Finding the best vacuum for tiles can be quite a task. The flooring material exists in different forms and requires cleaning machines with specific abilities. It also shows up stains and debris more than many other floors, which calls for frequent cleanups. However, it’s not every vacuum that will clean tile flooring efficiently and safely. Some leave dirt behind even after several passes, while others cause damage to its surface. It’s an experience you wouldn’t want to happen to you.
Tile flooring can look extremely dirty if its not cleaned on a regular basis. The cleaning frequency often depends upon the color of tiles and grout. Also, tiles clearly tend to show up dirt more than rugs, carpets, or other types of floor covering, and it’s for this reason tile floors need to be cleaned more often. No matter if we’re talking about mosaic, natural stone, marble, ceramic, quarry (unglazed ceramic), porcelain or glass, tiles tend to accumulate mud, dust, and debris fairly easy, but one of their main advantages is that they can also be cleaned easier, especially with the units I’m going to present in the following minutes.
Contents
- 1 Why a vacuum for tiles?
- 2 Best 17 tools for cleaning your tile floors
- 2.1 Dyson V11 Torque Drive
- 2.2 Dyson V10 Absolute
- 2.3 Miele Compact C1 PowerLine Pure Suction
- 2.4 Miele Complete C2 Hard Floor
- 2.5 Miele Blizzard CX1 Pure Suction
- 2.6 Shark APEX DuoClean
- 2.7 Shark APEX UpLight
- 2.8 Shark ION F80 Multiflex
- 2.9 Shark Navigator DLX
- 2.10 Xiaomi RoboRock S5
- 2.11 Xiaomi RoboRock S6
- 2.12 Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro
- 2.13 Bissell Crosswave Max
- 2.14 Hoover Floormate Deluxe
- 2.15 Hoover ONEPWR Floormate Jet
- 2.16 Shark Sonic Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner (ZZ550)
- 2.17 Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off 1544A
- 3 How Do You Identify the Best Vacuum for Tiles?
- 4 Are Cordless Vacuums Suitable When Looking for the Best Vacuum for Tiles?
- 5 What About a Robot Vacuum?
- 6 Final Thoughts
To avoid buying a vac that doesn’t suit the flooring, you need to choose wisely, especially if purchasing a tile vacuum for the first time. There are aspects to consider as we will see in a moment, but first;
Why a vacuum for tiles?
Not all vacuums meant for hard surfaces are suitable for the cleaning of tiles. Some features and capabilities may work on other floors, but not this one. A good example is the motorized brush roll. While the rapidly spinning bristles serve to remove the dirt in carpets, it can be detrimental when used on tile. Glazed tiles have a sensitive coating that scratches easily from the action of such bristles. On the other hand, unglazed (quarry) tiles can withstand the cleaning action of a rotating brush. Quarry tiles also hold dirt more firmly besides lacking the delicate coating and require a more powerful vacuum and a brush roll.
The motorized brush bar also causes the bigger debris on tile flooring to scatter around, making it difficult for a vac’s suction to pick it up. Don’t worry, though. Most of today’s vacuums come with a beater brush that can be switched off when not required, and you only need to ensure the one you buy has this feature. Other than that, you can opt for a vacuum that doesn’t have a brush roll at all and rely on suction only to clean. However, that would put you in a tricky situation when you have area rugs or small carpets in your home. It can even be any other surface where the action of the rotating bristles is required to agitate dirt.
Some tile cleaning situations may require that you use a machine that does more than sweeping. While vacuuming removes dirt and allergens, a cleaning unit that features a steaming or mopping function sanitizes the floor. These vacuums make your cleaning thorough, plus you don’t have to follow up vacuuming activities with a mopping session and waste time. Unglazed tile requires such vacs. The flooring presents a challenge to rid its surface of dirt and allergens, necessitating the use of a multi-function vacuum.
Best 17 tools for cleaning your tile floors
Here are my favorite 17 vacuums in 2023, perfect for cleaning tile flooring:
Brand and model | Type of cleaning | Suction power | Weight | Price range |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dyson V10 Absolute | Vacuum | 150 AW | 5.9 lbs | $698.88 |
Dyson V11 Torque Drive | Vacuum | 180 AW | 6.7 lbs | $684.99 |
Miele Compact C1 Pure Suction | Vacuum | 300 AW | 6 lbs | $449.00 |
Miele Complete C2 Hard Floor | Vacuum | 300 AW | 13.5 lbs | $339.29 |
Miele Blizzard CX1 Pure Suction | Vacuum | 400 AW | 9 lbs | $499.00 |
Shark APEX DuoClean | Vacuum | 270 AW | 16.3 lbs | Price not available |
Shark APEX UpLight | Vacuum | 200 AW | 10.7 lbs | Price not available |
Shark ION F80 Multiflex | Vacuum | 100 AW | 8.7 lbs | Price not available |
Shark Navigator DLX | Vacuum | 245 AW | 15.2 lbs | $169.99 |
Xiaomi RoboRock S5 | Vacuum + Mop | 100 AW | 7.7 lbs | $599.99 |
Xiaomi RoboRock S6 | Vacuum + Mop | 100 AW | 8 lbs | $599.99 |
Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro | Scrub + Vacuum | na | 11 lbs | $269.99 |
Bissell Crosswave Max | Scrub + Vacuum | na | 11.5 lbs | $399.99 |
Hoover Floormate Deluxe | Scrub + Vacuum | na | 13.8 lbs | $132.19 |
Hoover ONEPWR FloorMate Jet | Scrub + Vacuum | na | 10.4 lbs | Price not available |
Shark Sonic Duo (ZZ550) | Scrub | na | 9 lbs | $139.99 |
Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off 1544A | Steam | na | 10 lbs | $129.00 |
Most experts suggest that ceramic floors should be cleaned every day using soap water and scrubs, but is there any solution for allergens and dirt particles? Of course, there is! You can either scrub them off, or you could vacuum them. This is where vacuum cleaners play a vital role. When you use a powerful vacuum to remove surface dirt, you also get to the bottom of the debris that has been collecting on your tile floor. Thus, you can sit back and relax, knowing that your tiled floors are being properly cleaned and that there won’t be any build up over time.
Let’s have a close look at the best unit that can easily clean your tiles effectively and ensure they’re always sparkling clean:
Dyson V11 Torque Drive
When it comes to suction, the Dyson V11 is a beast. This is the latest cordless from Dyson, a product that doesn’t come with a soft fluffy head as in the case of the V10 Absolute. However, it compensates for this with a multi-floor brushroll which also works on low-pile carpets, with more autonomy and improved suction power. Overall, I believe this is the greatest tool you can use on tiles.
Key Characteristics of the Dyson V11 Torque Drive:
- LCD screen which displays cleaning info and battery stats
- Lightweight
- Cordless
- Powerful pulse motor
- HEPA filtration
- 2 years of warranty
- Check out my review or see what others are saying about this cordless stick
Dyson V10 Absolute
The V10 is still a great cordless for vacuuming tile floors. If you have even tiles, the Fluffy head is all you need. The Absolute model comes with a motorized brushroll, which also works very well on low pile carpets. The Fluffy nozzle is designed to pick up lots of stuff, from cheerios to pet dander. The suction of this cordless is more than you need, but there’s one catch: the batteries last around 60 minutes of continuous cleaning. If you can work with this, then this unit is perfect for you. Thanks to its smart design, you can maneuver it with ease on or above the floor. Besides standard accessories (such as a crevice tool or a dust brush), the kit also includes a wall-charging dock, which is a perfect storage solution.
Key Characteristics of the Dyson V10 Absolute:
- Extremely lightweight
- Cordless
- Powerful pulse motor
- HEPA filtration
- Lots of accessories
- 2 years of warranty
- Check out my review or go directly for a good deal
Miele Compact C1 PowerLine Pure Suction
Miele C1 Pure Suction is not only great for tile floors but also works on the hardwood flooring and low pile carpets. This entry-level unit from Miele has powerful suction and a very good filtration system, which ensures a quality airflow. Although it’s a canister, the hose handle is comfortable and ergonomically correct. The motor of the vacuum is very efficient and is designed to run on a low amount of power. One good feature is its high capacity dust bag. It is completely sealed and easy to dispose of. Due to its lightweight (about 6 lbs.), it can be used to handle even small spills, and you can easily carry it around, i.e., up and downstairs in any multilevel house.
This vacuum cleaner is ideal for daily use and comes with a long warranty. You can move around, cleaning different areas of your house, as it has a 22 ft power cord and an 8 ft hose, totaling a 30 ft reach radius. The sound level is also very low, which is a big plus, IMO.
Key Characteristics of the Miele C1 Pure Suction:
- Excellent filtration system
- Large 0.92 gallons dust bags
- Great suction power, perfect for tiles and other even/uneven bare floors. In fact, it looks like it is designed specifically for tile floors, low to medium pile carpets, and area rugs
- Read my review or what others are saying about this canister
Miele Complete C2 Hard Floor
Miele C2 Hard Floor is that perfect mix between a good quality appliance and a lovely design concept that makes you want to use it again and again and again. This vacuum is thought to handle hard floors, no matter their type. That means tiles are also included. The suction power is great: it can satisfy even the most demanding tastes. The accessories are standard for any canister out there. The C2 is meant for people with respiratory problems (asthma, allergies), so the filtration is awesome.
Key Characteristics of the Miele Complete C2 Hard Floor:
- Powerful motor 1140 watts / 9.5 amps
- Excellent HEPA AirClean filtration system
- Large 1.2 gallons dust bags
- Not too heavy at 13.5 lbs
- Here’s a comparison with the C2 Electro+, and here’s a great offer
Miele Blizzard CX1 Pure Suction
This bagless Miele canister is also one of the most useful tools for cleaning tiled flooring. You can’t go wrong with a vacuum cleaner that outputs 400 AW and is backed for 7 years. Although it doesn’t have too many accessories, the Miele CX1 Pure Suction is perfect for those hard-to-reach grout lines. I should also add that you can buy extra attachments separately (such as a hospital-grade HEPA filter).
Key Characteristics of the Miele Blizzard CX1 Pure Suction:
- Powerful motor 1200 watts
- Excellent HEPA AirClean filtration system
- Large 0.5 gallons dust bin
- Not too heavy at 9 lbs
- Relatively cheap
- Here’s an in-depth description of all Blizzard CX1 models, and here’s an awesome offer for the Pure Suction
Shark APEX DuoClean
Shark APEX is the top of the line from SharkClean. Their upright features the DuoClean technology which makes it more than suitable for vacuuming hard floors, including tiles. The soft brush roll can remove even the tiniest dust particles which may be found in the grout of the tiles. The suction is way above average, and this is a good thing if you’re looking for something special for your tile flooring.
Key Characteristics of the APEX DuoClean:
- Powerful suction
- Good filtration
- DuoClean technology
- Active Glide technology
- LED lights
- Here’s my assessment of the APEX. Don’t forget to check out this offer
Shark APEX UpLight
Shark APEX UpLight is a corded stick vacuum that was born in a world of cordless stick vacuums. But swimming against the current may prove to be the winning strategy in the game of air watts and autonomy. The Apex UpLight puts 200 AW into your palm and uses only 10.7 lbs to do so.
Key Characteristics of the APEX UpLight:
- Powerful suction
- HEPA filtration
- DuoClean technology – great for bare floors
- Zero-M technology – long hair doesn’t tangle on your brushroll
- LED lights
- Here’s my review of the APEX UpLight. Here the best place to get it
Shark ION F80 Multiflex
The brand new Shark ION F80 Multiflex is a lightweight vacuum that ensures powerful cleanup of your tile floors. With the latest brushroll technology, you’ll get your tiles cleaned in no time. You can also manually switch between brush rolls, pop up the dust bin in seconds, and control the unit using the ergonomic handle and the digital controls located on it. The suction power is impressive. No dust or debris escapes its airflow.
Key Characteristics of the Shark ION F80:
- Lightweight vacuum with superior suction,
- Ergonomic handle to easily clean both dust and pet hair
- Provides a low gravity center, so it’s perfect for people with back problems
- Economical 300W motor and LED lights
- Unique swivel steering
- Long 5-year warranty
- Read my complete assessment or more reviews of this product
This Shark upright is not new, but sometimes older is better. The suction power produced by the Navigator DLX is similar to the one produced by the latest APEX. However, it is half the price. Sure, it doesn’t come with the latest DuoClean and Zero-M technologies, but its big dust recipient, its natural steering and its HEPA filtration recommend it.
Key Characteristics of the Shark Navigator DLX:
- Powerful suction
- Large bin
- Great swivel steering
- Here’s where you can find it
Xiaomi RoboRock S5
If you’re looking to automate some of the work, the 2nd version of the Xiaomi robot can be a good solution. Although it’s not destined to clean perfectly, it’s still one of the best machines produced in 2018. Now, in 2023, I recommend this not only to technology enthusiasts but also for normal people. The RoboRock version can mop and vacuum, which is absolutely great!
Key Characteristics of the Xiaomi Robot 2nd gen:
- Control it from your smartphone. See the floor map in real-time
- Most powerful suction in robot vacuums
- Can mop and vacuum at the same time
- HEPA filtration
- Don’t take my word for granted, see what other people think about it
Xiaomi RoboRock S6
Xiaomi continues to impress with its robotic vacuums. The latest creation is RoboRock S6. This improved robot has a more capable processor and a better battery. Moreover, it produces less sound and can theoretically store the floor configuration of 3 levels (instead of one).
Key Characteristics of the Xiaomi Robot S6:
- Real-time control, room selection, virtual walls from the app
- Faster movement
- Mops and vacuums at the same time
- HEPA filtration
- Quiet and easy to maintain
- Here’s a great deal for this robot
Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro
With this product, you can ensure a complete tile floor clean in one easy step. The new Bissell Crosswave is an innovative vacuum, as well as a scrub cleaner. You can completely clean and sanitize bare floors without using a bucket and mop or any harsh chemicals. The Crosswave uses tap water and four cleaning solutions (Multi-Surface Pet, Multi-Surface, Wood Floor, Area Rugs) to produce a powerful scrub. Its digital controls allow you to seamlessly switch between hard floors and carpets while cleaning, and you can vacuum and scrub at the same time. That means you won’t’ have to spend hours sweeping your tiled floor and then mop it separately! In fact, Bissell terms it as a “One Step Cleaning” – using just one device. You’ll be able to clean your floors in only one pass without any need to broom or mop. It’s also versatile enough to be used on wood floors and carpets — the result: a barefoot-ready, fresh, clean floor that you and your family will love.
According to the manufacturer’s manual, this hybrid unit is safe for all types of hard surfaces, including tile floors. You can also use it on vinyl floors without worrying about any damage.
Key Characteristics of Bissell Crosswave Pet Pro:
- You can easily scrub surfaces
- It saves a lot of time by vacuuming and scrubbing tile flooring at the same time
- It has easy-to-use digital controls and a unique adjustable handle.
- It provides speedy cleaning and mopping and has a user-friendly design
- Check out my Bissell Crosswave complete review, or find out what other buyers are saying about this product
Bissell Crosswave Max
The Crosswave line is going so well that Bissell thought to make a cordless model. Thus appeared the Crosswave Max, a product that can clean your tiles for 30 minutes continuously. What’s even more interesting, you can connect it to your WiFi network to see some usage metrics and cleaning guides, and it can self-clean its brushroll when you’re done with it. How cool is that?
Key Characteristics of Bissell Crosswave Max:
- Scrub and vacuum surfaces, great edge cleaning
- A 36V Li-Ion battery ensures 30 mins of cleaning per session.
- It can auto-clean its own brushroll
- 2 separate tanks for clean and dirty water
- Check out what others are saying
Hoover Floormate Deluxe
Hoover Floormate is a classic scrubber. People have been using Floormates for years, and I’ve talked with dozens of satisfied customers. Hoover recently revamped its line with new models, even a cordless version. The Floormate Deluxe is the newer brother of the Hoover SpinScrub. It doesn’t vacuum anymore, but the scrubbing capabilities have improved. The dirty water is now completely separated from the clean water, in 2 different reservoirs, each with a 48 oz capacity. The product is relatively light-weighted at 14 lbs, and the nozzles can now be easily removed. There are two cleaning modes which you can use to clean your tiles: Wash and Dry.
Key Characteristics of Hoover Floormate Deluxe:
- Comes with proprietary counter-rotating brushes
- 2 cleaning modes for two different chores: Wash and Dry
- Comes with a 16 oz bottle of cleaning solution
- 2 years of warranty
- The handle folds for easier storage
- It’s relatively cheap
Hoover ONEPWR Floormate Jet
Hoover released in 2019 their own line of cordless appliances, and one of these is the FloorMate Jet, a spin-off of the original FloorMate concept. The Hoover FloorMate Jet can work continuously for 20 minutes (but this can be increased with removable batteries), has 2 separate tanks and is relatively lightweight.
Key Characteristics of Hoover ONEPWR Floormate Jet:
- Cordless and lightweight at 11 lbs
- Removable batteries provide 20 mins of cleaning each
- 2 different brush rolls
- It’s also cheap (when e.g. compared with the Bissell Crosswave Max, which is twice as much)
Shark Sonic Duo Carpet and Hard Floor Cleaner (ZZ550)
The Shark Sonic Duo is a power-packed machine that promises you a quick and easy way to remove all types of stuck dirt that holds odors and allergens from area rugs, carpets, and tile floors. It’s a complete floor care system that accurately cleans and finishes all tile floor surfaces AND carpets as well. It’s very convenient to use and offers a much better cleaning experience with less effort and time than conventional vacuum cleaners. The appliance has two scrub modes that allow you to tailor your cleaning process according to your personal floor care needs.
For the first time, you have a cleaning system that easily brakes the stuck-on grime and dirt but is also very gentle, non-toxic, and safe around your kids and pets. If you buy this appliance, you’ll have a fun and easy way to clean all your floors with the power of its scrubbing heads. The machine does all the hard work so you won’t have to make any effort to clean your tiles. No need to do extra scrubbing, no more back pains, no more lost hours. One piece of information to keep in mind: this product does not vacuum, it only scrubs.
Wood/ Hard Floor Cleaner
Shark Sonic Duo can deep-clean hard floors, and they’re left with an amazing non-streak finish without any dulling residue. To truly clean your tile floors, the specially formulated cleaning solution and sonic action work together with its pads to get rid of all the dirt, even down into those tiny cracks.
Carpet Cleaning Action
Area rugs and carpets are easily rejuvenated and are left looking brighter and cleaner and smelling much fresher. To truly clean your carpets and rugs, the Sonic Duo will first remove the visible dirt on the carpet surface. Then, it uses a special carpet cleaning solution with the new ‘Trap and Remove’ Technology to do the rest of the work. It penetrates deeply and removes all the stuck dirt deep into its fibers. When the solution dries out, it immediately dehydrates all the stuck dirt, unlocking it from carpet fibers, so now it’s easy to remove it using a vacuum cleaner. Your carpets are left much cleaner and fresher.
Key Characteristics of Shark Sonic Duo:
- Swivel steering, AirGlide maneuverability and sharp headlights that ensure easy cleaning
- 1000 scrubs per minute, and two separate scrub modes for carpets and hard floors
- Carpet solution, hard floor solution, polish solution and spot remover for excellent results
- Unique 7 to 1 highly concentrated gentle and non-toxic cleaning solutions that are safe for family and pets
- Special washable microfiber pads for tile flooring and carpet cleaning
- Read my full review of the Shark Sonic Duo, or read what other people are saying about this appliance
Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off 1544A
If you have a heavily trafficked tile floor that is constantly being used by kids and pets, then it may look unsightly and may need frequent cleaning. Occasional vacuum cleaning won’t do. You can either do the job manually or invest in a good steam mop that can not only clean but also sanitize your floor. The new Bissell PowerFresh is one of the best steam mops for tiles that’s also simple to use. It doesn’t use any chemicals and is lightweight. It’s so quiet that it won’t disturb your baby’s day time naps. It is suitable for all types of floors, namely stone, ceramic, laminate linoleum, vinyl, and sealed hardwood flooring.
Key Characteristics of Bissell PowerFresh Lift-Off 1544A:
- SmartSet Steam Control ensures light cleaning for big messes.
- Easily removable water tank that you can fill up at the sink
- Lift-Off tech allows you to steam above-the-floor
- It’s easy scrubber flips down and reaches down to the crevices and grout
- Special spring breeze fragrance discs inserted in the mop pad for clean, fresh scent while you steam mop
- The mop has a low-profile head to clean into edges and corners.
- Read what people are saying about this steam mop
How Do You Identify the Best Vacuum for Tiles?
Manufacturers don’t make tile-only vacuums. As such, it’s your knowledge of what to look for that determines whether your choice is right not. Many people make the mistake of buying any machine that cleans hard surfaces when looking for a cleaner for their tiled floor. They then end up disappointed when the device doesn’t perform as expected. In the worst of cases, such vacs may even damage tile or reduce its lifespan. When shopping for one, I would advise that you consider the following.
Brush Roll On/Off
As mentioned earlier, a motorized brush is not necessary when cleaning tile flooring. However, tile may not be the only surface in your home. Because of the cold nature of this flooring, you will most probably have carpets and area rugs in specific places. These will also need to be cleaned, and having a vacuum that lacks a rotating brush can be a disadvantage. I would, therefore, advise you to choose a machine that offers an on/off function for the brush. That way, you can switch it on when cleaning carpets and off when using the machine on tiles.
Tile Type
Tile flooring exists in different forms, from material, finishing, to quality. Some types of tiles require more care while others are hardy and can stand up to harsh conditions when cleaning them. Glazed tile, for example, repels dirt better than the quarried type. It also offers you an easy cleaning experience since simple vacuuming removes most of the dirt lying on its surface. As a result, you don’t need a vacuum with suction power that’s too high to clean glazed tile. You also don’t have to buy a multifunction machine. Unglazed (quarry) tile is more demanding when it comes to maintenance. It soils easily, in addition to requiring strong suction for the dirt to leave its surface. As such, you need a powerful machine that offers adequate suction. The flooring also needs to be wet-mopped often, and buying a vacuum that also mops is advisable. You can opt for the wet-dry type of vacuum and make keeping this floor clean easy.
Suction
Some types of tile floors need a strong airflow for the dirt to be picked up efficiently, quarry tile in particular. This floor is usually not as smooth as the glazed type, which means more power is needed to remove particles of dirt and dust. The grout line is one particular part of tile flooring that requires extra power to clean. The dust in there is usually in large amounts and firmly stuck. Unless the suction of the vacuum you buy is high enough, it can mean clean tiles but unsightly grout after you’ve vacuumed the surface. You will also need a powerful machine if there’s a lot of dirt to clean, especially if you have children and pets in your home.
Filtration
While tile is easy to clean than most other floors, it can harbor a lot of dust and other types of allergens. These don’t usually disappear with normal sweeping. It’s only vacuuming that can pick them up efficiently, and the reason experts recommend using a vacuum cleaner to maintain your tile flooring. But then, this presents another problem. Some vacuums don’t have efficient filtration systems to assure you the cleaned allergens remain trapped in the unit. Cleaners with HEPA filters offer the best filtration efficiency. They retain more than 99% of allergens, which means the particles you pick with your vac while cleaning won’t return into the air in your home. In addition to HEPA filters, it’s advisable that the vacuum you buy to be sealed. If not, the HEPA level of filtration may not be useful as allergens would still find a way out and contaminate the air in your home.
Grout Lines
Grout lines may be wide or narrow, deep or shallow. As a result, the joints harbor dirt differently, with some holding more debris than others, or even deeper. It’s essential that the vacuum you choose offers enough suction power to remove the dirt contained in these joints, as inadequate cleaning power can make a vacuum inefficient when it comes to cleaning the lines. In addition to vacuuming these joints, extra cleaning is usually necessary, especially if the grout has stains. For this, you can use a paste of baking soda. Apply it along the grout lines using a toothbrush, leave it for a few minutes then rinse it off with water. To prevent the grout from absorbing stains in the future, you may apply a sealant after the cleaning. It makes your tiles and grout always to look clean, plus removing dirt will not be as demanding.
Versatility
Tile is probably not the only surface you will need to clean. You will have upholstery, shelves, ceilings, and other areas to vacuum. Consider such places when choosing the best tile cleaning machine for your home. Many vacuums on the market come with features to enhance versatility, such as the ability to detach and become a handheld. A majority of cleaning machines also come with accessories to improve reach and for the cleaning of challenging spots such as under furniture, crevices, and narrow gaps, edges, corners, and many more. Some attachments make picking up pet hair easy or the cleaning of stairs. When considering other features and capabilities for tile cleaning, factor in those versatility features and tools. For enhanced cleaning, you may also consider vacuums that mop or steam.
Wheels
It’s good to know that not every tile flooring is hard and resistant to scratching. Grazed tile is particularly prone to this kind of damage due to the coating that makes it good at repelling dirt. For this, the vacuum you use on it should have soft rubberized wheels. Many vacuums on the market today have such wheels. However, it would be prudent for you to ensure the one you choose has them. Still, on the issue of wheels, rubber wheels are essential for a tile vacuum if you want excellent traction. The flooring is usually slippery, and wheels other than rubber would make pushing your vacuum around awkward.
Bin Capacity
The bin capacity dictates the amount of dirt you expect to be cleaning every vacuuming session. Bagged vacuums offer one of the largest capacities to hold dirt. However, they come with costs in replacing filled bags. Bagless vacuums are popular today for their cost-free maintenance. Besides that, some manufacturers produce bagless vacs that feature dust cups of considerable capacity. Whichever vacuum type you choose, consider the type of debris you intend to be cleaning and in what amounts. Also, the cleaning frequency. Pet hair can fill a vacuum’s bin pretty quickly, same as debris kids leave in their play areas or food spills in the kitchen.
Floor Area
The challenge when choosing the best vacuum for tiles presents when you have both tile and carpet floors. While you may be looking for a vacuum that suits tile flooring, the other surface requires cleaning too, and its requirements may be different. The best way to approach this dilemma would be to determine which floor makes the largest part. If a bigger part of your home is tile, consider choosing your vacuum from the list of best vacuum for tiles. Large areas of carpet would call for a vacuum that works best on this kind of surface, such as a powerful upright or canister with a motorized brush.
Steaming
Several cleaning machines offer the possibility to vac and steam at the same time. This is particularly needed in the case of tiles since this type of flooring is resistant to high temperatures and can be easily sanitized.
Are Cordless Vacuums Suitable When Looking for the Best Vacuum for Tiles?
They are, unless you need the most powerful vacuum you can get your hands on and which is not necessary when cleaning tiles. Besides that, today’s technology allows for powerful units that offer longer runtimes. Cordless vacuums offer you the highest level of mobility when cleaning since you do not need to be near an outlet and within a certain distance. When choosing the one to buy for your tiled floor, consider its battery, and the time it takes the battery to drain. Go for 18 volts and above. For the runtime, half an hour or more would be adequate. But that’s if your cleaning tasks don’t go beyond this, as the interruptions to charge the battery would make the vacuum not worth having.
What About a Robot Vacuum?
These vacuums do the cleaning work for you, leaving you to attend to other tasks. They’re also useful if you’re mostly out, at work, or for any other reason. You can use them to clean your tile floor with great results. Their only disadvantage is that they’re usually small-sized units with low suction power and narrow cleaning paths. They’re also highly expensive. Robot vacs are suitable if you don’t have adequate time to clean your tiled floor every day. You can obtain one to maintain your floor for a few days before using a full-sized vacuum to give the floor a thorough cleanup.
Final Thoughts
The best vacuum for tiles need not come with fancy features or capabilities. It’s the regular cleaning machine, but with features that suit tile flooring. Using just any vacuum not only risks damaging the surface but can also mean inefficient dirt pick-up. When buying your tile vacuum, ensure you take into account all the considerations. Your vacuum is a valuable device to keep your home clean, and making the right purchase is essential. Your tile flooring is also an important investment that you want to last for long. Tile flooring is also a particular type of flooring which needs extra care when it comes to cleaning. It all comes down to the color, the type (starting with mosaic and ending with ceramic tiles), the dimensions, and the grout used. I’ve covered above some of the cleaning tools (vacuum cleaners, steam mops, and hybrids) I consider best suited for this chore. But if you have some other recommendations, I would be happy to read your comments.
Jason Roberts
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Diane Stacy says
Q. What is the best vacuum cleaner for Traffic Master (Home Depot) interlocking vinyl plank floating floor tiles?
Q. What is the best method of cleaning/ removing sand/ on this type of floor/ approx. 1200 sq. ft. (live at the beach)?
Q. What is the best cleaning solution/ product/ for this flooring (impervious to water; however cannot be wet mopped and continuous steam cleaning is not recommended)?
Jason Roberts says
A1. Looks like a case for bare floor vacuum cleaners. I would also try to find a vac with soft rubber wheels that doesn’t leave marks, such as the Miele Olympus canister.
A2. Well, first you can either vacuum or blow the sand. Take a look at the Greenworks I’ve just reviewed. After that, it’s just a matter of removing the fine dust, preferably by using a simple mop.
A3. Water is essential to cleaning fine dust. However you put it, you need to moist the particles in order to get a good grip on them. In any other case, Shark’s Sonic Duo would work just fine, but in your situation, have to make sure you remove the sand, or it would scratch the floor. That is practically impossible, so you’re left with the other option: getting a really powerful vacuum cleaner. Either get a canister with a suction power over 400 AWS, or take a look at the latest Dyson V6, as it has a good brushroll which might suit you.
Kathy Roberts says
I have Saltillo tile floors and with these being uneven, I don’t know if the best vacuum would be upright or canister or which brand is best. Can you help?
Jason Roberts says
These shouldn’t pose any problems to Miele canisters, i.e. The basic idea is to have enough suction to get the debris out of the places where the air flow is not completely sealed by the vacuum’s nozzle. This is easily achievable by a large array of recent uprights, canisters and even cordless units. Virtually all the models listed in my comparison chart at Uprights, Canisters and Cordless sections accomplish this. It might be a personal thing, but I would use a canister to clean these. It seems straightforward and easier than cleaning with other types of vacuum cleaners.
Guest says
What would be the best option to keep ceramic tiles clean and spotless ?
What vacuum or steam cleaner would you recommend for ceramic tiles ? Can that also be used on carpets ?
Note : I am not looking for just a scrubber.
Thank you in advance.
Jason Roberts says
If you have large surfaces of ceramic tiles, you can try the Shark Rocket Deluxe Pro with the Hardfloor Genie head. It’s very easy to use and can also be used on low and medium pile carpets.
mary says
Hi Jason,
About 2/3 of my house is tile. I love the tile but hate how dirty the grout looks. The tile and the grout are a very light color I have a steamer that cleans the tile wonderfully but does nothing for the grout. My grout is fairly wide and is lower than the level of the tile. As a result it collects a lot of dirt. I would like to know your recommendation on a machine that will clean the grout along with the tile. I need something that has scrubbing and suction capabilities so I can scrub the tile and grout and then suction up the dirty water/cleaner so it doesn’t end up draining back into the grout. Thanks in advance for your help
Mary
Jason Roberts says
You need a good scrubber. Hoover has 2 new Floormate models which I kindly recommend: the Deluxe and the Edge.
Erin Haugh says
Just moved into a home with mostly travertine tile. The central vac (doesn’t) sucks. What vacuum has the best suction & head for flat (and soft) tile? I already own a steamer.
Jason Roberts says
You need one with powerful suction such as the versatile Shark NV752, or one with a well designed head nozzle, such as the Dyson V6 Fluffy (Absolute).
Brendan says
Jason,
Thanks for all your hard work on the blog. I recently moved into a condo that has white ceramic tile throughout the entire unit. What is the best course of action for tile only cleaning?
Thanks,
Brendan
Jason Roberts says
If money is not an issue, I would of course get a Braava, a good steam mop and one of the units listed above (depending on the size of the area which needs to be cleaned, either the V6 or the Powerhead).
Irene Serafin says
Hello, I have mostly ceramic tile and some area rugs plus I also have foam tiles where my toddler plays and I’m having a problem cleaning them with my current vacuum. Which of these work best for me?
Jason Roberts says
Foam tiles make no exception for the list provided in my article. I would vacuum them with a Powerhead and perhaps, scrub them with a Sonic Duo.
Debra says
Hi Jason,
Thank you for writing this blog. I just purchased a home that is mostly porcelain tile with wide grout lines. I like the idea of a machine that will vacuum and mop at the same time. I need one that can clean the grout too as it is always looking dirty. Do you have any recommendations? I’ve heard that you can’t use these type machines on porcelain tile as it will void the warranty so I have hesitated on buying anything.
Debra
Jason Roberts says
There are a lot of units which use steam and which work wonders on porcelain tile. If you want to steam and vacuum simultaneously, Bissell Symphony is a great solution.
Lynn B says
Hello,
Thank you for your thorough responses. I have all natural slate floors and some soft porous tile with light grout. The slate requires some sort of buffing, I did have a commercial buffer for a while, but it went caputt! i use a stone shining cleaner now that works well, but I would like the ability to sanitize and then shine the stones.
In addition, what would be the best vacuum to get under low areas as well as reach to high areas, such as 8 ft ceiling fans and vertical blinds? Aside from sanitizing and buffing the stone, another of my concerns is having a far reaching crevice, dusting tool to reach the fans, shelves and high ceilings. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Jason Roberts says
For sanitizing, check out the Shark Blast & Scrub steam mop. As for vacuuming, many models fit your needs (i.e. Shark Rotator Truepet, Dyson Cinetic Big Ball or even the Dyson V6).
Lynn B says
Thank you for your advice Jason. I ended up purchasing the Shark Rocket Pro Deluxe with the free steam mop.
I appreciate your time.
Stacy says
Thanks for this blog – I have natural slate floors in most of the front of my house. They were sealed with an oil based sealant when the tiles were laid 3 Years ago. The tiles look great but we have a long haired dog and two crawling grandbabies who get so dirty even though I mop and vacuum (nearly dead dyson). Can I use the Hoover floormate deluxe on uneven slate? We have a very rustic look and many colors in the tile so I am not really panicked about possible scuffs and scratches but obviously don’t want to do damage. I would really like to use the Bissel you suggest that BOTH vacuums and steams (how is it with long dog hair?) but am drawn to the no pads and two tanks on the Hoover.
Jason Roberts says
The Floormate would work great on slate. Unfortunately, the Bissell Symphony is not that great with long hair, and if you want to use the Floormate, you will still need to vacuum first. The good news is that I maintain a top focusing on vacuum cleaners which are good with long hair, check it out.
Stacy says
Thanks – I actually just got the Bissel pet symphony and have used it three times and it is the best home cleaning tool I have ever used! And I’m 51 LOL – I bought the 2 year extended warranty for $17 on Amazon and if the machine is as sturdy as it is efficient it will be well worth the money! Thank you so much for your detailed reviews – they certainly helped!
Fran says
I am interested in cleaning my tile as quickly as possible because there is a lot of it. I realize your specialty is appliances, but what about daily dusting with a good dust mop and weekly washing? I can get a 24″ mop frame and cover more territory. Is that detrimental to the total effort to keep the floors clean?
Jason Roberts says
Check out my mop recommendations. 24″ sounds great, but you may get into small problems with corners and baseboards. Which model are you planning to buy?