Tile can be a beautiful way to add accent and character to any room whether it’s a kitchen backsplash, bathroom shower wall, or flooring. With a variety of tile colors and shapes accentuated by the clean lines of grout, every home aesthetic is enhanced with tile. However, tile does have a downfall – over time, the clean lines of grout can become discolored and cracked, leading tile to look shabby and dirty.
A professional tile and stone restoration company is the perfect remedy to deteriorating tile.
When your tile begins to look less than ideal, it can bring down the level of elegance from your entire home, causing both yourself and others to look at it with distaste. But no worries, below we have outlined some tips to help you keep your tile looking immaculate, until it’s time to call a professional.
Routine Cleaning
Grout is naturally porous, so it will easily soak up water and hold onto grime with a fierce grip, causing staining and other damage such as cracks, especially if these contaminants are left to fester. To prevent these issues, it is essential that you regularly clean your grout both daily and weekly.
In places with heavy water exposure such as the shower or bathtub, wipe excess water from the walls after you have finished showering. This eliminates the risk of discoloration from pooling water. For flooring, be sure to sweep often to remove dirt, grime, and other debris. If every day is too much, then at least sweep every week.
Weekly, all tile surfaces should be mopped and wiped down using mild cleaners. Forego any harsh chemicals as this can damage the grout and the tiles. Your local grocery store should have cleaners specifically designed for tile, otherwise you can use a DIY cleaner of ¾ baking soda, ¼ water, and a splash of dish soap.
Reseal Grout
Despite our vigorous cleaning, grout may still discolor and crack due to regular wear and tear. This is because there is a sealer placed overtop grout that disintegrates over time. The sealer is a barrier that keeps contaminants from infiltrating the underlying grout, and when it is gone, there is nothing keeping the pores within grout from absorbing water and dirt, leading to staining and grout damage.
Sealers should be replaced every few years to maintain the integrity of grout. You can use either a paintbrush or an applicator tool to do so but be sure to review the type of grout you have and purchase the sealer that aligns with it.
Repair Issues Quickly
If grout becomes chipped or cracked, it leaves gaps for water to seep into your walls and reduces the integrity of tile. If left unattended, the tile could also chip and crack and damage could be extensive inside your walls, leading to costly repairs. This is why it is extremely important to fix damage as soon as you notice them with a high-quality sealer.
How to Replace Grout
If your grout is damaged beyond repair or you just want a new color for a different look, replacing grout is not difficult, but it can be time-consuming. Follow the steps below to replace your grout:
1. The first step is to clean the tile and damaged grout. You can follow the DIY cleaning formula outlined above. This step is to ensure a clean surface for new grout.
2. Next, you need to remove the old grout. Do this with a specialized tool called a grout saw but be careful not to damage the tile.
3. Remove all grout remnants and give the area another wipe-down.
4. Apply new grout with a grout applicator, filling all areas completely.
5. Remove all excess grout with a sponge and clean water.
6. Let the grout dry and set according to the manufacturer’s instructions on the label.
7. Clean the tile of any grout residue.
8. Apply grout sealer.
9. Enjoy your new and improved grout and tile!
In Sum
While tile is an attractive way to create a unique home that showcases your personality, it does take some effort to keep it looking its best as well as to keep it from causing extensive damage that can be expensive to repair. This is not to say that tile is more effort than its worth; on the contrary, the beautiful appearance that tile and well-cared for grout can add to your home is well worth the maintenance.
Calling in the Experts is a Win
Restore-A-Floor in Brighton is a professional stone floor restoration and tile cleaning company in Michigan that has been reviving floors, walls, and counters for decades. Our unrivaled stone refinishing techniques and tailored grout cleaning methods cater to all types of stone and tile, only using the best products and equipment in the industry. The results are impressive and long-lasting making it the perfect opportunity to book a Free Estimate if your tile and stone floors require some care!