• Sweep or vacuum before you mop. Loose grit is what scratches a floor, not foot traffic.
• Mop with warm water and a pH-neutral, sulphate-free cleaner.
• Rinse with clean water and do not let the cleaner dry on the tile — residue is what causes streaks and dulls a finish.
• Wipe spills as they happen. Grout takes up a spill faster than the tile does.

• Use a high-alkaline detergent, above pH 9, for greasy build-up in kitchens and entries.
• On textured or structured tiles, let the cleaner sit for a few minutes before scrubbing so it can work into the surface.
• Steam or pressure cleaning can be used from time to time.
• Always finish with a clean water rinse.

• Let the grout cure for as long as your tiler specifies before washing the floor properly.
• A light film of grout haze is normal. It needs the right product to remove — ask your tiler rather than reaching for a household cleaner.
• Keep mats and rugs off a new floor until the adhesive and grout have fully cured.

• Mats at every external door, including wherever pets come in and out.
• More cleaning product is not better. Over-applying leaves a residue that holds dirt.
• Skip household soaps. They leave a film that reads as slippery and dull.
• Felt pads under furniture legs, and lift rather than drag anything heavy.
• If rinsing is awkward, use a no-rinse detergent instead of leaving residue behind.

Safe to use

• pH-neutral, sulphate-free cleaners for everyday use
• Soft brushes and non-abrasive cleaning pads
• High-alkaline detergent, occasionally, for grease
• Proprietary abrasive cleaners on unglazed tile only

Avoid

• Acidic cleaners — they attack grout and haze a glazed surface
• Abrasive pads on glazed tile
• Overusing high-alkaline detergent
• Scrubbing machines fitted with coarse pads
• Wax and oil-based polishes