HomeWise.ie
Ireland's Home & Garden Search Engine
   


Seller Signup...

Quality Service, Seller or Tradesperson? Sign Up Now!




Home & Garden Articles


Should You Seal Your Ceramic Tile?

Tue 12 Dec 2006 - 08:37

Should You Seal Your Ceramic Tile?
By Bobby Walker

Sealing your ceramic tile can be beneficial if done properly, but performed improperly, the future of you flooring could be in grave danger!

I want to set the record straight about sealing your ceramic tile grout. When I say this, it's not from speculation, but from 14 years of experience. Sealing your grout does not last near as long as the manufacturer would like you to believe. If you are sealing your grout with a sealer that has a 5 year warranty, you will be lucky if it lasts 6 months, especially if you are sealing the grout in your bathroom where there is a lot of moisture.

If you are going to seal your grout, it must be done in a very strict and deliberate fashion. First, you must use a high quality sealer. (this usually translates into a more expensive sealer.) Keep in mind the investment you just made having your ceramic tile installed in your home. You should be spending $100 or more per gallon for you sealer, do not settle for anything cheaper.

Even more important than the sealer is the maintenance you perform on your floor to keep it clean. Never use heavy soaps or detergents to clean your ceramic tile. It's best to use a mix of white vinegar and water. 10 oz. for 3 gallons of water will be plenty. Soaps will dull the floor and leave sticky residue that will attract dirt. Also, your mop should be changed frequently. Nothing will make the floor look worse than a dirty mop head.

Because most people won't follow a strict regimen of cleaning their floor, the sealer that has been applied loses most of it's life expectancy. In turn, when it comes time to have your grout professionally cleaned, the dirt that is trapped under the sealer from improper cleaning actually inhibits the cleaning process, resulting in a sub par cleaning result.

For this reason, I don't even recommend to my customers that they seal their grout. It is better to leave the grout unsealed and just clean it professionally every year or two. Trust that what I'm saying is true. I make money by cleaning and sealing grout in people's homes, so why would I turn down the opportunity? Because it's just not that effective and I refuse to give my customers something that they don't really need.

The bottom line is if you are going to seal your grout, make sure it's done professionally and then you must and I do mean must keep it cleaned regularly. If you don't feel you have time to clean in this fashion, then don't waste your money having it sealed. It will just cause you more headaches in the long run.

Learn how to clean and seal your grout properly
http://www.groutcleaningtips.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bobby_Walker


Looking for information on Plumbing & Heating, Find a supplier at HomeWise.ie

back to Plumbing & Heating articles
back to all home & garden articles