Deep clean vs. mopping
| Mop and bucket | Machine deep clean | |
|---|---|---|
| Agitation | Light, uneven, glides over texture | Steady pad or brush pressure on every tile and joint |
| Where the dirt goes | Into the bucket, then back onto the floor | Into the wet vacuum, out of the house |
| Residue | Cleaner left to dry on the surface | Rinsed and extracted |
| Grout | Takes in dirty water | Scrubbed and extracted |
Regular mopping is still right for day-to-day cleaning. A deep clean resets the floor so that mopping works again.
Step by step
- Assess from your photosFloor type, finish, condition and access decide the price and the plan. The quote says if an extra pass is needed.
- Protect and prepareWe move furniture, protect skirting and the bottom of units, and vacuum the dry grit off.
- Test areaA small, discreet patch to confirm the chemistry and pad on your tile.
- Pre-treatCleaning solution goes down and is left to dwell. Most of the work is done by the chemistry, not by force.
- Machine scrubThe rotary machine works the floor in sections. Edges, corners and around units are done by hand.
- ExtractThe dirty solution is wet-vacuumed up straight away, before it can dry back into the grout.
- RinseClean water, extracted again, so no cleaner residue is left to attract dirt.
- Walk-throughWe look at the floor with you and give simple advice on keeping it that way.
Machine, pads and chemistry
The machine. A low-speed single-disc rotary machine. Its weight and steady rotation do what arms and a mop can’t: even agitation across the whole floor without tiring halfway through the room.
Pads and brushes. Floor pads come in grades from soft to aggressive. Polished porcelain gets soft pads; matt and textured tiles a firmer pad or a brush that reaches into the texture. We never use anything that scratches a sound glaze.
Chemistry. Most household soil (grease, body oils, food, detergent film) responds to an alkaline cleaner. Mineral deposits and cement haze need an acidic product, used carefully because acid attacks cement grout. Mixing the wrong products is dangerous, which is one reason we bring and control our own.
Never mix bleach with acidic cleaners (including vinegar-based products). The combination releases chlorine gas.
Grout
Cement grout is porous, so it is usually the dirtiest part of the floor. The machine scrubs it along with the tiles; very dark joints get extra work with a grout brush. Grout that is dirty on the surface often comes up a long way. Grout stained right through, cracked or missing won’t: that needs regrouting or a colour treatment. More in how to clean porcelain grout.
Extra passes and price
Most floors are cleaned in one full pass: €15/m². Some need more:
- Very dirty (+€2/m², €17/m²): years of build-up or heavy grout soiling that needs a second pass.
- Extremely dirty / heavy use (+€5/m², €20/m²): busy restaurant floors, kitchens, grease and compacted soil that need repeated passes. See commercial floor cleaning.
Minimum job 50 m² (€750 at the base rate). If you have building residue (cement haze, grout film, paint splashes), mention it with your photos so the quote reflects it. A newly laid floor is a job of its own: after-builders floor cleaning. Outdoor tiles: terrace and patio tile cleaning.
How to prepare
- Clear small items, rugs and anything fragile
- Tell us about furniture that can’t be moved
- Make sure water and electricity are on
- Keep pets and children out of the room while we work
- Tell us about parking, stairs or a lift
- Plan to keep off the floor until it is dry
Deep cleaning questions
Is machine cleaning better than steam cleaning?
They do different jobs. Steam loosens dirt but has nowhere to put it, so on a heavily soiled floor it often moves the dirt into the grout. A rotary machine plus wet extraction scrubs the dirt loose and removes it from the floor.
How long until I can walk on it?
The floor is extracted, not left wet, so it is usually walkable the same evening. Ventilation helps; humid days are slower.
Do I need to be there?
Only at the start and the end: to show us the access and to look at the result with us. A key holder is fine for holiday homes.
What do you need from me on the day?
Water and electricity, the floor clear of small items, and somewhere to park near the door. We bring the machine, pads, chemistry and vacuum.
Floor-specific pages: porcelain floor cleaning · ceramic floor cleaning · commercial floors