Whilst shiny white tiles with white grout may look beautiful in your new kitchen wall tiles, without a lot of hard work it won’t stay that way. For busy families, we recommend going a shade or two darker if you’re not prepared to have your grout professionally cleaned on a regular (and costly!) basis. Grout can come in a variety of colours to suit any interior or style, such as the wide range of colours in Ultra Color Plus by Mapei.
Whether you’re applying the grout yourself or hiring a professional, ideally the grout needs to have consistent colouring from one side of the room to the other. To avoid common mistakes make sure the same batch of grout is used and that a fresh batch is made up if needed rather than adding water to an existing batch that has dried out. Grout that has been mixed should have the consistency of toothpaste. Another common cause is using dirty water or a dirty sponge to wipe off the tiles during grouting or removal of grout haze.
Generally, powdered grouts expire after one year, while sealed epoxy grouts can be stored almost indefinitely. One of the components in powdered grout is cement, which must be mixed with water and allowed to cure to become firm and stable. If your grout powder has clumps or small, hard lumps, the powder has likely been exposed to water or humidity and should not be used.
Another key point to consider during installation is ensuring the right amount of water is mixed in with the powdered grout. Too much water makes grout runny and prevents it from ever drying and curing properly, and too little water can make it difficult to apply evenly and without clumps.
As grout is porous in nature, it tends to get dirty and stain easily. A way to avoid this is to apply a sealant after installation and regularly clean the grout on top of your regular mopping routine. We recommend having the tiles professionally sealed to ensure an even application.
Grout tends to accumulate dirt and stains easily, especially in kitchens and high-traffic areas in the home. For a natural cleaning solution, you can mix a solution of ½ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of vinegar and 7 cups of water. Spray the mixture onto your grout lines with a spray bottle and work it in with a sponge or old toothbrush. Wipe the tile dry with a cloth to finish the job. For tough stains, mix a solution of one part bleach to five parts water and scrub until the stains are gone. If the stains still remain, particularly if you have light-coloured tiles and grout, then we recommend professional cleaning and then sealing (if not already done during installation).
Need more help? Wall Boulevard has a long history in the tiling industry, in particular, tiles Melbourne and can help you with your tile and grout needs. Our founder, Luke Wall, comes from three generations of tilers, and over the past few years has turned his humble corner store into a bustling hub that caters for the backyard D.I.Y’er, to tilers and builders alike.
Ready to get started? Call us now on 03 8683 6514 or visit us at https://wallboulevard.com.au/
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Rooted in three generations of tiling expertise, Luke Wall transformed a corner store into Wall Boulevard a bustling hub delivering 24/7 service excellence to DIYers, tilers, and builders.
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