Clean Tile and Grouted Counter Tops

Keeping tile and grout clean is one of the biggest and most repetitive chores associated with household cleaning. Areas that are commonly tiled like counter tops are often subjected to conditions that cause them to get grimy and dirty fast and that require frequent attention. Failure to keep the grouted areas clean can result in the development of mildew that can make a difficult task even harder. While there are many commercial tile and grout cleaners available, some effective and less expensive basic cleaning agents will do the job.

Cleaning solutions composed of equal parts of water and bleach or ammonia and vinegar are both effective for use in cleaning tile and grout even in circumstances where greasy may be present and must be removed. A sponge may be used with the selected cleaning solution to scrub the tile and grout under most conditions. If more heavy duty scrubbing is called for, try a stiff bristle cleaning brush instead. While either bleach or ammonia can be used, make certain that they are never mixed together because the combination of the two produces a harmful gas.

Wherever installed, to simply cleaning and maintenance, the grout between tiles should be sealed with a good quality, water resistant commercial grout sealer. While this should be accomplished when tile is originally installed, the sealer compound breaks down over time and dependent upon how heavy the use a specific areas sees, grout sealer should be reapplied every six to twelve months to maintain water resistance and to prevent stains and mildew.

In situations where mildew or stains have already developed in grout, first try applying undiluted chlorine bleach on the affected areas and allow it soak for at least 15 minutes before scrubbing it vigorously with a stiff bristle cleaning brush. If this proves ineffective, there are acid-based grout cleaners that can be used. These are harsh chemical products and should only be used in well-ventilated areas while wearing protective goggles and rubber cleaning gloves. Do not use acidic-based cleaners on natural stone (such as marble and granite) tiled surfaces. Instead, use one of the commercially available, neutral pH (neither acidic nor alkaline) grout cleaners specifically designed for that application.

On occasion, mildew or stains may have penetrated grouted surfaces so deeply that they cannot be effectively removed with common cleaning methods. In these instances, in may be necessary to grind off the affected layers and then re-grout the surfaces to remedy the situation. For those who lack the equipment or expertise to accomplish it, commercial companies that specialize in grout repair are available who can do it.

Regular cleaning coupled with periodic grout re-sealing should keep your tiled counter surfaces functional and attractive for many years.

Sources:

"Tile Care". The Tile Doctor.com. July 26, 2009.

"Ceramic Tile Maintenance". Ceramic-Tile.com. July 26, 2009.