Our Blog

Tile is a popular choice among homeowners, and with good reason: it’s available in every imaginable color, size, and shape to fit every style of home.  Best of all, it is easy to clean.  Your tile and grout likely only require a quick wipe down at the end of every day to keep them looking good.  However, grime builds up over time, mildew and mold may appear.  To keep your tile and grout looking and performing well, you need to know how to address these issues - ideally, before they even occur.  That’s where our pro tips come in!

Part 1: Use the right tools.  

• You may need to use chemical cleaners and really hot water to attack grime and grout stains, so wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
• Avoid using abrasive powders and solutions, as they will further wear down grout.
• Most grout problems can be tackled using a sponge or scrub pad, a toothbrush, and/or safety razors, so keep these items stocked among your cleaning supplies.  
• The best tool of all is good old fashioned elbow grease!  A little scrubbing goes a long way in ridding your bathroom and kitchen surfaces of grime and buildup.  

Part 2: Clean it!

• Scrub the grout lines along both the vertical and horizontal lines.
• Use a toothbrush to clean the corners of the tile.
• Start by using the mildest cleaning methods, and work your way up to the more intense cleaners and chemicals, as needed.  For example, start with just some baking soda and vinegar.  Many of the cleaning products sold today are extremely harsh, and though they may make tile and grout look amazing at first, this is usually only a quick fix, and is likely doing more harm than good.  For example, harsh cleaning chemicals, such as bleach, may make your grout look clean for a short time, but they also strip away the water repellency capabilities.

Part 3: Be proactive!

• After you have thoroughly cleaned your grout, seal it.  Hardware stores carry multiple kinds of sealer, so read the label to find the right one for your tile and grout.  Better yet, have your grout sealed by a great professional tile and grout cleaning service in your area.  
• Clean up spills as they occur.  The longer a spill sits on the tile, the higher the likelihood that it will become a stain.  Grout is especially prone to staining, since it is porous and typically light in color.  If you accidentally spill food onto the tile in your kitchen, wipe it up before it becomes permanent.  
• After showering, use a squeegee to wipe down the tiles, grout, and glass.  This will prevent excess water from settling into the pores of the grout, and will leave fewer mineral deposits on the tile and glass doors.  If you want to take an extra step in mildew prevention, create a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water and store it in a spray bottle.  Once or twice per week, spray down the tiles after you squeegee them.

Finally, perhaps the best thing you can do to keep your tile and grout clean and looking great is to find a good cleaning company and schedule regular cleanings from the pros!  

Homeowners throughout Northeast Florida know they can depend on First Coast Home Pros to keep their tile and grout beautiful and in great shape.  Extensive training, the right cleaning solutions, and the best equipment in the field make us the best tile cleaning professionals in the Jacksonville FL area, including Ortega, Riverside Avondale, Ponte Vedra Beach, Atlantic Beach, and all the way to St. Augustine.  For monthly maintenance cleaning, deep cleaning, stain treatment, or anything else your tile and grout may need, we are the best Jacksonville FL cleaning company, and the perfect choice for your home!