In an effort to expand my knowledge of all things Electrodry, I hit the road yet again with one of our friendly cleaning technicians to learn how to clean tile grout and recolour tile grout.
Everyone knows how hard it is to keep the grout between your tiles looking fresh and clean. There are a lot of products on the market, and it can be really difficult to decide which is the best option for you.
Once your grout lines start to get dirty, it can be hard to get them clean. Luckily, we are here to help you out with the following pointers.
Why Do Tiles Get So Dirty?
The first house we visited was huge and had a tiled kitchen, family room, and hallway. The homeowner was a new mum and had spent 6 hours on her hands and knees trying to clean just the kitchen area when she gave up and called Electrodry.
The first thing I learnt is why grout ends up looking so dirty. Grout is porous and good at absorbing things like oil and grease which is why the grout in kitchens usually looks worse than in other rooms.
One surprising fact that most people aren’t aware of is that using too much water while mopping your tiles can cause the grout to become dirtier.
Because grout sits below the tile line, excess water can sit on the grout and is absorbed, creating the perfect environment for bacteria and mould to thrive.
Unfortunately, the chemicals we often use to clean them also build up and can make the grout look even dirtier. Really strong cleaners like bleach and mould killers do not just destroy the grout but can get in behind the tiles.
This then causes the tiles to loosen and eventually fall off the wall or lift from the floor. That's the last thing you need.
How Do the Pros Clean Tiles and Grout?
If you want to get the best results when it comes to cleaning tiles and grout, it is best to leave it to the professionals. Following is the process that professionals use to get the job done properly and leave your tiles looking brand new!
- Pre-treat the tiles and grout by mopping them with an alkaline-based degreasing solution and letting it sit for about 15 minutes. This process loosens the soil, grease, and contaminants in the grout.
- Power scrub with surrogated brushes that agitate the grout lines and the tile surfaces.
- Extract/turbo power rinse by injecting high-pressure hot water and sucking up excess water at the same time. The water, cleaning solutions, and contaminants are captured and extracted in this process.
- For stubborn stains, an acid wash can also be applied.
I watched in amazement as the Steamvac or Power Scrubber (which I think looks like a Dalek for all those Dr. Who fans), extracted the dirt from the tiles. The water that was pumped out was black and absolutely filthy.
Then there’s a giant squeegee head on the Gekko Turbo Power Rinse machine that makes sure there are no streaks on high gloss tiles. The floor was dry almost immediately.
How To Recolour Grout
The customer at the next house we visited wanted the grout recoloured in her bathrooms, toilet, and laundry. There were a lot of tiles that needed to be done. The cleaning process was the same but in the smaller spaces of the bathroom, the work was a lot more manual and had our Electrodry technician working very hard!
Finally, I got to watch the recolouring process. There is a wide range of colours to choose from and the customer chose to go from a grey grout to a beige colour. The grout colour and sealant were applied by hand, rubbed in and then the excess was wiped away.
This process changes the composition of the grout so that it is no longer porous. This means that going forward, dirt will just sit on top of the grout and be much easier to remove.
The Electrodry technician explained that this is the hardest job they have to do – it’s the most manual part of the job but the most satisfying.
It completely revitalises the tiles and grout and makes future cleaning a lot easier. This particular customer was an elderly lady who couldn’t thank us enough, which was nice to witness.
Why Should I Get a Tile and Grout Clean and Recolour?
Tile and grout cleaning, along with recolouring, make a significant difference to the way your home looks. The thought of all that dirt and bacteria being trapped in the grout is very disturbing!
If you are considering freshening up your tiled areas why not have them cleaned, sealed, and recoloured? This is much more economical than re-tiling and can leave your tiles looking completely different!
And finally, don’t forget – no matter how tempting it may be, using bleaches and harsh cleaners will only harm your tiles and grout in the long run. Bleach will just take the colour out of the grout, and not treat the problem.
And here are some tiles we prepared earlier!
Final Thoughts
I was absolutely blown away by just how dirty and filthy the grout from tiles get. Watching the dirty water being extracted from the Power Scrubber really was an eye-opener and made me feel a bit queasy to think my tiles are probably very similar.
However, the good news is that with professional cleaning, not only are the tiles and grout virtually spotless but sealing and recolouring the grout prevents it from becoming dirty in the future and is also much easier to clean. It is a win-win and a complete no-brainer.
Choose Electrodry for Professional Tile Grout Cleaning & Recolouring
If your tiles and grout look a little worse for wear, then get in touch with your friendly Electrodry technician for professional tile and grout cleaning and recolouring services.
Electrodry's tile and grout cleaning and recolouring services remove mould, dirt, and contaminants from your tiles and grout leaving them sparkling clean and protected against dirt and grime in the future. The best part is that it makes it even easier for you to clean going forward!
Electrodry is Australia's most trusted and reliable carpet and home cleaning service. We are a family-owned business and have been around since 1983. Electrodry's exclusive cleaning systems, innovative cleaning products, and expert technicians ensure that we always provide the highest possible level of service to our clients.
If you need your tiles and grout professionally cleaned and recoloured, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Please call Electrodry today on 13 27 13 or make a booking online.
