The Professional vs. The Amateur: Tile & Grout Cleaning

Cleaning tile and grout can be backbreaking work. Despite so many products available in stores claiming to clean tile and grout without scrubbing, to get a deep down, full out clean, that is often simply not the case.

Products – In-Store vs. Professional Grade

Products bought in stores do not have the strength or ability to reach deep into the porous grout to clean away deep, set-in dirt and stains. Plus, many say all you need to do is spray it on, let it sit, then wipe or rinse away. If a cleaning claim sounds too good to be true, that might just be the case.

Professional tile and grout cleaning companies, like PCS Southern Connecticut, have years of experience doing tile and grout cleaning and use equally effective and reliable cleaning products to get the job done. These products, combined with professional tile and grout cleaning equipment, can reach deep into the pores of the grout and some tile, and release set-in debris.

That dirt can over time cause the grout to break down and chip and crack, eventually needing full replacement. That can be a much more costly endeavor than paying for regular professional cleanings.

Equipment – Household vs. Professional

Be honest – you’ve scrubbed grout with a toothbrush, haven’t you? Talk about wasting away the beautiful summer here in Waterbury! A toothbrush covers far too little an area to be used to clean an entire home. Likewise, some scrub brushes are so coarse they can actually damage the tile and grout.

The reality is, some household cleaning supplies may really only compound the problem. For example, mopping your bathroom floor could just be pushing the dirt around and not really offering a true clean. Over time, despite your routine cleaning efforts, surfaces may begin to dull and stain because the dirt remains.

It is important to find a good balance between effective and abrasive so none of the surfaces are damaged. Professional cleaners have experience will all kinds of surfaces, and know what will or will not be OK for various finishes as well. For example, many homeowners have learned the hard way that you can ruin the shiny finish on granite or marble by using an ammonia-based cleaning product. By the time you notice, the damage has been done, and repairs are needed to restore the floor.

Professional cleaning companies have top-of-the-line equipment, such as steamers, and technology that will gently, but effectively give all your tile and grout surfaces a deep clean, and restore their luster.

Time – Yours vs. Theirs

Your time is valuable! Don’t waste hours of your precious weekend scrubbing tile and grout hoping it will come clean. What would take you hours to get done can take a professional cleaning service 60 to 90 minutes to complete – give or take a little, depending on the size and space needing to be cleaned.

As an added benefit, you can choose to have your tile and grout sealed after the cleaning is complete to keep it all looking newer and cleaner, longer.