.
- Apply the mixture on the affected tile floor with the help of a mild brush. Be careful to avoid spillover
- Let the hydrochloric acid and water mixture stay on the tile floors for a few minutes (3 minutes).
- Rinse properly with sufficient water. With the help of a brush, gently scrub the tile floors and make sure the hydrochloric acid residue is completely removed.
Read: Tips on cleaning floors with hydrochloric acid
2. Using Detergent
This is one of the most valuable answers to how to clean mosaic and terracotta tile floors. It is completely harmless and doesn’t involve any harsh chemicals.
- Clear the floor of any form of debris or dirt as this is likely to hinder the detergent from effectively cleaning the tile floors.
- Pour a few detergent caps in a 4-5 liter of hot water already in a clean bucket. Make sure the detergent is fully dissolved.
- Fill a different bucket with water for rinsing.
- Dip the mop in the detergent solution. Ensure you squeeze excess liquid from the mop. Mop the tile floor section by section to remove the stains and dirt.
- Constantly rinse the mop as you clean each section of the tile floor. This helps to avoid spreading the stains or dirt from one section to another.
- Mop the entire floor tiles with fresh water to get rid of any remaining detergent residue. Ensure the entire floor is properly rinsed as detergents are pretty slippery and can cause domestic accidents if not completely removed.
- Dab the tiles with a clean cloth until completely dry.
Read: Can you use carpet cleaner on tile floor
3. Using Baking Soda
Baking soda also brings out the best in your tiles. You can clean your mosaic tile using baking soda. Mix water and baking soda to get a thick paste and apply it to your mosaic tile. Let it settle for 10-15 minutes.
Apply the mixture on the mosaic tile floors using a mild brush on all the affected areas of your tiles. Properly rinse the solution out of your tiles with water to get rid of the baking soda residue.
Wipe the solution with a clean cloth dipped in soap water. You will notice that your mosaic tiles are once again sparkling. Utilizing baking soda is also a very effective way how to clean mosaic and terracotta tile floors.
4. Vacuum Cleaning
This is the standard method of cleaning floors. The design of mosaic floors makes it easier to hide dirt which is difficult to remove with a regular sweeper.
A vacuum cleaner is best for your mosaic tile floors because it sucks out the dirt.
To effectively clean mosaic tile floors, we recommend using a vacuum cleaner as they are known not only as the best but also the easiest way to achieve optimal cleaning on mosaic tiles.
Read: How to remove metal scratch from porcelain tile
Conclusion
Mosaic and terracotta flooring have become quite popular in modern home decorations. They look very stylish and have unique flooring techniques.
One of the significant problems associated with mosaic floors is that they get filthy quickly. This article answers the very valuable question of how to clean mosaic and terracotta tile floors.
This article was written to help you understand every detail about how to clean mosaic and terracotta tile floors and to make an informed decision when faced with the situation. We hope you found it helpful; if you did, kindly share it across your entire social media pages.
