By When you want to clean and seal grout, you need a few items which I have listed down;
- Cleaning Brush
- Sealant applicator
- Chemical resistant gloves
- Splash resistant goggles
- Grout cleaner
- Grout sealer
There are a few things you should know before buying products to clean and seal grout which are as follows;
- Make sure that the grout does not have loose cracks or fragments.
- Some cleaners and sealants may be powerful enough that you need to take special precautions. If you do not have protective equipment, invest in buying splash proof goggles, chemical resistant waterproof gloves and a respiratory filter.
- This job does not require special skills, but it does require patience, so load a few new songs into your MP3 player, buy a pair of knee pads to work on the tile floor and spend the time needed for this work.
- If your grout is new and has had several days to harden, ignore the step on cleaning or clean only where necessary and go straight to the stage to seal grout.
- Allow enough ventilation for the cleaner and sealant odors to come out.
- Some commercial cleaners and bleach blends can damage fabrics, so do not wear your best outfits for this project.
Now let’s see how to seal the grout.
Step 1
The trick to apply sealant is to cover only the grout, so use the brush or the wider applicator that covers the grout without the sealant falling on the adjacent tiles. When the tiles are completely dry after cleaning, test the sealant on a few lines of grout in a partially concealed area until you feel comfortable applying it.
Step 2
Follow the manufacturer’s directions and plan your work to avoid walking on the grout sealer before it is dry. Do not skimp, and apply all the sealant that the grout can absorb, but do not allow it to accumulate on the surface. Once the first application is dry, apply the second coat if necessary.
Now if you were never able to color without flying off of the lines and have left sealant on the tiles, do not worry. If the sealant is still wet, clean it immediately with a clean, soft cloth. If it has already dried, clean only the stained area with a damp cloth and remove the residue with a non-abrasive nylon cleaning pad or sponge.
Step 3
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and prevent people from walking on the work area for several hours while the grout sealer heals. After the last application dries, test the grout with a few drops of water on it in different places. The ideal is to see that a small puddle forms on the surface.
The grout sealer helps prevent dirt and spills from penetrating grout, but it is not a miracle product, so you still need to clean the floor regularly and clean up spills immediately before they seep into the grout.
