Questions & Answers
- Stained Grout – Can Anything Clean It?
- How About Steam Cleaning?
- What About My Dirty Tile?
- Does Pressure Washing Work?
- I Need a Color Change!
Stained Grout – Can Anything Clean It?
Q: I’ve tried scrubbing with all kinds of cleaning products, even bleach, but I can’t get my grout clean. Is there anything that will work?
A: There’s a difference between dirty grout and stained grout. Bleach other cleaning products can get the dirt and soil off of grout but they can’t get the stains out. Worse, some of them, like bleach, can actually destabilize and dissolve your grout causing even more problems for the future. So no matter how clean your grout it is, it will still look dirty. To get out the stains you have two choices. First, you can remove the old grout and replace it with new. But that’s an expensive and disruptive process - dust everywhere while that room is out of commission for days. The other approach is to color seal your grout. At GroutLikeNew™ we start by deep cleaning your grout with our safe, but extremely powerful alkaline solution that will remove surface soil or built-up residue. Next we apply our exclusive epoxy color sealer. It returns the grout to its original color (or any color you want) and then seals it permanently against stains or mold of any kind. Your grout will look clean and stain-free for years. How About Steam Cleaning?
A: There’s a difference between dirty grout and stained grout. Bleach other cleaning products can get the dirt and soil off of grout but they can’t get the stains out. Worse, some of them, like bleach, can actually destabilize and dissolve your grout causing even more problems for the future. So no matter how clean your grout it is, it will still look dirty. To get out the stains you have two choices. First, you can remove the old grout and replace it with new. But that’s an expensive and disruptive process - dust everywhere while that room is out of commission for days. The other approach is to color seal your grout. At GroutLikeNew™ we start by deep cleaning your grout with our safe, but extremely powerful alkaline solution that will remove surface soil or built-up residue. Next we apply our exclusive epoxy color sealer. It returns the grout to its original color (or any color you want) and then seals it permanently against stains or mold of any kind. Your grout will look clean and stain-free for years.
Q: I had our carpet cleaned the other day and the company said they could clean my grout as well for an additional $100. That’s so much cheaper than the quote I got for color sealing. What gives?
A: Carpet and upholstery cleaners are looking to further utilize the equipment and materials they have on hand while they’re already in your home. While their system is very effective at cleaning carpet and upholstery they often don’t have the correct chemicals, equipment or expertise to effectively deal with dirty and stained grout. More importantly, they don’t have the experience or materials to color seal or recaulk after cleaning. At GroutLikeNew™ grout, caulk and tile are ALL we do. At GroutLikeNew™ you know you’re getting the experts who solve grout and caulking issues just like yours everyday – not just when they can talk somebody into it.
A: Carpet and upholstery cleaners are looking to further utilize the equipment and materials they have on hand while they’re already in your home. While their system is very effective at cleaning carpet and upholstery they often don’t have the correct chemicals, equipment or expertise to effectively deal with dirty and stained grout. More importantly, they don’t have the experience or materials to color seal or recaulk after cleaning. At GroutLikeNew™ grout, caulk and tile are ALL we do. At GroutLikeNew™ you know you’re getting the experts who solve grout and caulking issues just like yours everyday – not just when they can talk somebody into it.
What About My Dirty Tile?
Q: It’s not only my grout in my shower that’s dirty and stained, but the white tile is now grey. I’ve tried most of the things you can get in grocery store but none of them have worked. What should I do?
A: Most ceramic tile is glazed, which means it’s non-porous and against staining. But that doesn’t mean it can’t get dirty, particularly in the shower where the oil from soap and hair products can stick to the tile surface. Once a thin layer of scum adheres to the tile, it’s easier for the next layer to attach to that. Over time that material will harden, turning into a dirty, mineral-like material that’s particularly difficult to remove. At GroutLikeNew™ we use several different approaches to removing built-up soap scum and mineral deposits, depending on how thick and hard they
A: Most ceramic tile is glazed, which means it’s non-porous and against staining. But that doesn’t mean it can’t get dirty, particularly in the shower where the oil from soap and hair products can stick to the tile surface. Once a thin layer of scum adheres to the tile, it’s easier for the next layer to attach to that. Over time that material will harden, turning into a dirty, mineral-like material that’s particularly difficult to remove. At GroutLikeNew™ we use several different approaches to removing built-up soap scum and mineral deposits, depending on how thick and hard they
are. We start with deep cleaning that uses powerful alkaline based cleaners to safely clean tile and grout. If there are still areas of hardened mineral deposits our Grout and Caulk technicians will use hardened steel
razor scrapers and carbide tipped grout tools to loosen the offending deposits. On our gallery page you’ll see a couple of examples of showers that had a heavy layer of soap scum and how we were able to restore the
tile to it’s original luster.
Does Pressure Washing Work?
Q: A man at Home Depot said I should rent one of their pressure washers because that’s the best way to get my grout clean. Should I do it?
A: It’s a good way to get your driveway or the siding on your house clean but one of the worst ways I can think of to clean your grout. First of all pressure washers kick out huge volumes of water. Getting that all mopped up would be as much work as the cleaning part. Also, pressure washers use exactly that – pressure. And lots of it. Grout is not like cement – it’s a fairly brittle material and pressure washing it will almost certainly cause cracking and crumbling, which you’ll then need to repair. In other words, more work. The best cleaning approach is a pH 6-7 alkaline solution, like what we use at GroutLikeNew™. After that, color sealing will restore your grout to its original color and seal it against any future stains.
A: It’s a good way to get your driveway or the siding on your house clean but one of the worst ways I can think of to clean your grout. First of all pressure washers kick out huge volumes of water. Getting that all mopped up would be as much work as the cleaning part. Also, pressure washers use exactly that – pressure. And lots of it. Grout is not like cement – it’s a fairly brittle material and pressure washing it will almost certainly cause cracking and crumbling, which you’ll then need to repair. In other words, more work. The best cleaning approach is a pH 6-7 alkaline solution, like what we use at GroutLikeNew™. After that, color sealing will restore your grout to its original color and seal it against any future stains.
I Need a Color Change!
Q: We just bought a house and the previous owner had recently re-tiled the kitchen. The tile is white but the grout they used is a dark grey. I hate it – it just looks like a big tic-tac-toe board to me. Do I have to re-grout it to change to a different color?
A: Absolutely not - re-grouting is expensive, messy and very Color sealing, on the other hand, can quickly and affordably change your grout color to virtually any color you want! At GroutLikeNew™ our expoxy-based color sealer will hold onto its good looks for years to come.
A: Absolutely not - re-grouting is expensive, messy and very Color sealing, on the other hand, can quickly and affordably change your grout color to virtually any color you want! At GroutLikeNew™ our expoxy-based color sealer will hold onto its good looks for years to come.