March Home Maintenance To-Do’s: Seal Your Tile Grout

The month of March—when temps are beginning to rise but before those April showers—is the ideal time to get down and dirty with those maintenance projects, says J.B. Sassano, president of Mr. Handyman, a commercial and residential repair, maintenance, and improvement franchise. March “home maintenance projects can extend the longevity and improve the quality of your home, inside and out,” he says.

One of the things you can do is to take some time this month to clean and seal your tile grout to keep it looking like new. Ceramic tile may be one of the lowest-maintenance and toughest flooring options available, but the grout between the tiles is porous and easily absorbs stains. Below are the simple steps you can take to seal your grout, courtesy Today’s Homeowner:

To Seal Tile Grout:

1. Start by cleaning grout lines with a scrub brush or old toothbrush using a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar. A mixture of bleach and water can also be used to remove stubborn stains. Be sure to remove all the stains you can, since any remaining dirt will be trapped beneath the grout sealer.
2. Allow the grout to dry completely after cleaning.
3. Apply commercial grout sealer using a roller applicator bottle that puts the sealer right on the grout lines or a small artist’s paintbrush. Be careful not to get sealer on the tile.
4. If your grout is stained beyond repair, a grout stain can be applied to add color to the grout.
5. If your floors are new, you’ll need to wait 30 days for the grout to cure before sealing it.

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Photo Credit:  romarti / Shutterstock.com