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Advice and Tips on Cleaning Grout
Nothing can be more annoying than dirty, grimey grout. It ruins the look of your tiles and an entire room. Here are some advice and tips on cleaning grout.
There are many different types of tiles such as granite, ceramic, marble and slate. With the vast array of materials, patterns and styles, there are tiles available to fit everyone's taste.
No matter what tile type you choose, particularly ceramic or slate - it is extremely hard-wearing and almost indestructible. What ends up taking away from the tiles beauty and makes it look old, is cracked and/or stained grout.
Grout is usually a mixture of cement, sand and water that they use to seal joints between tiles.
Three of the main varieties of grout include:
- Flooring grout
- Cement or epoxy-based tiling grout
- Resin grout
Because grout is porous, it can become stained and ruin the look or your countertop, flooring or shower. To restore or retain the grouts original appearance requires occasional cleaning.
Even grout, treated with special sealers, requires care and another sealing application from time to time.
So let us begin with some advice...
Be sure to cover any areas with a drop cloth, such as carpets, wear rubber gloves and open a window when cleaning your grout.
Be sure that no matter what type of grout cleaner you use, it is safe for your type of tile and grout.
Here are some tips on grout cleaning that will make your work a little easier.
- Use a Toothbrush
Combine baking soda with a small amount of white vinegar and use a small brush or old toothbrush to scrub your grout, and then rinse with warm water.
- Use Shaving Cream
Spray shaving cream on stained grout, leave it on for a few minutes and scrub with a small brush.
- Use Baking Soda and Peroxide
For stubborn stains on light colored grout, make a paste of baking soda and straight peroxide. When the bubbling stops, apply this mixture to the stain and leave it on for approximately ten minutes. Scrub with a small brush and rinse.
- Use Bleach A little bleach, or bleach pen will help tile and grout to look cleaner, as well as the sealant around the bathroom faucet. Test in a small area first. Be sure you are not mixing bleach with other bathroom chemicals as that may create harmful fumes.
- Use Grout Sealer Use a silicon-based grout sealer and apply one or two coats to dry grout. Apply this to all the grout lines to protect them from water and stain damage.
- Hire a professional 😉 If you have a very large area of grout to clean or it is extremely dirty, your best solution may be hiring a professional with proper equipment. A method they use is steam-cleaning grout using high-pressure vapor. Not only does it deep clean the grout and remove grease, stains and dirt but also removes mildew, mold and sanitizes.
By following a few easy tips on cleaning grout and spending a little time cleaning it, your tile will look as wonderful as the day you had the tiles installed.
