Grout Steam Cleaner – Does Steam Cleaning Damage Grout?
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While cleaning the smoother surface of tiles is relatively straightforward, the grout channels are not so. Over time, the grout region accumulates lime scale, grease, dirt and water stains to change into a darker and much more unappealing version of the original white color.
Besides dirt, the grout also accumulates a lot of embedded dirt and residual detergent build-ups. This combined deposit is often hard to remove or clean.
This gunk needs extra labor, time and additional help to clean in most cases. However, since the advent of steam cleaners, the cleaning of tile grout has become a much more relatively straightforward job and there is no longer the need for additional assistance or external cleaning agents.
However, a question that is often asked by most of the people is “Does Steam Cleaning Damage Grout?” The answer is NO unlike traditional methods where chemicals and other caustic agents used for grout cleaning have been reported as causing damage to the tile grout. Similarly hired cleaning consultants can also cause damage to the tile grout due to harsh scrubbing with metallic brushes and chemicals like acids and alkalis.
To understand how exactly steam cleaning works and to know the answer of the universal question Does Steam Cleaning Damage Grout? let’s dive a bit deeper into the details about the working mechanism of Steam Cleaner.
Best Steam Cleaners For Grout
Table of Contents
Choosing the Right Steam Cleaner for Your Grout
There are numerous types of steam cleaners available in the market that each have a different purpose. However, for cleaning bathroom tile grout, a steam cleaner with specific tool attachments to reach those hard to reach crevices and corners is needed.
Besides the accessories, a handheld canister steam cleaner is also best suited for grout cleaning. Bathrooms are generally small and confined spaces where portability becomes an important factor that contributes to the ease of the cleaning process. A handheld canister cleaner does not occupy any floor space and is easier to maneuver, making it perfect for tile grout clean up.
What do you need for grout cleaning?
- Steam cleaner with the accessories like brush and tool attachments
- Mop and sponges for post-cleanup wiping
- Bucket
What is the gunk and scum deposits on the grouts made of?
Grout areas are prone to accumulation of any and every kind of debris, particularly in the bathroom. The collected deposits on the grout gradually turn a darker shade over time, eventually outlining your tiles unpleasantly. The discolouration consists of some of the most unhygienic and dirty substances to travel into your home, including skin flakes, human and pet hair, body oils, dried urine droplets, fecal particulate, dried saliva, mud, oils and grease, sand, dead microscopic insects, minerals from the water like calcium, lime, rust, and microbes, among many more.
Related – Best Steam Cleaner for Furniture & Upholstery
Mythbuster – Steam Cleaning vs Chemical Cleaning
Since traditional chemical cleaning has been with us for generations, it is difficult to let go of this age-old cleaning technique. We often see sparkling results at the end of a chemical cleaning session. The tiles are back to being their brand new self and thus making us happy. However, the aftermath can be less than pleasant both for health and wealth.
The reason is straightforward. Chemical cleaning leaves behind a very caustic smell and the expense of the procedure is not very light on the pocket. Additionally if you are a person with respiratory issues or a sensitivity to chemicals, the tiles and floors may need a few days of proper aeration before you can use it safely without ill effect.
In the case of steam cleaners, the process is relatively odorless and does not require professional help. Furthermore, steam cleaning does not leave behind any harsh chemical residues that are extremely unhealthy for both your family and for the environment.
One of the positive aspects of using a steam cleaner for grout cleaning is that it does not apply forced pressure while cleaning. It also does not use harsh corroding chemicals for cleaning. These two aspects in itself make steam cleaning of the grout the least damaging cleaning mechanism of all the alternatives available.
How Should You Clean The Tile Grouts?
Step 1 – Pre wipe the entire tile surface to remove excessive grit, gunk and scum that is easily removed. Using soap and scrub will only give a better and brighter result. Scrub removes most of the adamant stains and dirt, thus making it one step easier for the steam cleaner to clean the grouts.
Step 2 – Set up the steam temperature of the Steam cleaner at maximum and fix the necessary attachments like the nylon bristle brush to the hose pipe end. For stubborn and much more stronger scum and scale remnants, you could use the harder brass bristle brush as they are excellent for these kinds of dirt.
Step 3 – Scrub in a forward and backward motion with short strokes. This ensures that the stress is limited to a single toughened spot and thus gives a faster result.
Step 4 – Always start from the top section of the tiling and move downwards rather than the opposite. As the lower surface of the tiles is generally dirtier, the running hot steam from the upper section will flow downwards. This will ensure that the specks of dirt begin to loosen up slightly in the lower part.
Step 5 – After every few minutes of cleaning, stop the scrubbing process and rinse the area thoroughly to remove the loosened particles. This will also help you review progress and see whether or not you have missed any spots. Keep repeating the rinse and scrub process periodically until the very end.
Step 6 – Though steam cleaning is valid on both sealed and unsealed grout areas, it is crucial to seal the grout post clean up to prevent seepage into the gaps. Grout sealers are a must if you want to increase the longevity of your bathrooms tiles.
Can Steam Cleaner Clean the Tile Grout Effectively?
Cleaning tile grout is a very tiring process. In most cases, it even requires external cleaning service assistance. Leaving the tile grout in the darkened and unsanitary condition, while cleaning the tile surface are often chosen as an alternative by many.
Even if the tile surface is clean and sparkling the border area is what prevents the entire wall and floor surface from looking clean, sparkling and hygienic.
The scum and grit that accumulates over a long period in the end also become the home ground to many unhealthy and invisible elements like microorganisms and molds.
The cleaning service provided by external agents is often burdensome on the pocket while chemical agents are very caustic and cause a detrimental effect on the health.
This is where a Steam cleaner comes into play. It is a one-time investment that does not need additional assistance, nor does it require any other caustic chemicals to clean.
Many are skeptical about the working mechanism of a steam cleaner and if investing in it is a wise decision. However, steam cleaning works under an elementary yet effective principal. Super-heated and high pressured steam is used to clean. The super-heated steam emitted causes the emulsified scum and other remnants to dissolve and loosen up from the grout area.
Using tools like brass and nylon bristle brushes to scrub along while steaming only fastens the process and gives a much more superior result.
Where Can Grout Steam Cleaner be Used?
Grout steam cleaner can be used on floors and walls with equal ease. It works perfectly well on any surfaces like –
- Ceramic
- Porcelain
- Marble
- Granite
- Travertine
- Sanded Flooring
- Unsanded Flooring
- Epoxy walls and floor surfaces
- Laminates
How often should steam cleaning of the grout be done?
Regular cleaning of the grout will only deteriorate the condition of the area. Even though steam cleaning is relatively harmless, it only increases the chances of moisture entrapment and dissolution of the chemicals that make up the grout sealant.
If grout is left uncleaned for a longer tenure, the dirt, grime, and scum begin to accumulate and harden, thus making it difficult to clean later on.
To prevent such situations, steam cleaning of grout every 8 to 10 days is the best and most suitable practice. The dirt and scum are not hardened to excess, nor are they very loose enough to wash away. This is the perfect and optimal time to steam clean the grout to remove the remnants easily without the need of adding repetitive stances.
How much does a grout steam cleaner cost?
Contrary to popular belief, a grout steam cleaner is much less expensive than expected. Ranging between $90 to $120, grout steam cleaners often last for at least half a decade before failure. In comparison, the cost of hiring an external cleaning service is nowhere less than at least $500 or more per visit. Imagine the total expenditure on cleaning service over 5 years time spent using a Steam Cleaner?
Since steam cleaning is just a one-person job, there is no extra expense of hiring additional help and incurring more cost.
The fumigation and the remnants of chemicals along with the smell after the cleaning service people leave is way more of a hassle than what you need. Since steam cleaners only use water and an occasional bout of mild detergent, it is not hard on the pocket. Not only that, it is also great for the well being of your respiratory tract!
Check – Best Steam Cleaner for Bathroom
Final Verdict – Does Steam Cleaning Damage Grout?
Absolutely NOT! Steam Cleaning never harms or damages Grout.
Compared to various other cleaning alternatives, steaming is a better alternative. Since the foreign deposits on the grout are cleaned using high-pressure super-heated steam minus any caustic elements, the lining of the grout does not dissolve or break off, as that happens in case of chemical cleaning,
Secondly, even though brass and nylon brush extensions are used for cleaning the grout, the pressure exerted by them is very mild compared to the one used manually by cleaning services. This prevents chipping or breaking of tile grouts thus once again proving the far superior efficiency of the Steam Cleaner,
Thirdly, if you think cleaning grout is a robust and expensive job, then you are entirely wrong. Investing one time on a grout steam cleaner is a wise decision that can save a lot of money over the following years.
It can be your secret cleaning weapon to be used every time you are planning to host guests at home. The sparkling walls and floors will leave most mesmerized and curious about your financial standing.
Last update on 2024-10-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
