How To Clean Dirty Unsealed Grout
How To Clean Dirty Unsealed Grout
Tiled surfaces are quite popular due to their unique appearance and easy to clean nature.
Tiles have also grown in popularity due to the wide selection of sizes, finishes and shapes on offer.
Even though tiled surfaces are known to be easy and convenient to clean, any unsealed grout in between tiles can make for an unappealing sight due to the accumulation of dirt and grime.
If you spot any unappealing stains on the surface of unsealed grout, do not despair.
You can get rid of these stains and leave the grout clear of any dirt or grime, restoring its clean white appearance, by following the cleaning process outlined below.
Read on to find out:
- What you need to clean unsealed grout
- How to remove all stains
Unsealed grout is porous in nature. This means that it has tiny pores where dirt and grime can hide, leading to serious staining over time.
The following is a detailed guide on how to clean unsealed grout.
Cleaning Supplies
To successfully clean unsealed grout, you will need to get your hands on the following cleaning supplies:
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Ammonia
- Bleach
- Bucket
- Brush
- Sponge
- Water
- Wet Vacuum
The nature of the stains in the grout will determine whether you use all of the above cleaning supplies or not.
The Cleaning Process
To clean out all the stains in unsealed grout, you need to loosen the dirt and grime hiding in the pores before extracting it.
Preparing The Unsealed Grout Surface
Before you start cleaning the unsealed grout, you can start by sweeping away any loose dirt on the tiled floor with a vacuum or broom.
Afterwards, mop the tiled surface using a clean mop and a solution of mild dish soap and warm water.
This will help loosen up the dirt and grime that has dug its way into the pores of the unsealed grout.
Water, Vinegar, Baking Soda And Ammonia Solution
Once you have prepared the surface appropriately, move on to the next step, which specifically focuses on the cleaning of unsealed grout.
Make a cleaning solution by mixing, in a bucket containing about 7 cups of water, ¼ cupful of ammonia, 1/3 cupful of vinegar and a ½ cupful of baking soda.
Then pour the solution into a spray bottle. To find out if this cleaning solution works, choose a small area of stained grout and spray the mixture.
Use a sponge to wipe away the solution after it has had time to work itself into the grout.
Alternatively, you can use a scrubbing brush to work the solution into the grout and scrub out the stains.
Once you are satisfied with the solution’s cleaning power, you can move on to cleaning the rest of the area in question.
After working the cleaning solution into the grout, using a sponge or scrub brush, use the wet vacuum to extract all of the dirt mixed in with the cleaning solution.
Leave the entire surface to dry completely.
Using Bleach
In case the above cleaning solution fails to deliver the expected results, consider using bleach, straight out of the bottle or as a mixture with water.
Rinse the bleach away using water before extracting the cleaning solution using a wet-vac.
Steam Extraction Cleaning
Steam extraction cleaning is considered to be the most effective method of cleaning unsealed grout.
The steam and detergent mixture loosens the dirt and grime before it is extracted from the pores using a vacuum.
However, you might need to hire or buy a floor steamer to use this method.
Conclusion
Unsealed grout accumulates dirt and grime quite easily due to its porous nature.
You can use a variety of DIY cleaning methods and solutions to remove dirt from the tiny pores or call in a professional to make sure that the job is done right the first time around.
If you want to protect your investment, it would be wise to avoid making any of these errors.
If you have tiles and are looking for a professional and highly specialised tile and stone care company, then look no further than us at Slique.
Slique has highly-developed systems and processes, which means we provide a tile cleaning service that is second to none.
