These clients in Cumbernauld had recently moved into a new home with light grey ceramic tiles covering the kitchen, dining area, and lounge floors. Whilst the tiles were mostly in good condition and the clients wanted to keep them, the grout was a problem. The grout was discoloured throughout the installation and in some places, it was damaged or completely missing.
Discoloured grout is one of the main problems we find with ceramic or porcelain tiled floors, this is because the tiles are impervious, and any dirt tends to get washed off into the grout line. The surface of grout is porous and so it will attract dirt over time and unless its sealed it will start to stain and discolour.
Having reviewed the floors, I recommended deep cleaning the tiles paying particular attention to the grout lines, replacing grout where required and then applying a grout colourant to achieve a consistent appearance throughout. Grout colourants seal in the grout thereby making it as impervious as the adjacent tiles and much easier to keep clean.
Happy with my quote we set a date for my return to do the renovation.
Deep Cleaning and Recolouring Grout on a Ceramic Tiled Floor
To thoroughly clean the tiles and grout I applied a 5 to 1 dilution of Tile Doctors Pro-Clean and left it to soak into the tiles for ten minutes. Then using a stiff bristle brush the solution was worked over the tiles and the soiling removed using a wet vacuum. The grout was then cleaned separately using the same approach with a grout brush. The floor was rinsed with clean, cold water and dried as much as possible with the wet vacuum.
Once the cleaning was complete, the damaged grout was removed and repaired using a light grey flexible grout, matching the desired recolouring.
The recolouring process had to be done carefully in small sections to prevent the solution from drying on the tile surfaces and causing staining or damage. We selected to use Tile Doctor Grout Colourant in light grey. This product is available in eleven shades. This is a slow process, but the results are well worth the time spent.
The recoloured grout gave the entire floor a lighter, refreshed appearance. It’s a cost-effective way to renew the space and certainly much quicker than regrouting.
The clients were very pleased with the result, which is evident in the before and after photos showing the repaired tile at the doorway, regrouting the floor and the lounge floor showing the difference between recoloured grout and old grout.
As the tiles are ceramic there is no requirement to apply a sealer, they are sealed with a glaze at the factory. For aftercare cleaning I recommend Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner which is a pH neutral product that won’t impact the grout colour. The stronger floor cleaning products you find in supermarkets can be too strong and often contain bleach.
Source: Grout Restoration Products and Services in Cumbernauld North Lanarkshire