Tile and grout are porous materials. This means they can absorb stains like nobody’s business. That’s what sealant is for – it blocks up these tiny pores, stopping stains before they even have a chance. It’s a great idea to fill every nook and cranny of your Arcadia home’s tile and grout with sealant.
Unfortunately, the sealant doesn’t last forever. And It’s tricky to properly maintain unsealed tile and grout. You need to ensure your grout is perpetually sealed – and there are a few scenarios where your grout won’t be. Here’s how to identify when you need to apply some grout sealant.
As Soon As Tile Is Installed
If you’ve just installed new tiles, you need to seal them. Right now is the best that your tile will look, and you should try to preserve that shine as long as possible. Your new tile must be sealed fast, before anything happens.
You’re tracking dirt whenever you walk on your Arcadia home’s tile. And when you do get around to sealing the tile, that dirt will be stuck inside. Get your tile sealed as soon as possible after installation because you never know how much of a mess you’ll create.
After Failing The Water Bead Test
So, what’s the water bead test? Well, it’s simple.
If you’re unsure whether or not your tile is sealed, all you have to do is drop a few drops of water on its surface. Pay attention to how the water behaves – does it sink into the tile, or does it form beads?
If it forms beads, congratulations, your tile is sealed. But if it doesn’t, the tile is currently porous and absorbing liquids. This means it’ll absorb much more colorful liquids and other staining messes. Get proper tile & grout cleaning by an Arcadia cleaning professional and then have it sealed.
After Deep Cleaning
A professional Arcadia deep cleaning is a great way to remove everything from your tile’s pores. Steam cleaning machines can pull up any deep-set material stuck within all kinds of surfaces, including tiles. Unfortunately, this often includes the sealant as well.
You need your tile cleaned regularly, even when you have a sealant. Sealant isn’t a perfect solution, after all. The upside to this cleaning is that you should always have your tile cleaned before getting it sealed to make sure the sealant isn’t trapping dirt inside. If you’re getting your annual tile cleaning done anyway, you might as well get sealing done afterward.
After A Year
Even under normal circumstances, the sealant doesn’t last forever. Everyday wear will eventually cause it to be lifted, rubbed, and removed from the tile’s pores. That’s not to mention all the cleanings the tile will undergo over time, including the annual deep cleaning by a Arcadia professional that you should get.
After about a year, you should have your tile resealed. This ensures that your tile performs to its maximum potential, and you don’t need to replace it anytime soon. Tiles wear down and get dirty over time no matter what, so do what you can to slow this process.