Learning how to clean grout on tiles with steam is very important for homeowners, especially when they have multiple rooms with tile floors.
The grout is very susceptible to limescale, residual detergent, water stains, and other forms of dirt that accumulate over time.
So, if you don’t give your grout enough attention your grout’s white color will eventually become dark, filthy, and very uninviting, hence the need to steam clean tile floors and grout on a regular basis.
The beauty behind steam cleaning is that even if you have very porous tiles, hot steam can penetrate the pores and crevices more efficiently than any other method of cleaning.
The hot steam allows deep-seated dirt, grease, and grime to be softened and loosened immediately. The question is, how do you do this efficiently? Check out the following steps to find out how.
Learn How To Clean Grout On Tiles With Steam, Follow these Steps
Eliminate the dirt on the surface.
Don’t get too excited about steam cleaning tile floors and grout. Before you grab your steam cleaning machine, see to it that you first eliminate all the dirt on the surface.
Vacuum your tiled floors so that the dust, pet hair, and other tiny dirt particles are removed by the time you start steam cleaning.
If steam cleaning tile floors and grout are done on moisture-heavy areas such as the bathroom, you might as well first wipe off any surface dirt and grime.
Also, be sure to tidy up, you do not want to find yourself pausing your steam cleaning equipment every now and then just to get rid of the clutter and other dirt on the tile surface.
Loosen stubborn dirt with a nylon-bristled brush:
Although it depends on the type of steam cleaning device that you use, there are times when the process of steam cleaning tile floors and grout only removes the dirt and mildew found at the top of the grout.
A lot of people find it daunting whenever they think about how to clean grout on tiles with steam.
This is when the use of nylon bristled brush comes in handy. You can do this right before using your steam cleaner.
Go over your floor tiles and grout first, then, brush those surfaces while giving more attention to areas where stubborn dirt has accumulated.
Use the right floor steam cleaning device.
In our house, we love the Smart Living plus Steam cleaner, the bundle we purchased came with a hand steamer to be used specifically for steam cleaning tile floors and grout. It also works great on shower tiles and grouts.
Invest in a high quality steam cleaner and you will not only be singing more songs in the shower, you will also be seeing more places inside your home worthy of that Instagram post.
Grab a clean steam mop replacement.
The best part about your floor steam mop is you no longer have excess water used, filling buckets of water, dirtying the water, changing and cleaning again.
This exhausting process is entirely eliminated, now all you have to do is swap out the steam mop pad for a fresh, clean one.
There are quite a few different steam mop brands on the market to choose from. Bissell makes them, so does Shark, there’s also PurSteam ThermaPro, Dupray Neat Steam and many more.
To see a list of all these check out this article by Real Simple.
Start steam cleaning your tile floors and grout.
Even the best steam cleaning device will not result in a streak-free floor if the process is not done correctly.
See to it that you begin working from top to bottom. Start steam cleaning the highest areas like your walls and then gradually work your way down.
Doing it the other way around would lead to loosened up dirt dripping down to your floors, which means you’ll have to clean your floor tiles and grout all over again.
Don’t go swinging your steam cleaning device in a very fast manner. Give it enough time to break down that stubborn grunge, especially in the grout.
It is best to work on one small area first, before you move on to the next side. When trying to clean the grout, employ powerful back and forth strokes until the dirt is eliminated.
Do not forget to rinse.
Note that grout is porous, thus making it prone to absorbing dirt quickly, so, once you’re done working on a small area, rinse it right away to avoid the dirt from settling once again into the crevices of the grout that you just cleaned.
Refill and reheat your steam cleaning machine whenever you need to.
Perform grout sealing regularly.
Grout is mostly made of cement, which makes it tough and porous all at the same time. Its porous material is what makes it so prone to absorbing dirt quickly.
Tile grout is sensitive to grime, dirt and debris, however, it plays a crucial role in the overall look of your tiled floor.
When you seal your grout regularly, you can rest assured that your floor has added a protective layer, resulting in a cleaner look.
Your floors will also be less likely to harbor mould and mildew that could serve as a breeding ground for bacteria.
Yes, they can, but only when you use a chemical cleaning agent along with your steam mops. This is true especially if the chemical used is not recommended by the steam cleaner manufacturer.
There are chemicals that are so harsh that they can indeed cause damage to your floor tiles.
Moreover, it is not only the floor tiles and grout that could possibly be damaged by harsh chemicals, steam mops may also suffer the same fate, so use chemicals with great caution.
Different chemicals have different effects and reactions. There are chemicals that have the capability to reduce the transfer of heat from the steam cleaning device to the floor. Other chemicals are so harsh that they stop the machine from working all together.
This is why it is important that you read the user’s manual, so you understand how to properly steam clean tile grout in the safest and most efficient way possible.
How To Clean Grout On Tiles With Steam, Without Damaging It:
Due to the high temperatures steam cleaners produce, many homeowners wonder whether steam cleaning can damage grout or not.
Does steam cleaning damage grout?
Good news! No, steaming is vaporized water and does not have the ability to damage something as hard as grout, with the caveat that chemicals are not added to the water.
Steam cleaning makes use of water heated at high temperatures to be able to produce steam that’s hot and strong enough to drive away dirt even in the hardest to reach areas of the floor tiles and grout.
However, the high temperatures that the floor tiles are being subjected to during steam cleaning has led many homeowners to wonder whether such a process could damage the tiles.
If chemicals are added to the water and then vaporized, you could be changing the structure of the chemical which could cause damage to your grout.
Therefore, it is important that when you steam clean tile grout, avoid pouring harsh chemicals into the water.
Play it safe, use plain water only. By using regular water, you’ll avoid any possibility of causing damage whenever you’re steam cleaning your grout and tile floors.
When you know how to steam clean your grout the proper way, chances are slim that any damage will occur.
That said, if everything is done correctly you can expect to have clean-looking grout and tile floors for years.
Whether your grout is sealed or unsealed, steam cleaning will work wonders in making it look spick and span by using just water alone.
There is no need for harsh chemicals but just good old elbow grease coupled with the right steam cleaning equipment.
Steam cleaning is not only the most effective way to clean a tiled floor, it’s also the safest way of giving you peace of mind knowing that you won’t have to use chemicals or any other cleaning substances.
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