Ensuring The Best Care For Your Natural Stone Floors With Tile Sealing

Sealing & Cleaning Tips To Properly Take Care Of Your Tile & Grout

If you don’t know the proper way to take care of your tiles and grout, then you came to the right place. In this article, we will check some doubts about sealing tile flooring. We will explain some things that even some professionals may not know.

Tile and grout care require much time, effort, and some money. We want to protect that investment by telling you some sealing and cleaning tips so that you can contact Phoenix natural stone cleaning services when truly necessary.

Should I Seal Tile Flooring Or Only The Grout?

There are two elements in a tile floor: the grout and the tile. Most of the floor is assembled with tiles, but the grout is also an important part. The grout is indeed what holds the tiles in place, but sadly it is frequently overlooked.

Grout has to be sealed because it is naturally porous and can stain easily. Besides, many installers of tile flooring do not seal them because grout must be cured first and that can take a long time.

You should seal your grout to avoid any dirt into its pores and to make it look as neat as possible in the easiest way. Plus, sealed grout is a lot easier to maintain clean.

Another thing to consider is that tiles come in two main categories: natural stone and ceramic. Natural stone must be sealed with a penetrating sealer because this product can get inside the tile and repel mold. As for ceramic tiles, they usually don’t need to be sealed, but the grout between them yes.

You can always contact a Phoenix tile and grout cleaning service to get better help with your tile flooring.

When Should I Seal Tiles?

Sealing is a process that strengthens tile and increases grout’s defenses against damaging agents like spills, dirt, and erosion. But, not all tile has to be sealed. As we mentioned before, if your tile is porcelain or ceramic, it may not need sealing.

You should still contact your manufacturer to be sure because there are some exceptions to this rule.

You can be sure that if your tile is stone, it needs to be sealed.

When sealing your tiles, you have to be very careful because sealing hued tiles can alter their color. To avoid having a strange-looking tile, test the sealant in unobtrusive areas before applying it to the tile’s surface.

How Can I Tell If Grout Is Already Sealed?

You can tell if your grout or tile has been already sealed by carefully spreading water (just a few drops) on them. If the floor changes color, then they are not correctly sealed. On the contrary, if the tile or grout stays the same, they may have been sealed.

You still may need a Phoenix natural stone cleaning service depending on the tile job. If it was done some years ago, it needs a retouch. Also, if the tile job is in an outdoor area, it will probably last less than any tile sealing job inside the house.

Another thing to keep in mind is that grout in unventilated areas is exposed to a lot of humidity, and that can lead to a breakdown. If you see your tiles are looking strange, or your grout is starting to flake off, then it may be time to have a sealing retouch.

How To Clean Sealed Tiles & Grout

Although sealing your tiles and grout is great to protect them from dirt and stains, accidents still occur. If you see a stain on your tile flooring, clean it with a mild cleaning solution. Do not scrub your tiles and do not use harsh tools like a metal brush, it could scratch the surface and damage it.

Grout needs time to set before it can be sealed, so you have to wait at least a month after installation. If it gets stained before it’s sealed, then use the mild cleaning solution lightly.

Contact Natural Stone Cleaners In Phoenix

The best you can do to take care of your tile and grout properly is to contact a professional tile cleaning service. For that, you can consult with Arizona Stone Care, a locally owned business that can help you with natural stone cleaning, polishing, sealing, and restoration services.