You should be aware of the dangers of water seeping through your shower grout. 

Tile Floor and Water Damage

A new tile floor in superb condition may look invincible. You might think that the hard surface is impervious to damage. But that is not the case; under certain circumstances, tile floors can sustain serious damage especially from water leakage.

If you do not seal your grout at the right intervals, then water may seep through. Your tile floor may sustain water damage due to this leakage. Not only will this damage tiles, but it will also harm the underlying subfloor.

How Your Tile Floor Can Undergo Water Damage

Water damage to your tile floors can happen quite insidiously. You may not even be aware that it is happening. And it does not transpire overnight. Rather, it takes a long time for water damage to irreversibly ruin your tile floor.

So you have a major problem on your hands by the time you notice water damage since this had been going on for a long time and going from bad to worse.

Water leakage can have several sources. Leaking water pipes are a major cause. There can be water seepage and condensation from appliances, doors, and windows as well.

Why Grout Matters For Your Tile Floor

Grout is an important line of defense against water seepage. So if the grout is in bad shape then this will leave your beautiful and expensive tile floor exposed to water damage. Loose, chipped, missing, and cracked grout will let water through which will ultimately damage your tile floor unless the problem is remediated in time.

Damaged grout is a source of other problems as well. It can become the site of mold growth if it is not cleaned properly. Broken grout is also bad news for your tile floors since it stabilizes them by holding them rigidly in one position. So if the grout is missing or damaged, then your tiles may shift and even lift from their original position.

When that happens, the subfloor is exposed to water damage. Any harm to the subfloor will further weaken your entire tile floor due to which tiles can break loose. Accumulating water can also make your damp and dark subfloor an ideal environment for mold, mildew, pests, and so on.

Flooding from storms, rain, and plumbing failures could lead to water leakage especially if the grout is broken and/or unsealed. You may dry out the water following the flooding, but you may not be able to do anything about the water that has leaked into your tile floor. The end result of this leakage is water damage.

The Solution for Water Seepage and Damage

Hence, the key to preventing water damage to your tile floor is to maintain your grout and keep it in good shape. Your grout should look clean, solid, and undamaged.

You should also ensure that you reseal your grout annually so that it remains waterproof and resistant to discoloration, dirt, and debris. Sealing your grout will extend its lifespan and allow this key structural component to protect your tile floor.

Do you need to reseal the grout or fix it? Now that you know the dangers of water seeping through your shower grout, you should wait no longer and call in the pros at Dirty Grout with years of experience and knowledge.

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With tile flooring cleaning, it might appear that more is better. But you will have to work out an optimum tile cleaning schedule to balance your life.

How Often Should I Clean My Tiles?

Knowing the answer to “how often should I clean my tile flooring?” is important; for extra cleaning could entail a lot of hard work with few returns.

Once a day should be enough for the majority of homeowners. But this is not written in stone.

You could get away with cleaning once every two days if your place does not gather too much dust and if human traffic is light. This could work well in your favor especially if you are busy.

For areas prone to more dust and human traffic, cleaning tiles every day is advisable.

You can deploy something like the Swiffer Dry Pad to clean up your tile floor nicely.

Pro Tips for Cleaning Your Tile Floor

Here are some pro tips for cleaning your tiles and maintaining their pristine condition.

• Use a good tile cleaner recommended by your tile manufacturer. Don’t resort to DIY blends and concoctions. They could indelibly ruin your tile floor. Say an emphatic NO to acids and bleaches.
• Combat dust on your tile floors with a damp mop. Just make sure that the mop is not soaking wet. Excessive wetness will leave behind unsightly streaks on your tile floor.
• Never use steel brushes or hard, sharp, and/or abrasive implements for cleaning up stubborn dirt on your tile floor. The ensuing scratches will not go away.
• Hire the pros (Dirty Grout) to apply a sealant to your tile floors. This will make your tile floor resilient to dirt, dust, stains, and discoloration.
• Clean tiles at the right frequency so that they carry a minimal layer of dust on average. Dust could get embedded in your tiles and fade their alluring luster.

Dust could also creep into your grout and give it a horrid nasty look. Grout is highly susceptible to dust since it is so porous.

Thus, grout should be the focal point of tile cleaning and maintenance.

Why Grout Matters for Clean Tile Floors

No matter how much you scrub and rub your tiles, bad grout will still make your tile floor look atrociously filthy. All the drudgery in the world can’t make dirty grout look even remotely decent. Chipping, flaking, and dirt-encrusted grout is more than enough to ruin even the most high-end tile floor.

So if you are serious about sprucing up your tile floor for a dazzling clean look, then show due regard for your precious grout. Undoubtedly, grout is highly functional and hence essential for stabilizing your tile floor. And sparkling clean grout looks brilliantly immaculate.

Love your tile floor and want to treat it with lots of TLC? Then you should hire the pros to keep it in prime condition so that visitors can’t help but lavish praise on your clean tile floor. You will be justly rewarded for hiring the right people for the right job. With us, your tile floor is in good hands.

Whether it is applying sealant, maintenance, fixing and cleaning grout, or any tile related job, we will prove up to the task thanks to our long experience, knowledge, and unswerving dedication.

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Does steam cleaning damage grout?

When done with care, steam cleaning does not normally damage grout.

In fact, steam cleaning may be milder alternative to other harsher methods of cleaning grout.

How Steam Cleaning Works for Grout

Steam cleaning does not use caustic chemicals to clean up muck, grime and debris from grout. Instead, it uses superheated steam for clearing up dirt and debris from grout. Since there are no other chemicals involved, the grout does not dissolve or chip away as is possible when harsh chemicals are used.

Do the extensions used in steam cleaning damage grout? Since the nylon brush extension is very mild and soft, it will not harm your grout. In fact, the nylon brush is so soft that it is a milder cleaning method as compared to other grout cleaning techniques.

Thus, the nylon brush extension used in steam cleaning is unlikely to chip off or break up grout.

Steam cleaning is a viable cleaning method for grout that can leave your tile floors and walls looking sparkling clean and white. Visitors and beholders will be mesmerized by the sparkling white grout on your floor and wall tiles. They will start wondering how you can keep your grout looking so sparkling, clean and dazzling.

Steam Cleaning Benefits for Grout

Steam cleaning may be a better choice for those who suffer from allergies and respiratory illnesses. Those with such conditions often cannot stand the stench that lingers in the wake of chemical cleaning.

A key advantage of steam cleaning is that unlike chemical cleaning it leaves behind no lingering irritating smell. Mild detergent may be all that you need for steam cleaning grout. Hence, steam cleaning is as gentle as it gets.

Steam cleaning at the right frequency is essential if you want your grout to remain in prime condition. If you steam clean too often, then the grout sealant could get disrupted and there may be moisture entrapment. If you clean too infrequently, then the grout may start looking visibly dirty in the days prior to steam cleaning. Cleaning a dirty grout floor can be more laborious and time-consuming.

The steam cleaner can work for a wide variety of tiles and grout. Thus, if you have tiles made of travertine, granite, marble, porcelain or ceramic, you can clear off dirt and debris from them using the steam cleaner.

The secret to the steam cleaner is the superheated steam. This steam is hot and powerful enough to melt the toughest and most stubborn grime from your grout. In most cases, you will not need any extra chemical besides perhaps mild detergent. When you apply steam from the steam cleaner, the dirt will become loose enough for the nylon brush attachment to clear it up almost effortlessly.

Among the many benefits of steam cleaning is that you often do not need additional strong chemicals for the grout cleaning job since steam itself is a powerful cleaning solution.

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Does vinegar damage porcelain tile? Wherever you look on the internet, DIY hacks and recipes all call for vinegar to clean up tough stains on porcelain tiles. But will your precious tiles remain safe from the harsh acidic nature of vinegar?

Does Vinegar Damage Porcelain Tile?

Vinegar indeed damages tiles including porcelain tiles. Just imagine if vinegar was not damaging for tiles. Would there be any need for numerous specialist tile cleaning products that are painstakingly formulated for cleaning efficacy and tile safety? Would untold numbers of these products occupy shelves in supermarkets and hardware stores if vinegar was such a miracle? Indeed, not.

Experts strongly advise against using vinegar for cleaning porcelain tiles. The harsh acidic action of vinegar can be harmful for the grout and glazing on your porcelain tiles.

Vinegar can be detrimental for the glaze or any other surface treatment on your tiles. The acid will eat away at this protective barrier and expose your tiles to all sorts of potential problems.

To begin with, your tiles may lose their luster due to erosion of surface treatment on your tiles. In the absence of this protective barrier, your tiles face a much higher risk of discoloration.

What to Do with Stained Porcelain Tiles

Instead of trying out amateurish dangerous hacks that can do more harm than good it is much better to consult with the experts. Experts will know which high grade solution will work for your stained porcelain tiles. If vinegar were really that effective and safe, experts would not need to really on specially formulated cleaning products to remove stains. Nor would these cleaning products be renowned for their tile cleaning efficacy and safety.

Before trying out anything, it is always best to refer to the manufacturer directions. You should go to the manufacturer website or manual for further directions. Chances are you will most certainly not find any recommendation for cleaning up your tiles with vinegar.

To keep on the safe side, you should not try to use any other substances beside soap and water for your porcelain tiles. You can also use cleaning products approved by the manufacturer.

Porcelain tiles are a great choice because they are easy to clean up. To keep your porcelain floor looking shiny and sparkling clean, you can vacuum or sweep it twice a week. After that, you can finish it up with a damp mop for a clean porcelain floor.

Besides avoiding ammonia, you should also avoid harsh chemicals like ammonia and bleach. These substances are detrimental for the protective surface finish of your porcelain tiles and the grout.

The Solution for Cleaning Up Porcelain Tiles

If your porcelain tiles have a stain or the grout starts looking grubby, instead of risking DIY, it is best to request professional assistance. The experts know what chemicals will work best for your porcelain tiles. They are aware of the brands and chemical solutions that are safe for porcelain and that clean up stains effectively.

Does your porcelain tile floor have stains? Is the grout in bad condition? In that case, you will benefit from the assistance of trustworthy professionals.

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