Brick floors are beautiful and timelessー and a great way to add a rustic touch to your home. But many aren’t sure of how to clean a brick floor; leading to a grimy floor that becomes impossible to clean. This article will show you how to clean indoor brick floors with products you already have at home.
Cleaning brick flooring is relatively easy, but doing it the wrong way can lead to the floor being worn away. Once you know how to clean indoor brick floors, maintenance and upkeep become much easier. So let’s look at how to clean interior brick floors in the fastest way and easiest way possible.
What are the Different Kinds of Brick Flooring?
Before deciding on the kind of brick floor cleaner you want to use, it is best to identify the kind of brick flooring you have. This can also depend on where you have your brick floor. For instance, a patio brick floor may be different from the one in your basement.
Pavers:
These tend to be the most common kinds of flooring bricks. They are thinner than typical construction-grade materials. They are generally used as they don’t raise the floor level and apply a much lower weight on the subfloor.
Pavers are constructed at a much higher temperature. As a result, they are resistant to moisture and are much sturdier, so they are easier to clean. Brick pavers for interior floors are the most popular options, so they are seen most often in homes.
Engineering Bricks:
They are the typical thick bricks used in the construction of buildings. Because they are big and heavy, they raise the floor level significantly and place great weight on the subfloor.
These bricks are pretty durable and are resistant to staining. But they can be prone to water damage, so it is best to get them sealed. Otherwise, they will wear down over time.
Recycled Brick Flooring:
The appearance of old, weathered brick can give a house a weathered, lived-in look. To give your home a more ‘historical’ touch, you can use reclaimed brick flooring taken from older houses.
Doing so is also eco-friendly as it doesn’t need the manufacture of new bricks. However, it can be pretty expensive.
Hand Made Bricks:
Want the ultimate luxury bricks for your home? Certain companies specialize in the production of handmade bricks, made and fired individually. What makes them special is that each brick symbolizes a unique work of art, with its own style and character. This is the priciest option out there and needs a good deal of maintenance.
How Do You Clean Brick Floors the Right Way?
You can clean a brick floor in several different ways. The easiest way on how to clean indoor brick floors is by sweeping away dust and debris, preventing them from building up onto the floor.
However, if your brick seems to be emanating dust itself, it comes from cleaning bricks with muriatic acid after its initial installation. To remedy this, you should flush the floor with clean water, once or twice. You can also use a sponge or mop to get rid of the acid for good.
Weekly Cleaning:
After sweeping or vacuuming away dust, you should clean and maintain your brick floor by giving it a wash once a week, or every 10 days. This is also a good method on how to clean a brick basement floor.
You will need any one of the following combinations:
- 1 part vinegar mixed with 15 parts water (or how to clean bricks with vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons Borax mixed with 1 gallon of water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons baking soda mixed with 1 gallon of water (for cleaning pavers with baking soda)
- A quality commercial cleaner for natural stone and tile (or any detergent for cleaning brick)
The second to fourth solutions are good options if you want to learn how to clean bricks without acid.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Soak your mop (preferably microfiber) into the cleaning solution of your choice and wring it out thoroughly so that it is just a little damp.
- Mop your brick floor using a back-and-forth motion to remove stubborn grease, debris, and stains. You can also use a stiff nylon scrub brush or sponge to lift stubborn stains.
- Once you are done mopping, going over the floor with a dry mop or towel to dry the crevices and grout joints is a good idea. This prevents streaking and smudging when the floor dries.
Deep Cleaning:
Once in a while, you should deep clean your brick floor using slightly more drastic measures. This will get rid of caked-up dirt, stickiness, and other pet or human-related messes. In that case, steam cleaning brick floors is a good and safe idea.
For this, you can use a steam mop or other sort of steam cleaner. Stick to water or diluted bleach/floor cleaner instead of using something like vinegar or essential oils. As far as a brick floor cleaning machine goes, a steam cleaner is your best bet.
Any More Questions
Below you’ll find answers to questions I get asked the most about cleaning brick floors.
01. Can I Use Vinegar to Clean a Brick Floor?
While acidic cleaners can corrode brick floors, using diluted white vinegar in a 1:15 ratio with water is a safe and effective way to clean your brick floor.
02. Are Roombas Safe for Cleaning Brick Floors?
Yes, Roombas can clean dust and debris off of brick floors. However, it can be difficult for it to pick up dust from the cracks and crevices between individual bricks.
03. What is the Best Commercial Brick Floor Cleaner?
Something like the Black Diamond Stoneworks Cleaner is great for cleaning stone surfaces without damaging them. Sheiner’s Stone and Tile Cleaner is another effective yet gentle option for your brick floor.
04. How Should I Clean Outdoor Brick Floors Like a Patio?
To clean an outdoor brick floor like a patio or backyard, using a solution of diluted bleach is a good idea. A combination of four cups of bleach in a gallon of water will remove things like dirt and mildew without ruining the floor itself.
Let’s End It Here
That was easy, wasn’t it? Once you know how to clean a brick floor properly, maintenance becomes a piece of cake. Whether you want to sweep, vacuum, or mop your brick floor, just make sure you do it often enough to prevent built-up dirt from becoming an issue.
And let me know: how do you plan on cleaning your brick floor?