| As tile and grout cleaning moves from low tech to | | | | especially darker tiles. A free demonstration is a great |
| high tech, more carpet cleaning companies are finding | | | | way to sell customers on tile cleaning. To remove it, |
| tile and grout cleaning to be more profitable than | | | | allow adequate drying time for the minerals to |
| carpet cleaning. | | | | accumulate completely to the surface of the grout or |
| This untapped market produces returns from 50 | | | | tile, then buff it out using an abrasive pad or brush. |
| cents to $1.50 per square foot and all you need are a | | | | 3. Scratch the tile Scratch the surface of the tile with |
| few tools and chemicals that work with your existing | | | | a sharp knife. Make sure you ask for permission, |
| truckmount and portable. However, many carpet | | | | since you wouldn't want to replace the tile at your |
| cleaners are reluctant to get into this business, mainly | | | | expense. Find an inconspicuous area where you are |
| because they are not sure how to perform the | | | | going to test or get a piece of extra tile. If the stone |
| service. They're afraid that they will ruin something, | | | | scratches, high pressure may not be the ideal cleaning |
| and while these fears are understandably true, a little | | | | method. If caution is taken to make sure no dirt gets |
| education can quickly overcome your fears. | | | | trapped under the tools being used, then these tools |
| Here are some basic types of tiles: | | | | can be used at lower pressures. The softer the tile, |
| Man-made hard ceramic and porcelain | | | | the lower the pressure. |
| Natural Stone | | | | 4. Apply phosphoric acid If it fizzes, then the tile is |
| Vinyl | | | | natural. In the beginning, you will avoid natural stones, |
| Soft Clay | | | | but if you test first, then you can successfully clean |
| There are also 4 major types of grout: | | | | even the softest of stone tiles. Grout concerns The |
| Sanded lime-based cementious | | | | problem with grout is that each time tile is mopped, |
| Unsanded lime-based cementitious | | | | dirt gets pushed down into the grout lines, making it |
| Sanded epoxy-based | | | | several times dirtier than the tile. |
| Unsanded epoxy-based | | | | Efflorescence is a white, chalky substance that can |
| If you're a beginner, you should first learn to clean | | | | be buffed off using an abrasive pad or brush in the |
| the most common tiles and grout until you gain more | | | | dry state. "We have found two things to work well |
| experience. How do you know what is common and | | | | on grout," Melody Price, sales manager for Magic |
| what is not? Four tests may need to be done to | | | | Wand Company, said. "One is a concentration of high |
| determine the suitability of the floor to be cleaned. | | | | pressure and the other is a tile safe bleach product." |
| The goal is to check to see if it's man-made or | | | | The pressure is necessary to get into the small |
| natural. Learn to identify the tile type before | | | | opening of grout to blow out the dirt. The oxygen |
| attempting to clean. | | | | bleach is necessary to bleach away years of dirt that |
| 1. Does the tile pattern repeat? In a large room you | | | | have been absorbed into the grout. The key is the |
| would see the man-made tile repeated in a | | | | dwell-time with this product; the dirtier the grout, the |
| combination of four to six different tiles. With natural | | | | longer the dwell time. It is important to keep the |
| stone, every tile would be different and has the 1 | | | | area wet while the chemical is allowed to work. |
| 16th beveled edge. Tile manufacturers are making | | | | Two grout types Cementitious grout and epoxy |
| more and more look-a-likes that try to duplicate real | | | | grout are basically the two types of grout. The way |
| stone in every way, which makes this task even | | | | to tell the difference between them is to take a |
| more difficult. Don't be alarmed. Just visit your local | | | | knife and try to cut it in an inconspicuous area. |
| flooring store to learn to tell the difference visually. A | | | | Cementitious grout will be dry and powdery because |
| trained eye can usually determine whether it's | | | | it is lime based, while epoxy grout can be cut into like |
| man-made or natural by sight alone. Scott Rendall, of | | | | plastic. Epoxy grout also does not need to be sealed, |
| BRC Systems and owner of Sci-Clean in Brighton, MI, | | | | since it will not absorb moisture like an unsealed |
| says good inspection is most important and suggests | | | | cementatious grout. Do not deliberately try to seal an |
| looking for chips or broken tiles. "Make sure grout is | | | | epoxy grout or your efforts will be in vain. |
| intact, he said. "When cleaning marble or other natural | | | | High pressure tile cleaning can have dramatic results. |
| tiles, don't use acid because it will etch the surface." | | | | Most grout will come clean, but if it still looks |
| If the tile pattern repeats, then it's man-made. The | | | | "blotchy" Price recommends repeating the application |
| following three tests are necessary only if you | | | | of the oxygen bleach to give it another opportunity |
| haven't determined this from the previous test. | | | | to get absorbed in the grout that it did not get |
| 2. Determine surface porosity Placing a few drops of | | | | earlier because of the build up. As a last resort, use |
| water on the tile. Some tiles will show an immediate | | | | one to 10 parts of muriatic acid. Apply it with a towel |
| absorption of water. There's a range of porosity and | | | | on the grout only, and rinse it out within two minutes. |
| even the most dense stone-like granite will allow | | | | You can increase the concentration if the grout does |
| water to flow through it, even though it could take | | | | not respond. Only use this on cementitious grout. |
| more than 10 minutes to fully penetrate the surface | | | | This is an industry that belonged to the janitorial and |
| and more than 30 minutes to work through the | | | | maid service industry, but has seamlessly connected |
| whole tile. Most ceramic tile is relatively non-porous. | | | | itself to ours as we've developed tools and chemicals |
| The more porous the tile, the more prone the tile is | | | | that work in conjunction with our truckmounts and |
| to efflorescence as a result of cleaning. You may | | | | portables to produce "jaw-dropping" results. |
| notice some efflorescence, a precipitate that has the | | | | Whether you need help cleaning or need carpet |
| appearance of a white, chalky, powder-like substance | | | | cleaning chemicals or tile and grout cleaning supplies, I |
| on the surface of the grout and most porous tiles, | | | | would be happy to help you every step of the way. |