The Appearance of These Natural Stone Tiles Improved Dramatically with Sir Grout's Stone Cleaning Procedure in Manhattan, NY

October 19, 2017

Natural stone can come in different finishes, for instance, honed, polished, or tumbled. The tumbling process consists of softening the tiled surface and wearing down the edges by tumbling the tile or stone slabs in a rubber drum along with water, sand, and rocks. Tumbled stone floors have a muted color and a rugged finish, but that doesn't mean that they can go withhout maintenance. In the case of tumbled stone, the wrong maintenance routine will leave it dingy and worn out, instead of beautifully rugged. Grout is just as important as the stone itself; it is what fills in the lines between tiles. Cementitious grout —the most common type—is porous, and therefore naturally prone to accumulating grime. This means that as much care as a homeowner may provide, grout is most likely going to deteriorate and stain (unless you use epoxy grout and not the cementitious version or you seal it with an epoxy sealant). Caring for both of these elements is equally important when keeping the floor in its best shape, but there might come a time when regular procedures cannot save the damage that wear and tear or incorrect maintenance have done. This is when a stone cleaning and a grout sealing procedure are necessary to renew the floor.


This homeowner in Manhattan had forgotten to take care of her tumbled stone bathroom tiles and the grout had become too stained for any common cleaning procedure to be truly effective. She attempted to clean them as usual, but nothing she did gave the tiles their original appearance back. She finally decided to look for a Manhattan Stone Cleaning company to restore her tiles, and she came across our website after searching on the Internet. She decided to request a free consultation and we scheduled a day to visit her and start the assessment.

Upon arrival, our team observed the area and corroborated that the tiles and grout were worn down. We asked the homeowner what she had been doing to clean her tiles, and we learned that her use of acidic cleaners had been responsible for the deterioration of the stone. Most common household cleaners have acidic components that eat away at natural stone progressively. The problem is that most homeowners don't know that they are damaging their tile by using these products. We considered that the best way to fix the damage was to do a stone cleaning and color sealing procedure for maximum protection.

The cleaning procedure started with the application of appropriate cleaners that removed the deep-seated grime from the tiles and grout. After this, a high-speed machine was used to scrub the surface. Just with this deep cleaning procedure, the appearance of the bathroom had changed. Afterward, our technicians color sealed in order to seal the tile. This procedure protects the grout from mold, mildew, spills, stains, and water. ColorSeal, our proprietary product, is made of epoxy compounds that harden and fortify the grout, offering high durability and leaving a smooth and plastic-like finish on the grout, which makes cleaning a lot easier and prevents the accumulation of grime. In addition, the client can choose its color from a wide range of hues. The best way to protect grout for many years and facilitate its cleaning is color sealing.

These two procedures left the tumbled stone tiles looking as good as new and the grout looking perfectly clean. The homeowner was thrilled to see that she didn't even have to think about retiling—the original rugged look of her tumbled tiles was back. To maintain this job in optimal condition for a long time to come, we advised our client to be careful with their cleaning methods; she should use two buckets when mopping the floor, one for the cleaning solution (preferably a mild one with the correct concentration) and the other for rinsing the mop. Using only one bucket means that each time the mop is rinsed, it absorbs dirty water, which is then spread back onto the floor and eventually builds up, staining the floor and the grout. Bathrooms are prone to mold growth, therefore, we also advised our client to eliminate possible sources of permanent moisture such as leaking pipes or wet floors after showers. The best way to avoid mold is keeping moisture levels low, for which it's a good idea to squeegee the shower and dry the floor frequently. For maximum care, other bathroom accessories, such as shower doors or curtains, should be cared for in the same way.

Sir Grout Manhattan offers impeccable results, experienced technicians, and insuperable customer service that exceeds our clients' expectations. We can renew hard surfaces anywhere in your home or commercial facilities. Fill out the "Request a Quote" form you'll find on this website for free in-home consultation. For further information, call us at (718) 557-9283, or subscribe to our newsletter to keep informed about our services.

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