Common Tile And Grout Cleaning Myths

Keeping your tile and grout in a beautiful and healthy condition is essential to boost the overall appeal of your home. But before you reach for the bleach or a scrub wire to clean them, make sure you walk past this blog. 

There are many beliefs about tile and grout cleaning that can do more harm than good to your flooring. In fact, they are actually myths that must be debunked and known for you to clean your floor the way it should be, avoiding near-to-zero errors. 

In this blog, we will expose some of the most common tile and grout cleaning myths and provide you with useful tips to ensure your flooring remains in top condition. So, say goodbye to misinformation and make the way for sparkling clean tiles. 

Seven Tile And Grout Cleaning Myths: Let’s Debunk Them 

Myth 1: Regular Mopping Is Sufficient 

Regular mopping is a good practice to keep your floors clean, but just not good enough to keep them in top-notch condition. One of the most important reasons is its fruitless impact on the grout.  Grout, the narrow areas between the tiles is porous. 

Dirt, spilled liquids, and grime seeps easily into them over time. Mopping only cleans the surface area without affecting these deeper layers. Additionally, it can’t fix deep-seated stains, or mold and mildew that grow and thieves in damp grout lines. 

So, whilst daily mopping helps keep your tiles presentable, don’t forget to recall it fails to address the core issues in the grout.

Myth 2: Grout Requires Hard Scrubbing 

Hard scrubbing is one of the key reasons why grouts crack over time. Grout, being a sponge-like material, is sensitive to harsh tools such as stiff bristles or wire brushes. Scrubbing them hard on the grout can wear it down. 

They can also widen the grout lines, which can make it harder for you to clean them in the long run and may lead to costly regrouting in severe cases. Another misconception of them lies in dealing with the stains. 

While scrubbing might remove surface dirt, it may fail to reach deep-seated debris because these require a combination of proper cleaning solutions and tools to remove the stain from the grout.  

Myth 3: Bleach Is The Key To Deal With Stains 

Homeowners often believe that the stronger a cleaning solution, the better it will work on a stain. However, the truth is quite the opposite. Powerful cleaning solutions, such as bleach, which is a popular choice among homeowners, can cause discoloration.

While bleach can help lighten a stain, it can rob away the vibrancy of your pristine tile, resulting in uneven patches on the entire floor. It can also weaken the binders in the grout, making them more susceptible to cracking or mold growth (due to moisture) with time. 

Further, the harmful effects of bleach are not just limited to surfaces. Bleach releases strong fumes that can severely affect your health, particularly the lungs, and eyes, especially in damp areas like bathrooms.

Myth 4: Household Ingredients Are Just As Good

Although household ingredients offer a safe and effective approach to floor cleaning, they fall short in a number of ways when it comes to commercial solutions. Let’s have a look at them:  

• First of all, household cleaners like baking soda or vinegar can remove a stain, but not certainly to their core. 
• Second, dish soap, often used to clean grout lines, can leave a sticky film on them if not used properly or applied overly. This, in turn, can attract more dirt. 
• Certain stains (like pet urine) can leave bacteria and germs to thrive under the grout lines, where household items may fail to address them properly. 
• Using household solutions quite repeatedly can create fumes that can affect your tile as well as your health severely. 

On the other hand, commercial solutions can break and remove a stain from the source, offering a more targeted approach. Most importantly, they are gentler on the grout, which minimizes the risk of damage. 

Myth 5: Nothing Wrong With Over-Using Water

In reality, it’s completely wrong. One of the most popular tile and grout cleaning myths is the use of water more than required. Excess water may or may not clean a stain, but can surely cause irreversible damage, particularly to the subfloor. 

When water is used overly, it can seep deep through the grout lines and damage the subfloor beneath the tiles. This may lead to costly repairs. 

Moreover, overuse of water can make the tile and grout take more time to dry than they usually do.  This longer exposure to moisture can wear out the grout matter, causing it to fall apart with time. Resultantly, dirt and grime can easily gather under the grout lines, making further cleaning even more tough.  

Myth 6: No Need To Maintain Sealed Floorings

Sealing does protect your tile and grout, but it is no magic shield. With regular use, sealants wear down (particularly in high-traffic areas). This lets dirt and other particles accumulate on the surface and make the tiles look dull. 

In addition, they can’t block everything. Spills and splashes can still seep into the narrow grout (if not cleaned on time), staining it beyond repair. (You can think of them as carpet protectors. The way in which they protect the fibers by preventing a spill from reaching deep within them, but only up to a certain time)

Myth 7: Little-To-No Need For Professional Cleaning 

It’s important to remember that while you may regularly clean your tile and grout on your own, it’s essential not to overlook professional cleaning. Regular cleaning mainly focuses on surface dirt, while professionals go deep down the floor and remove dirt, stains, and other debris using high-powered steamers and other tools.

Their knowledge of the appropriate cleaning techniques for various tile kinds is another asset. They know how to clean a porcelain tile or marble without using harsh chemicals that could potentially damage them. This is due to their years of experience and training, which most homeowners lack.

Let’s Wrap Up!

Keeping your floors clean and pristine is crucial for enhancing the value and beauty of your home. Although they are durable, it’s important to take care of your floors properly and dispel certain tile and grout cleaning myths. By doing so, you can ensure that your flooring stays beautiful, and hygienic, and lasts for many years.