When dealing with stained and discolored grout, homeowners and building management teams face tough decisions when determining the best way to maintain the appeal of their tile and grout.
Things to consider:
1. Size of the tile and grout area to be cleaned
2. How stained/dirty is the grout
3. Determine what your time is worth
Basic DIY Grout Cleaning
Cleaning tile and grout the old fashioned way can be a pain in the neck and time consuming but it can be done. Its especially manageable if you are dealing with a small area. Surprisingly a little bleach, a tooth brush and some elbow grease can do wonders against the mold and surface staining that discolors the lines between your shower or floor tiles.
Time to Get a Professional
There are times, however, that no matter how hard you scrub you can’t seem to make a difference, especially if tile was installed and the grout was not originally sealed. Or, you are looking at a large area that needs heavy cleaning and no one has the hours to invest in the effort. So how can you get it clean? That is when you need to call a professional like Boston Stone Restoration to bring in professional-grade grout cleaning equipment with high pressure water jets that can get into the pores of the grout and flush out dirt and bacteria.
If you aren’t sure, it’s worth it to get a quote on your project.
After the grout has been professionally cleaned it is especially important to seal the grout lines. A clear sealant will act as a barrier against future staining, mold and mildew. To take things one step further, sometimes people are not happy with the color of their grout lines even after they are cleaned. This may be due to the fact that is they were never sealed and the original color may not be attainable. In this case as long as the grout is sanded grout, it can be color sealed. Color sealing protects the grout the same ways as regular sealant but is tinted to “paint” the grout lines a new shade.