Wherever you have tiles in the house, the grout between them can get pretty grimy. Whatever you do – don’t reach for the vinegar bottle! According to Kelly Milne from Tilemaster the acidity in vinegar can actually damage tiles, especially natural stone tiles.

“By using vinegar, you’ll etch your stone as well as discolour your grout,” admits Milne. “What you should be using is a tile and stone cleaner that is pH balanced.” When people see discoloured grout, they assume the grout is dirty when in fact it’s been discoloured by the use of improper cleaning products.

Tilemaster offers a wide range of maintenance products, but something to consider when retiling your floor is to use tile sealer. “In the beginning of your installation, you might want to consider sealing your grout. This will help prevent all the grime and grit that sticks to a sanded grout.” A tile sealer is used on a natural product and according to Milne you have a couple of options. “If you’re using a natural stone, you may want to have it raw looking, so we would recommend you use an impregnator, which leaves it looking natural with no sheen.” There are other products used to enhance the tiles and bring the colour out of the stone. “We have enhancers that impregnate and topical enhancers and we would consider using both. You also have the option of adding sheen.”

If your grout is already stained, Milne recommends using a fast acting grout cleaner for porcelain tiles. To prevent build up, a maintenance schedule can help combat any accumulating dirt on your grout. Depending on the product being used to clean your gout, you may need to do it a few times a year or just once a year.

For more information visit www.tilemastercanada.com.