Why grout gets so dirty
Grout is porous. It's mostly sand and cement, full of tiny pores that soak up whatever touches them. Every time a floor is mopped, some of that dirty mop water settles into the grout lines and dries there. Add kitchen grease, sand from the beach, pool water and Florida humidity, and grout that started out light can look nearly black within a few years.
That's why scrubbing with a brush rarely makes a lasting difference. The dirt isn't just on the surface of the grout. It's down in the pores, and it has to be loosened and pulled out.
What we clean
Ceramic and porcelain tile throughout the home, including wood-look plank tile with textured grooves.
Grease-darkened grout around cabinets, islands and in front of the stove.
Shower walls, floors and surrounds where soap scum and mildew build up.
Covered outdoor tile that collects tracked-in soil and pool water.
How we clean tile and grout
- Inspect the tile and grout
We check the tile type, grout condition and any cracked or missing grout before cleaning, and show you anything that cleaning can't fix.
- Protect the area
Baseboards, cabinets and nearby carpet are protected from splashing.
- Apply a grout cleaner
A cleaning solution matched to the tile and soil is applied and given time to loosen the dirt in the grout pores.
- Detail the grout lines
Heavily soiled grout lines are agitated so the cleaner reaches the bottom of the joint.
- Spin, rinse and extract
A high-pressure spinner tool rinses the tile and grout under a hood and immediately vacuums the dirty water away, so nothing is left behind in the joints.
Grout haze after a new install
A cloudy film on new tile is usually grout haze, a thin layer of grout left on the surface during installation. It dulls the tile and attracts dirt. We remove it, along with embedded dirt in the grooves of wood-look tile, so the floor looks the way it was supposed to on day one.
What tile cleaning won't fix
Cleaning removes soil, but it can't repair cracked or crumbling grout, chipped tile, or stains that have permanently changed the color of the grout. If we see those problems, we'll point them out before we clean, so you know exactly what to expect.
Tile throughout South Florida homes
Tile is everywhere here, from the living room to the lanai, because it stays cool and handles sand and water. But open-plan homes with large tile floors also mean a lot of grout, and in a busy home it darkens unevenly: lightest along the walls and darkest in traffic paths, kitchens and in front of sliders. A professional cleaning brings the whole floor back to an even color.
How tile and grout cleaning is priced
Cleaning is priced by the job, so we quote it at the same free visit after we've seen the rooms and pieces. You get the exact number before we start. If you're also having carpet repaired or re-stretched, both are quoted together, and a combined visit costs less than separate trips.
Keeping grout clean longer
- Mop with clean water and change it often. A dirty mop bucket is the main reason grout darkens.
- Use a pH-neutral floor cleaner. Harsh cleaners can etch grout and make it more porous.
- Use mats at entry doors and sliders to catch sand before it spreads.
- Schedule a professional cleaning once or twice a year, more often in kitchens and busy family homes.
Have carpet in the bedrooms too? We can do carpet cleaning on the same visit.