Cleaning Countertop Tiles

[florentin]

We have a countertop covered in ceramic tile.
We were told by someone that we should not use Windex or Tylex on it in order to avoid staining. They said to use vinegar instead.

Whaat? ewwww

What do you suggest here?

[Ableskills-Tiling]

I can only presume that you are talking about the grout and not the tile.

Grout on countertops should be Epoxy grout which is crack and stain resistant and hygenic.

Sounds like it has not been grouted with epoxy.

Two options:

1. replace worktops

2. rake out old grout and regrout with epoxy (not the best job in the world and difficult to achieve without damaging the tiles, depending on the size of grout joint).

[DianaR]

We have a countertop covered in ceramic tile.
We were told by someone that we should not use Windex or Tylex on it in order to avoid staining. They said to use vinegar instead.

Whaat? ewwww

What do you suggest here?

Diluted chlorine bleach works fine, won't poison your family if you rinse the area properly, and WILL kill bacteria that vinegar basically "confuses" but doesn't kill.

Just be sure you have the fan on and dilute the bleach (1 part to 16 parts water).

Take a look here, too (http://www.news-medical.net/?id=13248)!

[florentin]

yes, I was referring to the grout and NOT the tile itself.
thank you for the clarification.

[jamesb]

We use Windex in our kitchen. It's the first time that I have heard that we should avoid using that.

[manojjonam10]

Vinegar can change the color of your grout, if you're not careful. Remember that vinegar is actually an acid. Using too much vinegar can even 'dissolve' the grout.

[antkmom]

I have heard alot of people rave about how wonderful vinegar is to clean with , but you have to dilute it. If your grout is white, I would use soft scrub but I would also dilute it.