Tile floors give a nice and beautiful look to a house, and they are available in many types giving house owners many options to choose from and decorating the house floors as they want.
They vary from simple colors and styles to patterned ones. House owners can go for the ones that enhance the overall look of the inside of the house and choose tiles according to the room themes.
However, removing rust stains with sponges or other abrasive items like a knife will damage the floor tiles instead of removing the rust stains.
However, over time, rusting can happen on the tiles due to coming in contact with metal items, cylinders, iron items, home decor items, and more.
These rust stains ruin the overall look of the tile floors and the house, and removing them with day-to-day cleaning products might not be possible as these products cannot remove the rust.
Some house owners in such cases might go for removing and replacing these tiles with stains, but that will require one to do some labor work or hire experts to deal with them. Both will cost time and some bucks to fix those tiles.
Some of the methods for cleaning rust from tile floors using items and ingredients easily available at home are:
- Baking soda
- Kerosene oil
- Lemon
- Tomatoes
- Toothpaste
- Vinegar
Rust stains are stubborn, and removing them with water and floor cleaning products is not easy, but that does not mean there are no other ways to clean them.
These rust stains are hard to remove, but with the ingredients readily available at almost every house, or at least one of these ingredients will be available, making removing them possible.
So, you do not need to purchase any product for these rust stains unless these available items do not help clean the stains. Then, going for a stain-cleaning product is fine.
Different Items To Remove Rusts From the Floor Tiles
Floor tiles are one of the most commonly used places, whether installed in the kitchen, bathroom, sitting lounge, or any other area in the house.
So, it is understandable that they are more prone to dirt and stains when compared to other places and items in the house.
Some of the items or ingredients that work as cleaning agents and remove rust and other types of stains are:
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of the items that can solve any cleaning issues, whether related to cleaning stains on fabrics or anywhere else around the house.
Process of Removing the Rust From the Floor Tiles
- Put a few spoons of baking soda and equal water in a bowl.
- Mix them well until they form a thick paste.
- Apply the mixture to the rust stains.
- Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Scrub the rusted tile with a toothbrush until the stain disappears.
- Repeat this method if you still see rust stains.
- Properly clean the area with a damp mop or cotton cloth and let it dry before walking on the floor.
- Keep the stained area wet when scrubbing it to get a better result.
- Make the mixture per the requirement, but keep the baking soda and water proportion the same.
2. Kerosene Oil
Most people know kerosene oil as a fuel for cooking food and a source of heat and light, but they do not know another fact about it.
It is one of the best cleaning agents, especially when cleaning persistent stains like rust on floor tiles.
Process of Removing the Rust From the Floor Tiles
- Pour two or three spoons of kerosene oil on the rust stains on the floor tiles.
- Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Take a piece of cotton cloth and rub the rusted areas until the rust stains are gone.
- Use another cloth piece to clean the area.
Do not use water to clean the rust-stained area after removing the stains. Let it for some time, and the oil will evaporate or dry away, and then you can use a damp mop to clean that area.
3. Lemon
Lemon is also one of the items found in almost every house, and it is not only used for making food and juices but is naturally a great cleaner as it is high in citric acid.
Process of Removing the Rust From the Floor Tiles
- Take a lemon or two and squeeze the juice into a bowl.
- Take a pinch of salt and add it to the bowl.
- Pour the lemon juice over the stain and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Rub the lemon juice over the rust stain and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Rub the area with a toothbrush until the rust stain disappears from the floor tile.
- Repeat the process if needed.
- Clean the area with a mop.
Lemon has antibacterial properties and will also make the place germs-free.
4. Tomatoes
Tomatoes also act as cleaning agents and are good at removing stains and other marks.
One such stain is rust stains on floor tiles.
Process of Removing the Rust From the Floor Tiles
- Take a tomato from the fridge or counter and cut it into two halves.
- Take a pinch of salt, spread it over the rust, and rub it with a tomato piece.
- Keep doing it until all the rusted areas are covered.
- Leave it for 10 minutes, then clean it with a cloth piece.
Use tomatoes and salt as per requirement. You might need more than one tomato if there are more rust stains on the floor tiles.
5. Toothpaste
Toothpaste is good for the teeth and acts as a cleaner, but they are not very strong, so they are called mild cleaner.
Process of Removing the Rust From the Floor Tiles
- Take toothpaste and apply a layer over the rust stains on the floor.
- Use a toothbrush to rub the toothpaste over the rusted areas.
- Repeat it until the stains disappear.
- Clean the area with a cloth piece or a mop.
Using toothpaste containing baking soda powder is better, as it is a cleaning agent and removes rust stains well.
6. Vinegar
Vinegar like lemon, tomato, and baking soda is available in every house, and it is a good cleaning agent that can help remove any stains from different surfaces.
Moreover, removing rust stains on the floor becomes easy if a vinegar bottle is in the house.
Process of Removing the Rust From the Floor Tiles
- Take a vinegar bottle, pour some on the rust stains, and cover all the affected areas.
- Leave it for up to 15 minutes.
- Use a cotton cloth to rub the stained areas.
- Repeat the process until the stains are gone.
- You can also use a sponge to rub the area but do it gently.
- You can also make a solution of vinegar and salt to clean the rust stains.
7. Cleaning Product From the Market
Many cleaning products are available in the market, but using the right products is best for materials like tiles.
WD-40 is one of the cleaning products that house owners can use if they want one.
Process of Removing the Rust From the Floor Tiles
- Make sure the stained areas are dry before applying WD-40.
- Spray the product directly on the stains.
- Leave it for around 10 minutes.
- Clean it with a cotton cloth, toothbrush, or sponge.
- Clean the surface with a mop.
- Wear safety measures like gloves, etc.
- Sweep the rusted areas and dry them before starting the task.
- Clean the items or ingredients properly from the floor.
- When using any of the items for rust cleaning, you might have to repeat the methods, so do not give up when you cannot remove the rust stains properly on the first try.
- Use soft items to rub the floor tiles, or there will be permanent scratches and marks on the flooring tiles.
- You can also use items together to make an effective cleaning agent and use them for removing rust stains, like baking soda and vinegar together or baking soda and lemon and so on.
Ways To Prevent Rust From Occurring
Rust stains appear on the floor tiles, with iron and metals on them. So, avoid placing such items directly on the floor tiles. It will save one from scrubbing the floor. Some of the ways one can prevent the floor tiles from getting rust are:
- Avoid placing any iron, metal decorative, or other items directly on the floor.
- Do not place nails and screws on the tile floor.
- Try not to keep the floor moist or damp, and always keep them dry.
Bleach might seem a good and easy solution to removing the rust stains on the floor, but they are very harsh and can de-color the tiles.
Also, frequent use of bleach can remove the grout between the tiles causing water leaks. So, it is recommended not to use it when in dire need.
Conclusion
Flooring tiles give house owners many options, and they can choose the ones they think are suitable flooring. Moreover, choosing the style that goes with the general theme of the house is a better option.
Also, they can use various types of floor tiles for different places in the house. These floor tiles give a nice look to the whole house, but if they have cracks or rust stains, they will make the place look bad.
So, properly caring for and cleaning these floor tiles is necessary. Rust stains on the floor tiles do not look good, and they can destroy the beauty of the tiles and the overall place. So, cleaning them and keeping them rust-stain-free is necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Household Items Are Best for Cleaning Rust on Ceramic Floor Tiles?
The best items for cleaning rust on ceramic floor tiles are:
- Lemon juice
- Tomato Slice
- Bleach
Why Is Bleach Not Recommended for Cleaning Tiles?
Bleach is a cleaning agent, but it contains chemical products that can fade the color of the tiles and remove the grout between the tiles leading to water leaks.
