How to Remove Grout From Ceramic Tile

You must have invested a lot to have those beautiful ceramic tiles at your home. After the initial glory and glaze, it must have depressed you to find dirt or mildew building up on your precious tiles. You must also have noticed the discolored grout between the tiles. Are you worried about your ceramic tiles getting spoiled? You need not worry, as there are ways of cleaning ceramic tiles. Let us take a look at a few.

How to Clean Ceramic Tiles and Grout

Ceramic tiles are available in two types; glazed and unglazed ones. The glazed tiles are covered with a shiny coat. They are water repellent and hence, are easy to clean. It is the unglazed ones or the matte finish ones, that are difficult to clean. Following are some easy ways of cleaning ceramic tiles.

• Washing the tiles with tap water is the best way to clean ceramic tiles.
• You can use detergent powder mixed in water, to clean ceramic tiles. Add 4 tablespoons of detergent powder into a bucket of water. After you are finished washing with the detergent solution, you must clean it again with clean water.
• Another way is to use cleaning products recommended by the manufacturers. You must read the instructions carefully, before use.
• Avoid using acidic or alkaline products for cleaning the ceramic tile.
• It is always advisable to clean any stain from the ceramic tile immediately, and make sure you don't let it dry. This way, you will not have to excessively scrub the floor which can damage the tiles.

Grout is the substance which helps in binding the two tiles together. Its color can either be similar to that of the tiles or in contrast. When the grout gets discolored or starts looking untidy, it should be cleaned immediately. Many people find it difficult to clean grout from ceramic tiles. Here are some useful tips.

• Using bleach is an excellent method of cleaning grout. Mix household bleach with water and use the solution to clean grout.
• Hydrogen peroxide with water, is also a good solution to clean grout. Mix one cup of water with half a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Spray this solution on the grout.
• Caulking grout is also necessary to prevent it from retaining moisture. Moisture can cause mildew to grow or can even loosen the tiles. To prevent the growth of mildew, you can spray mildew repellent on the grout.

Removing Grout from Ceramic Tile

If the grout is beyond cleaning, you can always seal it or remove it. The tools required for removing grout are grout saw, grout scraper, and chisel. You have to be careful not to damage the tiles in the process. The steps for removing grout are listed below

• Remove the old grout from the tile using the grout saw.
• Tap out the remaining grout from the tile using the scraper and chisel.
• Use water to clean the remaining part.

Ceramic Tile Maintenance

• It is necessary to sweep or vacuum the floors regularly. Do not clean the tiles with water before sweeping them.
• Steam cleaners are recommended for cleaning. Do not use oil based cleaning products to clean ceramic tiles.
• Do not drag heavy or metallic objects on ceramic tiles as it can result in irreparable scratches.
• It is better to use door mats to reduce the amount of dirt entering your house.

Take every precaution possible to prevent ceramic tiles from getting stained. By following these cleaning methods, you can have beautiful and spotlessly clean ceramic tiles.