It doesn’t take much for the grout in your shower or on your kitchen floor to start looking grimy and nothing like its original state. The reason why grout loses its luster so quickly is due to its rough and porous surface, which makes it more susceptible to getting and looking dirty.
Tidy Tile Tips
To avoid the appearance of unsightly grout, consider the following suggestions:
- Choose a darker color grout during installation, or do a regrout all together with a darker shade.
- After new grout is installed, it is best practice to allow about two weeks for the grout to cure, and then apply a layer of grout sealer.
- In the bathroom, use a squeegee after each shower use, or towel dry the tile walls, to eliminate excess moisture, which stimulates mold growth.
- Leave the door open and the exhaust fan on, in order to get rid of lingering humidity after a shower.
- Don’t waste your time with simply spraying bleach onto the grout area because this is not effective, and can be toxic to you and your family.
- Apply hydrogen peroxide to the grout lines, let about thirty minutes pass, and then scrub the surface with an old toothbrush or other nylon-bristle type cleaning brush.
- If you combine baking soda and vinegar, a “scrubbing” effect occurs naturally.
- Be cautious of excessive scrubbing because this technique can damage the grout.
- For larger surface areas, renting a steam cleaner is an effective and viable option.
The longer you wait to clean grouted areas in your home, the more difficult it will be to clean. Regular maintenance as well as a fresh new layer of grout, are the best ways to keep your tiled area looking presentable and like new. If you would prefer to gut the whole thing and get new tile and grout installed, then The Handyman Company can certainly provide that service for you.
