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410-610-7437
Basic
Maintenance Tips
How To Take Care Of & Clean Your Tile And Grout |
1. Always notice the
condition of your grout & caulk while you shower. Attend to any
openings immediately! Wipe down all of the walls with a towel
after use. This removes water & soap scum before they
dry. If you don't wipe, at least squeegee the walls down. This
will greatly help in keeping it clean.
2. Always have a
leaky shower head or faucet fixed right away. A small crack in the grout
or caulk can lead to an expensive repair if it is not repaired. Leaky
plumbing can also lead to expensive wall damage if not attended to right
away.
3. Be aware of
trouble areas in your shower and inspect them regularly. Areas include
rim of a bathtub, spigots, spigot covers, shower windows, soap dishes,
shower doors and stall shower base. At least once a month carefully
visually inspect all these areas as well as all the tile in your shower
for missing or cracked grout. Fixing these small problems early can save
you money in tile repair.
4. For showers with
high humidity and low ventilation or with mold problems regularly bleach
the area down. We use a 50/50 solution of water and bleach in a spray
bottle or a bleach containing tub & tile cleaner. Spray on and allow
it to soak for several minutes and rinse down. This should kill mold and
mildew before it has a chance to breed and grow deep into the grout
lines. Depending on how bad your problem is you may want to do this
anywhere from once every two months to once a week. Always test any
cleaners before using. Check with manufacture recommendations. This may
not be recommended for some natural stone or marble. Mold is destructive
and should be stopped as soon as it is detected.
5. Once a week or at
least once every 30 days, spray all the walls down with a tub & tile
cleaner. Allow the cleaner to soak for several minutes and sponge clean. Then
rinse with clean water. This simple 10 minute process done once a month
can add years to your tile and grouts appearance.
Do's & Don'ts
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Do not use cleansers
containing acid or bleach for routine maintenance. |
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Do not use wax
cleaners, oil based detergents or sealers to maintain your tile.
(sealers may be used on grout joints and natural stone.) Swiffer
wet cleaners are not recommended. |
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Do not use AMMONIA
or VINEGAR - they will discolor the grout. |
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Do not use harsh
cleaning aids like steel wool pads or scouring pads containing
metals. |
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Do not use a cleaning agent
that contains color on unglazed ceramic tile or natural
stone. |
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Do not wash down your tiles
with the same dirty water you washed your dishes with. You
will be putting food and grease stains into the grout. Always
use a clean cloth with clean
soap and water. |
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Do not apply sealers on the
tile or stone. Grout sealers are for Grout only! |
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Do have your grout sealed. |
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Do test scouring powders on
a small area first (not recommended for natural stone). |
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Do have any damaged or
broken tiles removed and replaced only by a qualified
contractor. |
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Do notice the
condition of your grout & caulk. Attend to any
openings immediately! |
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RE-GROUTING
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS |
Q: What is a sealer and should I seal
my bathroom tile?
A: The
sealer is a liquid that is applied to the grout about 2 days after the
grout work is done. Once it is applied it soaks into the grout and dries
creating a protective barrier against water and dirt. We strongly
recommend you seal your grout and tile after it has been newly re-grouted
or any new tile installation. It can greatly extend the life of your
grout and even make it easier to clean as the dirt will tend to float on
the surface rather then penetrate deep into the grout. We can also steam
clean your grout for like new appearance and then seal it for results that
last.
Q: How often should I seal my grout?
A: To
protect your tile and grout you may want to perform regular maintenance
including steam cleaning or regular cleaning a few times a year. It is
also very important to visually inspect your entire area for any missing or
cracking grout or caulking. You should fix any such failing caulk or
grout right away. If you like, we can come in and power clean your walls,
tend to any missing grout or caulk, making sure your walls are safe from any leaks. We will then re-seal your
grout.
Feel free to call about this service.
Q: How do I keep my shower looking
clean and new?
A: If you are going to clean it on your own
the most effective way of all is to simply dry the walls and tub with a
towel after every use. By doing this soap scum and hard water
will have no chance to build up. Mold can only grow in a high moisture
environment so if you dry it you should have no problems with mold.
Another good method is to use a shower squeegee to dry the walls after
your shower.
Q: What do I do if I find some grout
or caulk has opened up?
A: Make sure you call us to fix this
problem or fill it yourself. A small hole that allows water to get
behind your tile or tub can over a period of time, even a short time,
make this seemingly insignificant problem into a huge mess and a costly
repair. It is a good idea to stop once every month and eye-up the entire
shower looking for holes or openings. These minor problems can be fixed
with a minimum of effort but left alone can become a real problem. If
you think your grout is failing you should have it re-grouted. Give us a
call, we'll take care of it for you.
Q: Why is my grout cracking?
A: If you have an older tile installation and the grout keeps
disappearing you may have a problem. If you tap on the tiles and hear a
hollow sound this means that the surface below the tile has deteriorated
and the tiles have lost their bond. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, try
resetting the tiles yourself or call us and we will do the job for you.
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Tile is known for its durability and ease to clean. However, most people are not aware of how to protect, maintain and preserve
their tile floors to keep them looking beautiful. Unfortunately, stained grout can impair the entire tile's appearance. Grout is a cement-like material which is porous and absorbent.
Grout holds in many contaminants like bacteria, dirt, grease, stains, odor, and mold.
The solution to dirty grout can begin with our cleaning procedures and
sealing or staining applications.
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Got
UGLY Grout?
Call Us... We Get
Rid of the UGLIES!
Tile
and Grout Maintenance & Repair
Tile Repair, Re-Grouting,
Grout Cleaning,
Coloring, Grout Sealing & New Installations
New Tile Installations are also available and we will help you with the layout and
design of that
special project. We have over 30 years experience and
have a list of very satisfied customers.
410-610-7437
uglygrout@yahoo.com
Estimates are
ALWAYS
FREE

Commercial & Residential
Last Updated: Sunday, February 23, 2014
copyright, www.uglygrout.com
2004 - 2014
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