Cleaning Tiles with a Steam Cleaner: From Floor to Grout

Your kitchen tiles gleam after mopping, but the grout lines between them remain dull. You've scrubbed them. You've used products on them. Yet, that grey line persists. But why does mopping never clean the grout, while steam does? In this article, you'll learn why grout gets dirty differently than tiles, how to steam a tiled floor in six steps, and which tiles you should absolutely NOT steam.

Short Answer

A steam cleaner cleans glazed ceramic and porcelain tiles using only tap water, and also reaches into the grout. The hot steam loosens dirt and grease, and the cloth immediately absorbs it, without the need for cleaning agents. Steam is not recommended for untreated natural stone such as marble, travertine, and limestone. For these, a lukewarm, pH-neutral method is the safer choice.

Can you clean tiles with a steam cleaner?

Yes, glazed ceramic and porcelain tiles can be safely cleaned with steam.

These tiles have a dense top layer. Water and heat do not penetrate them, so steam cannot damage the surface. What steam does do is loosen grease and dirt in a way that a mop cannot achieve.

For natural stone, the opposite is true. Marble, travertine, limestone, and untreated slate are porous and react to heat and moisture. More on that later.

Why do grout lines get dirty faster than the tiles themselves?

Grout lines get dirty faster because they are porous and sit lower than the tile.

This difference does two things. Dirty water settles at the lowest point, which is the grout. And because the grout material absorbs moisture, that dirt stays embedded in it instead of just sitting on top.

A mop only touches the tile. The mop glides over the grout and even pushes dirty water into it. This is precisely why a freshly mopped floor looks clean with dull lines in between.

Steam works differently. The vapor penetrates the grout and lifts the dirt to the surface, where a cloth or brush picks it up.

Cleaning Tiles with a Steam Cleaner in 6 Steps

Below are six steps. You start with sweeping, then testing, steaming in sections, addressing the grout, wiping, and finally drying.

1. Sweep or vacuum the floor first

Sweeping comes first, always. Steaming a floor with sand and crumbs turns loose dirt into a greasy film that you'll have to remove afterward anyway. Also vacuum along the baseboards and in the corners.

2. Test on an inconspicuous tile

Perform the test behind a door or under a piece of furniture. Apply steam briefly there and check after drying if the shine, color, or texture has changed. If you are unsure about the material, stop here.

3. Work in sections of approximately one square meter

Work in sections instead of tackling the entire room at once. This prevents the floor from staying wet for so long that the water dries before you've wiped it. Start at the corner furthest from the door.

4. Tackle the grout separately with a brush attachment

The grout requires a narrow attachment, as a flat floor head won't reach it. Press the attachment into the grout line and move it slowly along the direction of the grout. For an old floor, you might need two rounds.

5. Immediately wipe away the loosened dirt

The loosened dirt will be on the tile surface after steaming, not in the grout. Pull a microfiber cover over the floor head or follow up with a clean cloth. Change the cloth as soon as it turns grey.

6. Allow the floor to dry without walking on it

Drying is quick for tiles, as little moisture remains. Open a window or leave the door ajar. If you walk on it too soon? You'll leave footprints in the last layer of moisture and have to start over.

Which tiles should you avoid steaming?

That depends on how porous the material is and its finish. Glazed tiles are impermeable to moisture, while natural stone is not.

The table below lists the most common types of flooring.

Tile Types and Steam

Please note: vinegar and other acidic agents should not be used on natural stone. Acid damages calcareous stone, and this damage is irreversible. For marble and travertine, lukewarm water with a pH-neutral cleaner is the standard.

Don't know what's under your feet? A drop of water will tell you: if it absorbs, the stone is porous.

How to clean greasy kitchen tiles?

Grease on kitchen tiles forms a thin film on the wall, especially behind the stove and around the extractor hood.

This grease loosens with heat. A handy steam cleaner with a brush attachment can get along wall tiles and between the grout lines. The vapor softens the film, allowing you to wipe it away in one go. Work from top to bottom, so that the loosened grease does not run over clean tiles.

If there's an old, thick layer? One round of steam won't be enough. First degrease, then use steam for the final wipe and the grout.

How to prevent streaks on a tiled floor?

Streaks almost never come from the water itself, but from what's in it.

When mopping, a residue of cleaning product remains. This dries and creates the dull film you see in glancing light. Since a steam cleaner uses tap water and adds no cleaning agents, that cause is eliminated.

Two things remain your responsibility. Use a clean cloth, because a grey cloth will spread the dirt it already holds. And work in sections, so the moisture is absorbed before it dries on its own.

How often should you steam a tiled floor?

How often you should steam a tiled floor depends on the traffic in the room and the color of your grout.

A kitchen or hallway gets dirty faster than a bedroom. Light grout shows every discoloration, while dark grout is much more forgiving. If you vacuum weekly and mop in between? Then steaming a few times a year is enough to keep the grout clean.

If you wait longer than that, it becomes scrubbing instead of cleaning. A waste of effort.

Streak-free clean tiles and grout? Choose an Achaté steam cleaner

Tiles get clean with heat and a clean cloth, not with more cleaning product. Grout is the task that often gets left behind when mopping, and that's precisely where steam makes a difference.

The Achaté Steam Cleaner PRO V2 is the all-round choice for tiled floors and works with tap water. The attachment brush set handles the grout lines, and with spare steam cloths, you'll always have a clean one. For wall tiles and the kitchen, the Achaté Handheld Steam Cleaner PRO is more convenient. Is the grout truly stubborn? Then the Achaté Electric Cleaning Brush with the narrow grout head will scrub it clean.

Do you want your grout to be the same color as your tiles again? Then check out Achaté's steam cleaners and choose the model that suits your floor.

Frequently Asked Questions about cleaning tiles with a steam cleaner

Can you use a steam cleaner on a tiled floor with underfloor heating?

You can use a steam cleaner on a tiled floor with underfloor heating because the heat remains in the tile and does not reach the pipes. However, work in sections and keep moving so that you don't heat the tile for too long in one spot. If in doubt, check your floor's documentation.

Can you make dull grout white again with steam?

Dull grout becomes much lighter with steam, as the vapor brings dirt from the porous material to the surface. If the grout is discolored by mold or an old layer of dirt, usually two rounds are needed. If the color remains the same after drying, the discoloration is in the grout material itself.

Can you clean natural stone tiles with a steam cleaner?

Natural stone such as marble, travertine, and limestone should preferably not be steamed, as the stone is porous and reacts to heat. Impregnated stone may sometimes tolerate short bursts of steam, but the impregnation can suffer. Use lukewarm water with a pH-neutral cleaner for these, and keep acidic substances away.

Do you need cleaning agents when steaming tiles?

You don't need cleaning agents when steaming tiles, because the heat does the loosening and the cloth does the absorbing. This is also precisely why fewer streaks are left behind. Only with an old, thick layer of grease does it help to degrease first and then steam.