How can I make my floor tiles shine without wax?

My floor tiles are looking a little gray and dull. How can I clean them up and bring back the shine without using wax?

How can I make my floor tiles shine without wax



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  13 answers
  • Try cleaning them with vinegar. It will get any dirt caught in the tiny crevices.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Apr 09, 2023

    Equal parts of hot water and vinegar. After that cleaning, you could buff the floor.

  • What kind of tiles are they, ceramic or a peel and stick type? You could try a few drops of ammonia into a bucket of warm water.

  • Janice Janice on Apr 09, 2023

    Clean your floor with a soft scrub brush and the vinegar and water as suggested by Ann and Redcatcec. Then use a dry mop or large cloth to dry the floor well rather than just leaving the cleaner to dry naturally.

  • Dee Dee on Apr 09, 2023

    I use Awsome or Fabuloso cleaner from the $$$ Store about once every 3 months. Other than that I use the vinegar and Dawn method.


    If you want to you can completely change the color of your grout. There is a product by Mapei called Grout Refresh. You can find it in Floor and Decor and Home Depot sells a few colors, but Amazon has many colors. It is not hard to use, just time consuming. That will change the look of the floor as well.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Apr 10, 2023

    If they were not shiny in the first place, then there is little you can do that will give a good longterm result. Polishes will ony build up and give you a problem later on. You could use tile covers though.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Apr 10, 2023

    Try mopping with this:

    2 gallons HOT (microwave or boil part of it) water

    1 cup baking soda

    1 cup white vingar

    1 TSP blue dawn


    Mop liberally to remove build up.

  • William William on Apr 10, 2023

    Once a week I use a few squirts of Dawn dish liquid and a few splashes of vinegar to one gallon hot water. Once a month I use lemon scented ammonia to one gallon hot water to deep clean. If they weren't shiny in the beginning they won't shine after cleaning.

  • Deb K Deb K on Apr 11, 2023

    Hi Amy, hope this helps you out.

    Add ½ a cup of white vinegar in a bucket of water and mix well. Dip the mop in the solution, wring it well and start your cleaning process through backward and forward movements. A natural cleaning agent, vinegar not only helps remove stains but also leaves your tiles shining.


    Once your floor is clean and dry, you can apply a sealer to it, it will give you some shine and seal the grout.

  • Cheryl A Cheryl A on Apr 12, 2023

    do aheavy cleaning first to get all dirt and grime off and then use Bona hardsurface floor cleaner to make it clean and shiny but not slippery

  • I clean my floors with vinegar and hot water. I try to stay away from anything that's going to scratch them, anything abrasive. Then every few years I go over the grout with a white grout pen and it makes a HUGE difference in the appearance of the floor.

  • Mogie Mogie on Apr 13, 2023

    White vinegar not only leaves your floor clean and shinning. It also works as a disinfectant leaving your floor free of germs, which is especially good for those parents who have crawling infants.

    Mixing ½ cup of vinegar with two gallons of hot water can remove ground in dirt and restore your floors to natural shine.

    All you need to do is dip a clean mop in your mixture of vinegar and water and wring it out to avoid excess moisture. Mop the floor thoroughly and dry it with a clean rag to avoid any water spots or streaking.

  • Thank you for all your methods. I see most people use the vinegar/dawn method for getting their floors to shine, I will give it a try