Indoor tiled flooring can come in the form of natural stone (such as slate, lime and sandstone and granite) or fabricated tiles in a variety of materials and finishes. Tile are often chosen as, after correct installation, they are visually very appealing as well as being relatively low maintenance and easy to clean. This is particularly true of the surface of the tile, which is invariably durable, resistant and, in the case of ceramic tiles, has a wipe-clean surface dramatically reducing the amount of work necessary to keep them looking good.
One reason that maintaining a tiled floor may not always be simple is the presence of ‘tile grout’. Grout is a construction material – typically composed of a mixture of sand, cement and water and is used to fill voids and seal joins such as those between tiles. As a material – it is highly porous, meaning that it is not particularly resistant to liquids and this porosity means that it stains very easily. Particularly in the case of ceramic tiles, grout makes up a very small percentage of the overall surface area of the floor, yet if it becomes stained or marked – the effect on the floor can be significant. Stained or discolored grout can lead to an uneven or dulled and visually unsatisfactory appearance overall.
When grout becomes marked it can be very difficult so it is particularly important to stop it from getting marked in the first place. Obviously the same tips that apply to cleaning the floor apply to the grout but it is particularly important to clean up spillages as soon as they occur to avoid a potential stain. If the grout does get affected you will probably have to contact a specialist in cleaning floor tile, or apply a colour grout sealant.
A grout sealer is a good way to help protect the floor. The sealant essentially ‘waterproofs’ and will help prevent staining from spillages or in general, as well as facilitating cleaning efforts. A general floor sealant will help, but there are separate clear and colour grout sealants which offer more protection and will, in the case of the colour sealant, provide a uniform finish in the colour of your choosing. It can also be applied over already marked grout to ‘mask the problem’ and can be mixed to compliment an existing colour.
The protection offered by a sealant is a fundamental step, although it does not imply that subsequent cleaning efforts can be ignored! If grout does become stained and you need it cleaned, in this case you will need to contact a company which deals with cleaning floor tile and will be able to utilize heat and pressure cleaning techniques to deal with the problem. They can also be contacted for the recommendation and application of colour grout sealant.
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