7 Ways to Prevent Mold Growth on Your Houston Grout and Tile

Since the beginning of time, mold has been a nuisance for homeowners, so you’re not alone in dealing with its appearance. Our South Houston Groutsmith team has found that while homeowners know mold growth is or can be a real problem in their spaces, they do not know how to effectively combat it.

Here are some of the ways we recommend caring for your South Houston tiled spaces to keep mold from overtaking their surfaces.

What Stimulates Mold Growth?

Unlike most plants, mold does not require sunlight to grow, which is why it is often found in dark areas. But there are three essential elements required for the production and spread of mold:

Warmth
Moisture
Organic materials

Where all three of these materials are present, you can be sure to experience mold growth. So, the best way to reduce mold spreading is to cut off one or all of these sources.

Here are some ways to help inhibit mold growth in your home.

1. Proper Ventilation

Rooms that experience excessive moisture should be properly ventilated. This can be done through a vent or by opening a window. The most important room to ventilate is the bathroom.

Due to steam from hot water running in your shower, bathrooms are extremely humid rooms. That humidity plays into mold’s development, growth, and spreading. Be sure to run your bathroom vent through the entirety of your shower and leave it running for up to twenty minutes after your shower has ended.

If you are lucky enough to have a window in your bathroom, consider cracking it open during your shower to allow steam and water vapor to escape. Homes that lack sufficient air movement provide the perfect conditions for mold development, which is another reason why cracking a window can keep your bathroom (or any room) mold-free.

2. Squeegee

This tip is specifically designed to help keep mold out of your bathroom shower. After each shower, use a squeegee to remove excess water, running it from the top of your shower to the bottom. If you have glass shower doors, make sure to do this on the glass as well.

3. Wipe It Up (Right Away)

It’s tempting to tell yourself that you’ll clean up a spill later. But one of the best ways to protect your tile and grout from mold growth is to clean up spills and splatters right away (and it’s free too).

Moisture, grease splatters, food particles, and other organic materials that fall to your floor and are left for any period of time have the opportunity to penetrate into your tiled surfaces. But cleaning up a spill right after it occurs eliminates these mold growth stimulants from garnering this opportunity and will keep your tile much cleaner and mold-free.

If your home has a pool, make sure to dry the tiled areas after family and guests have returned inside from the fun.

4. Keep Damp Cloths Off the Floor

The fibers in cloth materials are just the kind of organic substances that mold feeds off of. You may have noticed that damp clothes and towels quickly garner a mildew smell—because they give mold and mildew everything they need to thrive.

Throw those clothes on the ground, and you give mold the chance to move from cloth to tile.

After a shower, be sure to properly hang your towel to dry, keeping it off the floor and keeping it from accumulating mold. Don’t throw wet clothes, cloths, or blankets onto the tile in your bedroom or laundry room. Ensure they go into a basket, but allow them the opportunity to dry out beforehand if possible.

And an often-forgotten source of wet material is area rugs. Entryway rugs, shower mats, even kitchen mats can get wet from spilled water, not fully dried-off kids, or tracked in rainwater. Check your rugs periodically to ensure you are not allowing wet mats to sit on your floor and produce mold.

5. Store Soaps and Creams Elsewhere

Mold has to eat, just like any other living organism. Therefore, water is not the only factor contributing to mold growth. Soap scum provides it with food too. Keep soap scum out of your bathroom by removing, drying, and storing your soaps and creams outside of your shower.

Wipe up any soap residue that is left on the wall or floor tile.

6. Routine Cleanings

Cleaning your floors plays a large role in reducing mold’s ability to grow and thrive. Establishing a schedule for daily cleanings, weekly deep cleans, and annual professional services can go a long way in protecting your grout and tile surfaces.

Your daily cleanings should be removing any soap, grease, dirt, water, and food buildup on the tile. Weekly cleanings should utilize a safe and effective cleaning agent to more thoroughly and deeply scrub your grout and tile, ridding the pores of any bacteria they may be harboring and thoroughly cleaning the surfaces.

But to really keep your tile and grout in top shape and mold-free, hire a professional tile cleaning company for an annual cleaning.

7. Regular Sealing

To keep water and soap residue from penetrating the pores of your bathroom tile and grout, have them professionally sealed. By applying a sealer, you create a protective barrier over the surface of your tile. This inhibits mold growth by keeping moisture and the organic materials needed to feed mold from collecting. And where mold does not have moisture or food, it cannot thrive.

Defeat Mold in Your Home

Don’t give mold a leg to stand on in your home. By utilizing these tips, you can help keep mold at bay. And when you are ready for a professional to give you the edge on mold, we are ready to help. If you live in the South Houston area, our team is ready to tackle your grout and tile needs. Get a free estimate.

6 Undeniable Reasons to Professionally Seal Travertine Shower Tile

August 1, 2019 by Houston Groutsmith Posted in Tile Cleaning Houston, Tile Cleaning Tips

When you want a beautiful and luxurious feel to your bathroom, you invest in a natural stone shower. Travertine is a popular tile choice because it adds elegance to a room and its neutral color palette matches most home styles.

But the main travertine shower problem for South Houston homeowners is how to keep them looking fresh and beautiful — even with daily use.

What if there was a way to help take the headache out of caring for the travertine in your shower? Well, there is. Professionally sealing your grout and tile surfaces is the solution for keeping your travertine pristine, as the luxurious investment you meant it to be.

1. Saves You Time and Elbow Grease

Cleaning your shower tile can be one of the biggest headaches in homecare. While you use a shower to clean yourself, that shower becomes filled with dirt, grime, and soap scum that rinses over its surface.

Having your shower tile sealed makes the cleaning process far easier. It will reduce the cleaning time and cut the amount of elbow grease needed to get your shower tile thoroughly cleaned.

Instead of having to scrub out scum and stains, cleaning will involve easily wiping down your shower’s tile with a natural stone cleaner and watching its surface look beautiful again.

2. Reduced Mold Growth

Mold is more likely to appear in moist areas. No place harbors more excess moisture than your bathroom, in particular, your showers. Your shower is therefore prone to experiencing the onset of mold and mildew.

Travertine and the grout surrounding it are both porous substances. They harbor bacteria and moisture in their pores. But this is where sealing steps in.

Sealers help to create a protective barrier over your natural stone tile to keep water and debris from collecting and producing mold. Without moisture absorption, mold cannot grow or thrive.

3. Makes Your Shower Stone More Sanitary

By creating a seal over your shower, protecting it from mold growth and dirt collection, your tile stays more sanitary. Unsealed tile harbors bacteria that your at-home cleanings are unable to properly remove.

Wiping down your surfaces will only do so much to lift dirt and bacteria from tiled areas. Even using an abrasive object like baking soda to lift dirt and clean grout can only penetrate so far. Sealing is the only way to effectively keep the filth out of the pores in travertine and its grout.

4. Prevents the Onset of Stains

Travertine is prone to staining for the same reason it is prone to mold growth— pores. As a natural, porous stone, travertine absorbs liquids and can become discolored and stained.

As these stains set in, they can become difficult or even impossible to remove. But sealer protects your stone from penetrating stains, making them easier to remove and keeping them from ever having the opportunity to discolor your travertine or the surrounding grout.

5. Prevents Etching

As a natural stone, travertine can be prone to etching. Etching is the creation of dull spots on natural stone due to chemical reactions between the natural stone’s makeup and acidic substances. Natural stone has a certain luster to it, but certain cleaning agents and products that come in contact with its surface can eat away at your stone and cause it to dull and, in severe cases, even cause the texture of the stone to change.

Sealer provides a layer over the stone to keep these substances from causing etching, which can sometimes be irreversible.

6. Makes Your Travertine Tile Last

Sealing keeps you from needing excessive grout and tile replacements and restorations. By protecting your tile from dirt and stains, your tile will last longer. Having grout sealed also helps to keep the bonding of grout intact instead of being scrubbed away by harsh products and abrasive methods over time.

Having your tile sealed is not a super expensive process, but having to replace grout and tile can be extremely expensive. Sealing tile preserves your tile and saves you money.

How Often Should I Seal My Shower Tile?

Most residential showers undergo multiple uses every day. Because of this, shower tile sealings wear down faster than other tiled areas of the home. And because the sealer can wear down and showers have an abundance of moisture, soap scum, and dirt continually coating their surface, you should have your South Houston shower professionally resealed annually.

However, if you notice your tile absorbing moisture, discoloring, or the grout becoming significantly dirty, you should have your tile professionally cleaned and sealed sooner than a year.

While you can purchase DIY sealers at the store, nothing can coat your travertine natural stone the way a professional grout and tile company can.

The benefit of hiring a professional is that they can effectively clean your tile before applying the new sealer, leaving you with like-new tile that is easier to clean and won’t absorb the filth in your shower.

Protect Your South Houston Tile with a Professional Sealing

When you want to quit worrying about your travertine shower and simply start enjoying its beauty, having a professional grout and tile sealing can help give you all the benefits above. At Houston Groutsmith, our team’s goal is to see you enjoying your home, not stressing over its care.

Check out the value Houston Groutsmith offers for professional grout and tile sealing services in the South Houston and Sugar Land areas. You’ll see common problems most homeowners look to us to solve, and see before and after pictures of how we helped them protect their grout and tile. When you are ready to seal your tile, look to our team for a free demo and estimate.

5 Secrets for Cleaning Your Shower Grout and Tile

July 9, 2019 by Houston Groutsmith Posted in Grout Cleaning Houston, Tile Cleaning Houston, Tile Cleaning Tips

One of the most satisfying feelings for a South Houston homeowner is a sparkling clean home. The bathroom tends to become particularly messy from everyday use, and having it professionally cleaned can bring ultimate satisfaction.

While there are many reasons to have your shower tile professionally cleaned, the reality is that it’s not plausible or possible to have a professional cleaning on a daily or even weekly basis. So how can you keep that fresh, clean feeling in your bathroom in between professional cleanings?

The key is to implement a routine and follow the proper cleaning processes specific to grout and tile cleaning.

Perform Daily Cleaning

If you desire to keep your shower tile and grout looking its best, you should implement a daily cleaning routine. It does not have to be difficult, just something that quickly cleans your shower and dries the excess moisture.

For a daily routine, you will want a few products on hand:

Squeegee
Microfiber cloth
Mild cleaning agent

Step 1:

After your shower, squeegee all surfaces from top to bottom: tiled walls, seats, and glass doors. Make sure you have removed as much moisture as possible.

Step 2:

Apply the cleaning agent to your grout and tile. Allow the cleaning agent to sit for a few minutes while you perform your after-shower routine.

Step 3:

Once the cleaning agent has set in, wipe your shower with a microfiber cloth to remove all moisture. You don’t need to apply major elbow grease during this cleaning. Allowing the cleaner to sit and repeating this process daily will prove sufficient help come time for a deeper clean.

As a side note, be sure to run your vent fan during your showers to help remove excess moisture, and allow it to run after your shower until the air in the bathroom is no longer humid. Ensure that all family members at least squeegee the moisture from the shower.

Don’t Let Products Sit in the Shower

Remove products from your shower. This is a tip that world-renowned tidying expert Marie Kondo promotes, and as a professional grout and tile cleaning company, we could not recommend it more.

Soaps left in your shower creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, not to mention that it can create a scum buildup. After you have showered and used your products (shampoos, conditioners, body soaps, shaving creams, etc.), remove them and dry them off before placing them in a cupboard.

Provide a Weekly Deep Cleaning

Your shower could use a deep clean at least once a week. It’s a great idea to schedule a pre-set day each week to set aside half an hour to an hour to scrub out your shower. This routine cleaning really will make the difference in the overall cleanliness of your tile.

For your deep clean routine, you will need:

Tile/grout cleaner(s) (You can use store-bought cleaners or DIY recipes.)
Scrub Brush (Do not use metal bristles on tile or grout.)
Toothbrush
Baking soda (as needed for gentle abrasion)
Microfiber cloth

Step 1:

Begin by applying your cleaner to the shower tiles and grout. Spray on your mixture or apply a paste containing baking soda to the tiles and grout. A baking soda paste should always be applied to grout to help lift dirt and brighten stains. Allow the tile cleaner to sit for a minimum of 10 minutes.

Step 2:

Apply a mold killing agent to areas sprouting noticeable mold. Always use adequate ventilation and a mask when scrubbing mold as spore can get into the air. Be careful when using agents containing bleach. Allow the mold cleaner to sit for even longer than your normal tile cleaner before completing the following steps on the affected areas.

Step 3:

Use your scrub brush and ample elbow grease to thoroughly clean the tile. For even deeper cleanings with your grout, use a toothbrush to concentrate on the grout lines.

Step 4:

Rinse the shower thoroughly. Then dry all moisture using the microfiber cloth. Keep your vent fan running for twenty minutes after the cleaning to remove excess moisture and prevent mold growth.

Use Only Approved Products

Different tiles and grout will require different cleaning products or will need certain cleaning agents omitted from their ingredients. (For example: Avoid acids like lemon and vinegar on stone tile.) Make sure you utilize only products that are approved for your specific tile type.

If you have questions about correct product usage, our team of South Houston grout and tile cleaning professionals has the answers.

Work from Top to Bottom

Start from the top of your shower and work your way down. Your floor tile should be the last portion of your tile cleaned.

Gravity works while you are cleaning, so if you clean lower portions of your shower first, as you rinse off the dirty, higher portions, all that dirt and grime will run over the surfaces of your clean tile and can get trapped in the clean grout.

This cleaning pattern should be used on all forms of tile and grout including kitchen backsplashes, fireplaces, and any other vertical surfaces.

Make Professional Cleanings and Sealing Part of Your Home Routine

Getting into a pattern of cleaning your tiled surfaces will help to extend their life and prevent the need for excessive professional cleanings.

However, calling in a professional to clean beyond the reach of your home cleanings will eventually be needed, and we can help. See our grout and tile cleaning services to learn how our team can provide the ultimate satisfaction of a clean shower and bathroom for your South Houston home.

For even further prevention and help with DIY cleanings, have your tile and grout professionally sealed. This service helps prevent stains and the excessive buildup of dirt and bacteria. Contact us to receive a free estimate on any of our professional services.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring Professional Grout and Tile Cleaning Services

June 10, 2019 by Houston Groutsmith Posted in Grout Cleaning Houston, Tile Cleaning Houston

Is the tile in your home due for a grout and tile cleaning?

When dirt, grime, and mold overtake your grout and tile surfaces, a professional cleaning service can add many benefits to your home. But the key to a professional cleaning is the company you hire to do the job.

Not all cleaners will provide the same attention and care to your tile. So, before you turn your grout and tile investment over to a cleaning company, here is a list of questions to ask to help ensure you hire the right professional for your needs.

1. What types of cleaning products and processes do you utilize?

Every professional grout and tile cleaning service will have its own set of techniques and products. You will want to find a company that uses products you feel safe having in your home as well as processes that won’t damage the integrity of your grout and tile.

Many grout and tile cleaning companies will use heavy-duty carpet cleaners on your floors, which can do damage to your grout. Don’t be afraid to ask what repercussions their specific cleaning process could have on your home. You need to be ready with all of the facts.

The same goes for cleaning products. Don’t be afraid to ask about the potential effects of the cleaning products on the health of your family or pets. Chemical-filled products can get the task done but are not always the safest option.

2. What does a tile and grout cleaning look like for the rest of my home?

In the process of taking care of your grout and tile, a company should take care of the rest of your home as well. What lengths will the company go to in order to protect surrounding surfaces and belongings?

Carpets that touch the tile in questions should be covered. Will the company provide a layer of protection on floor surfaces that the cleaners will be walking across? Will they remove decoration pieces or give you notice to do so before cleaning your rooms?

3. Are you licensed and insured?

You may find that checking for licensing and insurance is extremely common among home contractors who work on major home construction projects, but these are also important to grout and tile cleaners. Any professional you have in your home should carry insurance to cover any incidents or accidents that may occur on your property. Without it, responsibility can fall to you as the homeowner.

4. What kind of warranties does your company provide?

The best part of a warranty is it can add peace of mind. A company that provides warranties on its work means that it will correct certain issues that arise within a specified timeframe. A company that provides a warranty stands behind its work and is ready to rectify mistakes should they occur. Ask about what occurrences the warranty will cover and how long it will last.

This can leave you with peace of mind, knowing that you have a reliable company ready to ensure your tile and grout cleaning is everything it needs to be.

5. How much does a cleaning cost, and how do you determine the price?

Ultimately, you’ll want to know how much you’ll be paying for your professional cleaning services. However, don’t just opt for the lowest bidder. Search for a company with a good reputation to ensure your money is money well spent.

But beyond mere price, ask a company how they determine the price of their services. This will help you understand not only what you will be paying but exactly what you will be paying for. Services rendered will be different from company to company, and by breaking down the pricing process, you’ll be better able to assess which company is giving you the best deal.

6. Can I see customer reviews on your work?

Endorsements from former clients can be a great indicator of the type of work you will receive from a company. Don’t be afraid to ask the companies you are interviewing for reviews from former clients. Companies with good reputations will be eager to show you.

You can also take some time to search their company website or other review sites like Yelp. These outside sites will have all manner of reviews, good and bad, if they exist. When sifting through reviews, look for indications that a professional cleaning service is timely, reliable, and a good communicator.

7. How many years have you been in business?

Experience is king. The longer a company has been in business, the more projects they have completed like yours. When you are looking for an effective grout and tile cleaning — the kind of cleaning that eliminates stains, mold, and deep-seated grime — more years mean more expertise, fewer problems, and quicker project turnaround.

8. How do I maintain my clean tile after your team leaves?

Worthwhile tile and grout cleaners are not in business just to get a check every time your tile gets dirty. They really desire to see your tile transformed — and last! They will have great tips and advice on what kind of products and maintenance your tile may need. You may consider having your tile and grout professionally sealed to help with the upkeep.

Worry-Free, Professional Cleaning Services

You deserve pristine tile in your home, and we can help. Our Houston Groutsmith goal is to provide South Houston metro homeowners with a safe and effective cleaning process, leaving you with tile you can be proud of. We use the latest technology with a non-acidic process to properly clean and care for all your grout and tile needs.

Our team is extremely friendly and helpful, and we are ready to answer any questions you may have about the services we provide. For more information on how our team can transform your tile, see our grout and tile cleaning services. And when you’re ready for a cleaning, contact us to get a free estimate and demo.

7 Reasons to Professionally Clean Your Grout and Tile Surfaces

May 17, 2019 by Houston Groutsmith Posted in Grout Cleaning Houston, Tile Cleaning Houston, Tile Cleaning Tips

Tile has become increasingly popular in homes. Surfaces including floors, fireplaces, backsplashes, countertops, showers, and more can all be tiled. And while tile can add beauty to your home, it also builds up layers of dirt and grime.

With so many tiled areas in your home, it’s important to keep them looking clean and new.

You might think that in cleaning your home, you are doing all you need for your tile. In reality, professional cleaning services can be a major benefit and even a necessity for your tile. Here are 7 reasons to consider hiring a professional for your grout and tile cleaning.

1. Professional Grout and Tile Cleanings Extend Tile Life

Over time, grime can fade the color of your tile, and unchecked stains can settle in, becoming more difficult or even impossible to remediate. Dirt and debris can scratch the surface of your tile. And without proper cleanings, your tile can experience dulling, cracking, and loosening.

Having a professional step in so you can effectively combat your dirt and grime with a grout and tile cleaning can help make your tile last longer and keep you from needing replacement tiles in the process.

2. Avoid Tedious Elbow Work

Mops and Swiffer® instruments are not the most effective cleaning tools for tile and grout. In fact, mops can spread dirt and bacteria from one tile to another or into grout. The best way to clean your tile is on your hands and knees with a nonabrasive rag or sponge.

Hiring professional cleaning services saves you from this tedious work. Professionals have equipment that is not available to the public, and this equipment helps them achieve a comprehensive cleaning that you simply cannot achieve yourself. They can also accomplish this in less time without as much sweat.

So, leave it to the pros!

3. DIY Grout Cleanings Aren’t Always Effective

Grout pores tend to harbor moisture and bacteria, which can produce mold growth. It can be extremely difficult to effectively clean the entirety of your grout and remove the built-up bacteria. And because of its porosity, grout is susceptible to stains, which can be extremely difficult to remove by hand.

Without proper grout cleanings, tiled surfaces become unsanitary, which in extreme cases can even affect your family’s health. And mold growth that is not remediated can cause tiles to lift and cracks, on top of health issues.

In order to get a deep clean into your grout, you should solicit the help of a professional. Their equipment, products, and expertise can help get into the crevices of your grout and effectively sanitize your tile.

4. Professionals Can Make Tile Look “Like New”

The dirtier your tile has become, the more essential a professional cleaning is for appearances’ sake. The buildup on tile and grout can make you feel embarrassed of your tiled surfaces, but professionals have the right equipment to get your tile looking like new again.

Their cleanings aren’t surface level, which can help transform the look of tile to what it was when it was new.

5. Make Your DIY Grout and Tile Cleanings Easier

Having a professional remove the built-up residue and stains from your tile and grout makes your self-cleanings easier. Rather than playing catchup with the mess, you can simply stay on top of the mess and keep major stains from setting in or heavy grime from building up.

Having a professional seal your tile after a cleaning can amplify the ease of care involved with your tile and provide better protection from scuffs and stains.

6. Save Yourself Time

You have plenty of projects to do as a homeowner. A professional grout and tile cleaning can save you valuable time. Cleaning grout and tile can be a tedious process that takes time for products to set in, time to scrub, and time to cure. It can take even longer if you are having your tile sealed.

Don’t waste your time. Hire a professional and utilize that extra time to catch up on other important projects or spend time relaxing with the family.

7. Professionals Protect Your Grout or Tile From More Damage

Grout and tile companies know the best methods for getting a deep clean, and they know what different types of tiles require. Certain acidic cleaning agents can harm natural stones, and certain store-bought or homemade cleaners may cause more damage when used improperly.

Have a professional come in for a deep cleaning to use safe and effective products and tools in the cleaning of your tile. They will best know what to use and what not to use on the specific materials in your home.

Beautiful Tile You Can Be Proud Of

You don’t have to be embarrassed by your grout and tile. The Houston Groutsmith team has helped thousands of homeowners in the south Houston metro area transform their tile through a safe, non-acidic cleaning process. See our grout and tile cleaning services to learn more about how we can safely and effectively take care of your tile.

Don’t put off your professional cleaning. Get a free estimate with our team today.

The Biggest Problems Most Homeowners Dread With Their Grout and Tile

April 5, 2019 by Houston Groutsmith Posted in Grout Cleaning Houston, Tile Cleaning Houston, Tile Cleaning Tips

Tiled surfaces appear in many areas of a home. From flooring and showers to fireplaces, countertops, and backsplash, tile and its counterpart grout can be present in many rooms of your home. But as with any form of building material, both tile and grout come with their share of problems.

If you deal with tile issues, you are not alone. Having an idea of what issues can arise can keep you on top of proper maintenance and ahead of future problems. Here are some of the biggest issues homeowners face regarding grout and tile.

Floor Tiles

Scratches

Tiled surfaces get plenty of use, which can lead to scratches. Tracked-in dirt is the most common reason for tile scratches in a home. Tracked-in particles can scrape across your tiled surfaces and cause issues. Other reasons for scratches in tile can be:

Heavy, dropped objects
Pet nails
Furniture movement

Put floor mats around your home’s entrances and place furniture pads on the bottom of your furniture’s legs. Have your tile routinely cleaned and sealed to prevent major scratches from occurring. Remember that surface scratches are much easier to fix than deep scratches.

Grout and Tile Cracks

The appearance of grout and tile cracks can sometimes be out of your control as a homeowner. One of the major causes of grout cracks is the shifting of a home’s foundation or subfloor, which will happen in every home. Most grout is rigid, while foundational concrete absorbs moisture and expands and contracts with temperature. This movement can cause grout and tile to crack.

Stains

Stains are especially common in naturally porous stone tiles like granite or marble and in grout. A porous substance will easily soak up spills, leaving behind pesky stains. It’s impossible to keep spills from occurring, so the easiest way to avoid these issues is with a professional grout and tile cleaning and sealing.

Loose Tile

One of the most common causes of loose tile is a lack of adhesive during installation. If not enough adhesive is used when laying the tile, it can begin to shift and loosen as time goes on. This can become a serious safety hazard and can lead to further issues with your tile.

If your tile sounds hollow, it has detached from the subflooring. If your floor moves as you walk, it has detached. Loosened tile can also occur from:

The wrong adhesive being used for installation
Excessive mold or mildew growth
Subfloor movement

Grout Discoloration

The look of your grout plays a huge role in the overall look of your tile, so when your grout’s color is inconsistent, it drags down the entire tiled look. Grout discoloration can be caused during the installation phase when the grout is mixed with too much water.

A buildup of dirt and grease can also cause your grout to be discolored, as can using the wrong cleaning agents like bleach and ammonia. The continual usage of these products can cause inconsistencies to form in the color. Walking over your tile with your bare feet can cause natural oils and dirt to discolor your grout, especially if you own a pool and track in the chemicals.

Bathroom Tiles

Mineral Buildup

Tile that is exposed to water can experience mineral buildup. If you see a heavy, white haze covering your shower, bath, or pool tiles, mineral buildup is your problem. All water contains minerals. Certain types of water, such as well water, can contain higher levels. As the water coats your tile, so do the minerals. But as the water evaporates, the minerals are left behind, creating mineral buildup.

Mold and Mildew

Mold and mildew are especially big issues in areas prone to moisture, including shower tile, bathroom floor tile, and backsplash around sinks. The grout surrounding your tile is porous and absorbs moisture, creating the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew (especially in a shower where soap scum is also present).

Learning how to spot mold and how to eradicate it can help keep it from spreading out of control.

Kitchen Countertop or Backsplash Tiles

Sanitation/Bacteria
It can be especially difficult to keep kitchen grout clean and sanitary. Because it is porous, grout likes to harbor bacteria, making surfaces unhygienic. While this can be an issue with any grout, this can especially be an issue for grouted countertops in the kitchen, where food preparation occurs. It is important to regularly seal and clean your grout to keep the germs from penetrating its surface.

Natural Stone Tiles

Etching

Natural stone can be prone to a process called etching. Most natural stones are porous. They are therefore sealed to keep from staining, as well as to bring out the natural vibrancy of the stone. However, without proper sealing, acidic substances that come in contact with the stones can seep into the pores and cause etching, which dulls the look of your stone tile. In some stone, it can even cause the texture of the stone to change.

Etching can occur in a variety of tile materials including ceramic or porcelain, but it is an extremely common issue for natural stone.

Overcome Your Grout and Tile Issues

Don’t retreat from issues with your grout and tile. Face them head-on. You can have control over these issues and keep them at bay by maintaining and routinely cleaning and sealing your tile. And with the help of a professional grout and tile cleaning company, you can eradicate problems that have already arisen while also treating your surfaces to make maintenance easier and more effective.

The Houston Groutsmith team uses only nonacidic cleaners and never uses harsh cleaning methods like high steam or carpet cleaners on your grout and tile. We want to protect the integrity of all tile surfaces in your home while providing you with easy to maintain tile. See our grout and tile cleaning services for more information on how our team can benefit your tile.

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