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Steam mops - are they the best for cleaning tiles and grout flooring?

Posted by Andrew Webb on Monday, November 17, 2014 Under: Tile and grout cleaning

Those of you who use steam mops will know that after cleaning with them, the mop itself is pretty dirty (depending on how often you use it and also how much traffic goes across the floor). BUT have you also noticed how dirty the grout still looks? Surely steaming should dissolve and dirt and grease sitting in the grout lines?

The most common questions I get asked are:
"How do I keep the grout clean?"
"Will a steam mop get them clean?"
"Can you put anything on the grout to stop it getting dirty?"

We've all seen the adverts about cleaning with the power of steam and we don't wash crockery or clothes in cold water do we, so why wont cleaning with a steam mop keep the grout clean?

Well its simple really. Grout is naturally very porous. Steam will heat up the grease from the tiles and will then fall into the porous grout line which is also usually below the level of the tiles. Then you have a nice greasy sticky residue for further soils and grease to stick to.

Steam is not recommended for regular residential tile and grout cleaning.!!

What we do recommend though is a professional thorough deep clean of the tiles and grout, applying a grout sealer and then regular cleaning with a mild alkali cleaner ( not washing up liquids and most floor cleaners as they are on the acidic side of the ph scale so could damage the tile and grout in the long run) and then drying the floor with towels or/and a wet pick up vacuum cleaner.


So back to those questions:

"How do I keep the grout clean?" - By regular cleaning with a mild alkali cleaner and drying the floor afterwards with a wet/dry vacuum clean or using towels ( you'll be surprised at how dirty the towels get even after regular cleaning)

"Will a steam mop get them clean?" - Yes it will clean the tiles, but the steam will melt the grease and dissolve it into the porous grout so you will end up with very dirty grout lines.

"Can you put anything onto the grout to stop it getting dirty?" - Yes and no. We can apply a sealer to make it impervious to soiling and staining, but it will still get dirty and will require maintenance cleaning and an annual professional deep clean.

If you are still unsure of what to use to bring your tile and grout back to life, please contact us on 01525 552222 or email us on info@carpetcleaningbedfordshire.co.uk 

Regards

Andrew








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