Tile, Grout and Stone
Cleaning.

First it is important to identify what type of material is being cleaned by our tile, grout or stone cleaning service. The material will determine what products are needed to ensure the best results. Key things to look for are chipped or cracked tiles and grout. Sometimes stone, tile or grout cleaning can cause further damage if there are too many entry points for moisture to penetrate into the sub-floor.

The USClean team vacuums or sweeps to remove non-soluble soil (dry particulate). Removing the non-soluble soil is very important for a successful result. It can also improve the indoor air quality of your home. Popular substances removed are: pet hair, human hair, dead skin cells, dust, pollens, bugs, pollutants, food, etc.

Depending on the extent of the soil level, a restorative or regular cleaning may be needed. Either way, USClean will determine the appropriate tile, grout or stone cleaning service, apply the right cleaning agent to the surface and ensure a great result.

USClean allows for the cleaning solution to penetrate the soil, helping it to loosen and ultimately, making it easier to remove.

Agitation is key in USClean’s tile, grout or stone cleaning service. It allows for the soil to be broken up further and lets the cleaning solution penetrate through several levels of the soil. This can be done by using high pressure water or a stiff brush.

In this step the loosened soil is removed. USClean re-applies the cleaner: this step is optional and only necessary if there is any remaining soil on the surface. If this is the case, we allow for more dwell time, agitate the solution and then extract the remaining soil.

Neutralization is one of the most important steps of the whole tile, grout or stone cleaning process. This leaves the surface squeaky clean, removing any haze or other residue.

This is an optional step in the process. If used, the USClean cleaning service applies a sealant to either natural stone or grout lines.

Any natural stone (like granite, marble, travertine, limestone, sandstone, etc.) and Portland cement (primarily used for grout) is porous. When soil or water gets on to the floor, the pores can be filled up. Does your stone or grout get darker when it gets wet? If so, it needs to be sealed.

There are a few types of sealants. Water based & solvent based have different purposes and need to be applied on certain types of stones. There are sealants that penetrate into the stone allowing for it to breathe, but the stone can still be stained by certain types of foods or beverages and another sealant that seals off the entire surface of the stone, allowing for no air to pass through and virtually no staining. Determining what type of sealant you need depends on the type of stone you have and what your goals are. It’s best to consult with a professional instead of guessing or putting the wrong type of sealant on.

The sealant penetrates into the open pores and fills them up. When it cures, it leaves no place for soil or water to penetrate. When done properly, the soil will stay on the surface and be easily removed from day to day cleanings and water will bead up and eventually evaporate. The stone and grout will not turn a darker color. Why would you make an investment in cleaning your stone and/or grout and not seal it ?

This really depends on how the stone and grout is being taken care of. Some cleaners are so strong in their pH, they will remove the sealant in a matter of a few days. Make sure the pH does not exceed 10.

If you are using a neutral pH (7) and clean on a regular basis, most sealants will last 2 to 5 years. This does not mean to wait to have the surface professionally cleaned every 2 to 5 years. There are many things we can do to remove the build up of soil on the floor.

Most of the time, when a cleaning solution has a pH of 8.5 or higher, it can leave a residue on the floor. The residue is causing the haze. To remove the haze, use a cleaner that has a pH of 7. Sometimes a haze may be left after applying a sealant. If this is the case, re-apply some of the sealant on a white-lint free towel and buff it out.

More often than not, it is because there is a large amount of soil that has accumulated on the grout. Obviously, higher traffic areas are going to have more soil. Look around the room and see if the darker areas are places where you spend most of your time walking or lingering.

There is really no easy way to determine what your original grout color is without the help of a professional. However, with this being said, look around the room and find where the grout meets the wall. If you notice a much lighter color, then chances are, that is close to what the original color is. Other places to look is in a closet or behind a toilet.

Yes and no. It really depends on what the soiling level is. Natural stone is made up of calcium from the earth where as a ceramic tile is man made. Natural stone is much more susceptible to specific types of cleaning agents where it does not really matter what you put on a ceramic tile because it’s stain resistant. Remember, natural stone is porous, so it will take in what ever liquid you put on it.

Products made for natural stone can be used on ceramic tile where some products made for ceramic tile cannot be used on natural stone. Read the next question to find out more on why this is.

Restorative cleaning may be necessary when the grout has been neglected for a long period of time. The soil gets lodged into the open pores and a normal cleaning may not have the ability to loosen it up. In this case, a very strong acid cleaner is applied. The acid dissolves the top layer of the calcium from the grout. When the calcium dissolves, it makes the lodged soil loosen up so it can be removed.

WARNING ! Applying an acid cleaner to a natural stone can damage the stone. Natural stone has calcium. If an acid cleaner is applied to the stone, it will etch the stone, taking off the finished look and making it feel rough and look dull. If cleaning the stone and you see and hear white fizzing, get it off immediately !

There are a variety of natural stones and man made tiles. The natural stones are rated by the MOH's hardness scale. A 1 would represent a very soft stone, while a 10 would be the hardest stone, Diamond. The most popular natural stones used for countertops or flooring are marble, limestone, travertine, granite, and sandstone. Man made tiles would consist of glazed ceramic tile, quarry tile, terra cotta, saltillo, porcelian, and terrazzo.