Cleaning Tough Household Materials

Home owners use a wide variety of materials to decorate their home; from concrete to marble, silk to wicker.  Many of these unique materials require extra care when cleaning.  The more you know about special treatments for special materials, the better you can remove the stains.  Here are some tips for cleaning the unique materials you can find around the home:

Brick
Sweep or vacuum, use a damp mop with a plain water or mop with an alkali solutions.

Ceramic Tile
The main problem with ceramic is the grout.  Often times home owners don't think about cleaning when they choose the color of the grout for their tiles and choose a light color which stains easily.  To clean it regularly with a gentle bathroom cleanser, a diluted bleach or if the grout is white, a diluted hydrogen peroxide with a soft bristled brush.  It is important to scrub too hard or use abrasives, this can damage the grout.

Concrete
Sweep, mop with diluted detergent or use tridodium phosphate.  You can scrub with warm water to rinse.
Glass
For glass table-tops or other glass features, use diluted detergent or diluted vinegar and wipe dry.  If you are cleaning windows, using a squeegee is best practice.  Remember to clean both sides of the glass and finish with a chamois cloth.

Hardwood
First vacuum or sweep and use a general wood cleaner.  Some wood floors have different products that require different kind of wood cleaning products.  Make sure to know the type of wood finish on your floors before cleaning.

Marble
You'd think that stone would be tough but marble is actually a delicate material.  You should not use products that contain acid or abrasives.  For regular cleaning, use a dust mop or damp mop with diluted detergent. Finish by drying the marble with a towel.

Porcelain
Sinks, ubs, toilets and some back splashes are made of this material. For regular cleaning use a general household cleaner, diluted baking soda or a nonabrasive bathroom cleaner.  Avoid harsh products and harsh scrubbing as porcelain can be a bit sensitive.

Stone
Use a dust cloth for floors and dust mop and vacuum. 

Vinyl & Linoleum Floors
For regular cleaning sweep, vacuum and then mom with a no-rinse floor cleaner.  If the flooring has grown dull, try an acrylic floor polish and apply lightly after the cleaning.

It is always recommended that you clean with Eco-Friendly cleaning products to prevent indoor air pollution in your home.  They are safer to breathe and easier on your home's surfaces.  If you do not have access to these cleaning product, speak with a local house cleaning company.  Many cleaning companies use Eco-friendly products.