Why Grout is So Sensitive

Grout contains pores that can trap dirt, mildew and bacteria that is challenging to clean with a mop or household cleaners. Some grout is more porous than other grout.

Anytime you clean your grout lines with any remedy, home or store-bought, you should reseal the grout with a sealer. Some store-bought remedies claim they have sealers built-in (brings to mind grout colorants), some of these claims provide less than stellar results.

The amount of sealer that was just right for one job may be too much for another site. An increasing number of grouts contain polymers, latex or epoxy. These are non-porous materials.All of the previous scenarios can usually be prevented by first determining how much seal is appropriate for each job. A simple test in a small area should answer that question. You only need to test a small area.

It will always be easier to add another thin coat than to remove excess sealer. Do not overuse tile and grout sealer. Procedure to correct over-application

• Step 1 Thin, dry sealer haze on ceramic or porcelain tile or smooth stone surfaces can be polished off using a white polishing pad under a standard rotary machine. For more extreme cases, you may need to use a red buffing pad. An excess of dried sealer in the grout lines can be removed with a grout brush.
• Step 2 To remove built-up or sticky residue from grout lines, wet the surface with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.
• Step 3 Agitate briefly with a grout brush.
• Step 4 Vigorously wipe the grout lines with a white, absorbent, cotton towel. You will be removing some of the sealer along with any remaining alcohol.
• Step 5 Continue until all affected areas have been treated. Repeat if needed.
• Step 6 Depending on the sealer used and the time it has been down, the alcohol may not dissolve it. Seal can be emulsified and returned to a liquid state by applying a small amount of the sealer that was used.
• Step 7 As soon as the sealer on the floor begins to liquefy, wipe it off with a clean, absorbent cotton towel.

Dirt trapped in the pores of your tiles and grout can cause your surfaces to look dark and dirty and can be impossible to remove with traditional cleaning methods.

There are quite a few home-remedies we run across over the years for removing grout stains. While many claim that their home-remedy is the best remedy, we figured that it would be nice to share some of the more reliable remedies we have run across.

One general rule-of-thumb that you'll always want to employ is the "try before you buy". Apply this rule with each one of the following remedies with either a spare tile, or on a tile that's not easily visible to traffic, although it takes up extra time to try things out. You'll always save yourself a possible headache later.

There are a number of sealants on the market so do some research before you buy. Be careful with high gloss finishes as they can be sensitive to certain chemicals. Most sealants require re-applications and ultimately you will need to decide what is best for your needs.

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