Top Five Tile and Grout Myths Dispelled

Top Five Tile and Grout Myths Dispelled When it comes to cleaning a tile and grout floor, most people will go for the bleach to get out the dingy, smelly, dirty and discolored areas. Stop Using Bleach! One very big myth is the use of bleach to clean a tile and grout floor. Bleach is great for general cleaning, disinfecting, removing stains and whitening surfaces, but not for a tile and grout floor. Unfortunately, these are reasons that people use it on a tile and grout floor but the fact is that bleach will cause the grout to deteriorate, weaken and become brittle. Even still, people will choose to believe in this myth and end up causing damage to their tile and grout surface. Bleach is not the only myth that will cause damage to a tile and grout floor: The Five Main Myths. Myth 1: A good mopping is the best way to clean a tile and grout floor. The Truth: As long as mopping is done right by only using clean water to both mop and rinse, and then using a wet vac to take up all the moisture, mopping is a very effective way to clean your tile and grout surface. If however, you do not use clean water, all you are doing is pushing around the dirt and when it dries it will still look grimy and dirty. It is vital that you use a wet vac after mopping and rinsing to make sure all moisture is gone. Since grout is not flush with the tile surface, it acts like little troughs and collects moisture, especially if your have not had your tile and grout floor sealed. Myth 2: A wire brush with hard scrubbing is best for eliminating stains in grout joints. The Truth: By doing this, you will damage your grout severely. Unless the brush you want to use is either a soft or medium bristle, do not use a brush. Along with a soft brush, use solutions that will dissolve and clean the dirt and then remove it with a wet vac. Myth 3: It is safe to use acids to clean a tile and grout floor. The Truth: This common myth has caused many people to use acids to fix their issues with a tile and grout floor, but to put it mildly, this is problematic. As long as acids are not used too strong or too often they work well, but they are still very harsh and will eventually cause damage by eroding the grout. Another bad thing about acids is that they will tarnish fixtures made of stainless steel like partitions and faucets and they emit noxious vapors. There are acids made especially for tile and grout floors that should only be used. Myth 4: To promote better cleaning, leave soapy water on the tile and grout floor. The Truth: Whereas this might help to loosen the dirt, soapy water should never be left on a tile and grout floor, especially to dry. This is because dry soapy water is tacky and will draw dirt like a magnet. If soapy water must be used on a tile and grout floor, be sure to rinse it well with clean water, followed by the use of a wet vac to remove the leftover moisture. Myth 5: By putting a sealer on a tile and grout floor, you will never have to worry about contamination or maintenance. The Truth: Not true at all. The proper cleaning and sealing of a tile and grout surface will stop contamination and reduce maintenance for a while but after constant wear and tear, even a sealed floor will begin to erode, especially in areas where there is high traffic. The erosion will cause necessary cleaning and then a refresh of the sealer so the surface can keep repelling food stains and dirty mop water. Even after cleaning and resealing a tile and grout floor, you will still have routine sweeping and mopping.