Pretreat

• Trouble spots of stuck on dirt or dirty grout lines may need to be pretreated. Start by lubricating the tiles with a washing solution of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. Mop over the tiles and allow the area to soak for 15 minutes.
  
  While the floor is soaking spot treat any difficult areas with a paste of baking soda and water. Mix 2 parts baking soda with part water. Put the paste on the spots or dirty grout lines and scrub the area using a floor scrub brush. Allow this to sit for another 15 minutes before mopping the tile floors.
  
  

Cleaners

• There are several options for making your own homemade tile cleaners. Baking soda, white vinegar, ammonia, rubbing alcohol, dish detergent, fresh lemon juice and essential oils are tile floor cleaning ingredients that are commonly found in many homes. These environmentally friendly recipes are used in gentle, yet effective recipes that loosen the dirt from the tiles without damaging its glaze finish, nor causing discoloration to the tiles and grout lines.
  
  

First Recipe

• Fill a bucket with 1 gallon of hot water and add a ¾ cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of ammonia. Stir well until dissolved. Pour into a spray bottle and reserve the rest for later. Spray the cleaner directly onto the tiles, one area at a time, then mop using a bucket of 10 parts hot water and 1 part vinegar to mop the floors clean.
  
  For continued maintenance you can mop regularly with this recipe or switch to one of the following milder recipes.
  
  

Second Recipe

• Add 3 tablespoons of dish detergent to 2 gallons of hot water. Use a sponge or string mop and mop one small section. Rinse the mop in the bucket then mop the area again before moving on to the next section.
  
  

Third Recipe

• Add 1 cup of rubbing alcohol to 2 gallons of hot water. The alcohol's dissolving action and the hot water will loosen the dirt and grime from the grout lines and tile surfaces. Again, mop twice over each section, rinsing the mop in the water, before moving on. Continue to clean until you finish the entire floor.
  
  

Additions

• You can add a little fresh lemon juice to any of these recipes for added grease-cutting power. You can also add 3 to 5 drops of essential oils to your mopping water. Many essential oils have anti-microbial properties.