Natural stone flooring is one of the best floor types to install at home because these natural materials are so beautiful and can stay in great shape for decades to come.
But the grout lines between your durable floor tiles are a whole different story. Tile grouting is not nearly as tough as natural rock tiles and a lot more dirt and grime tend to collect in these grooves.
Messy tile grout can make luxurious tile floors like marble or granite look worn down and unattractive no matter how much you wash and shine these floors.
In this guide, we are going to explore the different care and maintenance requirements for those messy grout lines between your floor tiles.
What Is Tile Grout
Tile grout is the cement filling you see between floor and wall tiles. This type of filling is found in all tiled floor types including stone and marble tile floor types. This cement acts as a bonding agent that keeps the tile in place and seals the floor so moisture and dirt can’t get in below the tiles to loosen them up. The right tile grout can also make your floor and wall surfaces look a lot more attractive.
How Often Should You Clean Tile Grout
The grout lines between tiles tend to be messier and dirtier than the rest of the floor because a lot of dirt, grime, and bacteria will deposit and linger in these areas even after sweeping and washing your floors.
Regular grout scrubbing can keep these surfaces clean and in great condition so your floors will continue to look good for longer. Here are a couple of tips for keeping your grout lines nice and clean for longer.
- In showers and around tubs, it is best to deep clean tile grout once a week.
- Grout lines should be deep cleaned every week or bi-weekly with a baking soda paste.
- A toothbrush is a great tool that you can use to scrub tile grout when you add a cleaning paste.
- Stained areas should be targeted with hydrogen peroxide as soon as you notice these damages.
How Often Should Tile Grout Be Sealed
You don’t have to seal every single grout line in your home. Tile grout is usually only sealed in areas where there is a risk of getting water damage. This usually includes kitchens and bathrooms.
Grout sealants are available in a variety of colours and will keep water from getting in between those grooves.
Grout seals should be deep cleaned at least once a year because even these grooves can start to harbour dirt, mould, and bacteria.
A typical coat of grout sealant usually lasts about 3 – 5 years. When this time frame is up, 8it will be best to call the help of a professional who can remove the old seal and replace it with a new seal that can keep your tiles and coat of paint in great condition for longer.
How Often Should Tile Grout Be Restored
Quality grout lines usually last 12 – 15 years before you will need to clear out the grout to replace them with new ones. Poor quality grout jobs might need to be replaced every 8 – 10 years.
With grout restoration, old grout is usually cleared out by using a grout saw. This is usually because the old grout has become soft, worn down, and might have even lifted out of the grooves entirely by now.
The entire floor will need to be regrouted for a fresh new finish that will look good and protect your floors.
Is it time to restore your old grout? Or perhaps you just need a thorough clean for this part of your floor? Stone Wiz is the right company to trust for all-natural stone floor types. With these experts, your tile floors will last a lot longer.