Picked a carpet cleaner over a steam mop for my tile and it was the right call

I was dead set on a steam mop for my kitchen tile in Phoenix after seeing all those ads, but my neighbor said they just push dirt around. I grabbed a $60 Bissell carpet cleaner instead and used it on the grout lines and high-traffic spots last weekend. Has anyone else found a simple tool that worked way better than the hyped one?

2 comments

2 Comments

robert_anderson6916d ago

The carpet cleaner is a sneaky good choice for tile, especially if you've got those deep grout lines like we do here in Phoenix. My shop vac with a wide rubber head actually does the same trick on my saltillo - sucks the grit right out without smearing it around like a mop (or those steam mops, which I've borrowed and hated). The key is just to hit it with a stiff brush first to loosen the caked-on stuff, then go over it with the carpet cleaner's spray and suck action. Tile and grout need that direct suction more than they need steam, since steam just loosens things but doesn't remove them. A little elbow grease upfront and a solid shop vac or carpet cleaner setup saves you from having to scrub on your hands and knees later.

milesj7016d ago

Heard a tile guy on a podcast once say that the biggest mistake people make with grout is using too much water and not enough suction, and that stuck with me. Makes total sense now reading your post, because every time I've tried steaming my bathroom floor the grout just looks wet but still feels gritty after it dries. Been meaning to try the carpet cleaner trick on my kitchen tile since it gets that greasy film from cooking, and I bet the soap and suck combo handles that better than a mop pushing the grease around. Also curious if the wide rubber head on your shop vac would work on my uneven slate, or if that would just skip over the low spots.