Step 1 – Find the Appropriate Cleaner

The first thing you must do in DIY grout cleaning is buy or make a cleaner for your grout. You can use commercially-prepared grout cleaners, but some of them contain harsh chemicals that will erode the grout with repeated use. Another option is to make your own grout cleaner with equal parts vinegar and water. If you have major stains in your grout, you may want to create a stronger cleaner with two parts baking soda to one part water. This mix will help lift stubborn stains.

Step 2 – Apply it to the Grout

Once you have your grout cleaner, you will spray it into the grout. Let it stand for a few minutes (or overnight for stubborn stains). You’ll need to spray enough to saturate the area without having standing water on the floor or pooling on the floor from the wall.  

If you buy a commercial cleaner, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to apply. Take the time to read the instructions to ensure the best results.

Step 3 – Scrub-a-Dub-Dub

This step is the most time-consuming and there are no shortcuts to it. You will need a soft brush to complete this task by hand. An old toothbrush will work well because it can fit in the small spaces of the grout. An electric toothbrush is even better because it has more scrubbing power. Just make sure you don’t use metal as it can damage the grout or scratch the tile.

You will need to scrub the grout by hand using the brush in a circular motion. Work in a small area and move to the next space. Once you have cleaned all the grout, you will need to rinse the space you’ve cleaned.

Step 4 – Seal the Grout

Let the grout dry for about 24 hours before you complete the next step. If it’s in a damp area, such as a bathroom, you may want to use a fan to help dry it. After it’s dry, apply a grout sealer to help prevent stains in the future.

You will need to re-apply the grout sealer at least every two years and more often in high-traffic areas. As you can see, cleaning grout is a time-consuming and labor-intensive project, but it’s necessary to keep your tile looking good and to extend its life. If this sounds like more work than you want to do, call in a professional tile cleaning company for tile and grout cleaning. They can have your grout cleaned quickly and efficiently so you can get back to loving your home.

If you need your grout cleaned professionally for a reasonable price, contact SteamCo Cleaning and Restoration.

The post The Step-by-Step Grout Cleaning Guide appeared first on Steamco.

1) There’s No One-Size Fits All Approach

For most people, grout is just grout, right? Wrong. Every house is different and so too is every room in a house. If you’re looking to clean grout in your bathroom, there may be as narrow as a quarter centimeter to work with, while porch tiles could feature a half inch of grout to clean. Different methods of grout cleaning work for different amounts of surface area. Professionals have the experience and the tools to deal with any kind of grout cleaning.

The environment that the grout is in also pays a contributing factor to how it should be cleaned. Grout in the bathroom is typically exposed to much more moisture and has to be handled differently than grout exposed to less moisture. If you treat all grout the same when cleaning it, you could cause some damage that typically makes for a costly repair.

2) You Probably Don’t Have the Right Tools

Unlike tile, grout is not something you can clean with basic household items or products. Tiles are simple and for the most part, can be cleaned with household products on a routine basis—with the occasional professional job every year or so. However, grout is very different from tile. It tends to be more absorbent, causing chemicals from your cleaning products to get trapped in the grout. When they do get trapped, you may have increased wear and tear. To clean it properly, you need the right tools and products specifically designed for grout cleaning alone.

3) Grout Cleaning Takes Forever

A lot of DIY projects are fun. Something like building a shelf can be a quick and rewarding process. Sometimes within an hour, you can see the result of your work and use whatever you made immediately. DIY grout cleaning is completely different. It requires you to get on your hands and knees and patiently scrub out the dirt and grime that has built up over the years. You can’t do it too hard or too fast or you may damage the grout. As a result, it can take hours just to even do one corner of a room. Grout cleaning on your own time is simply not worth the energy.

Why Professional Grout Cleaning Makes Sense

Many of us want to be our own DIY experts. When it comes to exciting projects like building a fire pit or adding a loft to a room, that’s when you should roll up your sleeves, pull out the toolbox and get started. However, for the boring and labor-intensive jobs like grout cleaning, it just makes sense to leave it the professionals. At SteamCo, we have the tools and experience to get the job done quickly and at a minimal cost to you so you can stay focused on the things you really want to do. Get in touch today so we can do your grout cleaning for you.

The post Why Your DIY methods of Grout Cleaning Don’t Work appeared first on Steamco.