Find out whether dark grout needs a deep cleaning or full regrouting by checking cracks, missing grout, loose tile and staining.
Grout Cleaning vs Regrouting: Which Does Your Floor Need?: the full article follows, written by the owner from jobs across Maryland.
Call 410-979-2355 for a free quote.
Dark grout lines make a whole floor look dirty, and many homeowners assume the grout must be replaced. Often the grout is sound and simply full of soil. Regrouting is a repair job, while grout cleaning restores the existing grout. Telling them apart saves money and time.
Grout that is evenly darker in traffic areas, darker near the stove or entry, or gray instead of its original color is usually holding soil. Grout is porous, so mop water carries dirt into it over time. A deep cleaning with high-pressure rinse and recovery can bring much of the original color back.
If a wet fingertip rubbed on the grout lifts a little gray, that is soil on the surface and in the pores.
Cracked joints, crumbling grout, gaps where grout has washed out, and tiles that move or sound hollow point to repair needs. Cleaning cannot replace missing grout or fix a loose tile bed. In showers, failed grout can let water behind tile, which needs a tile contractor.
Our grout cleaning or repair checklist walks through these signs in more detail.
Tile and grout cleaning is priced by area. Our pricing page lists the published base rate of $0.75 per square foot up to $1.00 per square foot. Regrouting involves removing old grout, installing new grout and curing time, which costs more and takes the room out of use longer.
Cleaning first also shows whether the remaining grout is in good shape before anyone commits to repair.
Sealing after cleaning helps grout resist new stains. Use a pH neutral cleaner for routine mopping and change mop water often so soil is not spread back into the lines.
Learn more on our tile and grout cleaning page or call 410-979-2355.
It depends on floor size, soil level and access. A typical kitchen or bathroom floor can often be completed in one visit. Ask for an estimate based on your square footage.
Cleaning can remove a lot of soil, but some grout has permanent staining or discoloration. Cleaning restores the original color where soil is the cause, but permanent discoloration stays, and regrouting is the repair for that.
You can usually walk on it once it is dry. Keep rugs and heavy furniture off until the grout is fully dry before heavy use or mopping.
Call 410-979-2355 or use our booking form to describe the job. We confirm the scope, price and date before work begins.