Why Is My Grout Falling Out?

There are a few people we give estimates for that have spots in there grout that have either worn out, or are spotty with missing grout. When we first go into the house and we see this problem, the first thing I look at is the size of the dogs they have in the home.  Yes, it's your dogs causing the grout to flick out in small pieces all over the floor.  There are a few reasons why this happens so don't start sending your dog away yet.

The main thing that causes your grout to be torn apart easily, is the installation. When mixing grout, sometimes technicians like to mix it with more water, than it's called for. This makes it easier to float (mush into the joints) the grout and stretches the grout so you don't have to use as much. The problem is that it causes the bonding agents that are in the grout to not hold properly and release with time. This makes the grout brittle and easier for it to be scrapped out.  If your grout is in extremely bad shape, the only recourse is to remove the remainder of the grout and regrout the floor with the proper mixture of grout. DO NOT attempt to simply float new grout on top of the old stuff. This is a nightmare you will not want. The grout that is floated on the old stuff will not adhere to the new stuff effectively and will eventually begin to fall out and flake. This will also cause the grout lines to be too high and more even with the tile. This will cause your grout to get dirtier in the higher spots and will make your floor look spotty!.

Once you have removed and regrouted the floor properly, preferably by a professional (hand grout saws to remove grout will not do the job, I assure you), take your dog to the groomers and have their nails trimmed. It's called preventative maintenance.

Well that's it for now. Good luck and as always if you have any questions, please feel free to let us know. http://www.thegroutpro.com/

How to clean your grout & tile

Most people think using bleach to clean your grout is the answer to everything. They even spend countless hours on the Internet trying to discover the secrets of cleaning their grout. The truth is it all depends on the type of grout you are working with. There are two types of grout typically used in homes or businesses. Sanded Grout & Unsanded Grout. Let's start with unsanded grout for today.

Once this grout gets dirty, it's usually from mold from inside of a shower. The grout gets moldy from the rear of the structure moving outward toward the front. So mold, mildew & phosphorus (soap scum) are very difficult to clean. Once the grout has started to show mold, the only course is to regrout the joints. Simple cleaning with a bleach product will only whiten the top layer, which always causes the grout to return the mold.  I recommend The Grout Pro team for that type of job. Although later on in my blog, I will discuss the proper way to regrout a tight unsanded joint. If you are still thinking about cleaning the shower walls find a cleaner with a base citric acid property. The best consumer product I would recommend is Zep's Shower Cleaner found in Home Depot. Spray the product on, let it sit for a few seconds, agitate with a Scotch Brite green pad, grout brush the joints and rinse with warm water. The acid in the cleaner (not pool acid!) is a minor type of acid that shouldn't be harmful to you if used in moderation. The acidic property neutralizes the phosphorus on the tiles and cleans off the layer of mold in the joints. The key is to agitate the cleaner on the walls. There is NO cleaner that we have found that does the work for you. Good old fashion elbow grease is the key.

As always if you live in the Central Florida area from Orlando, Brevard County up to Flagler County, The Grout Pro can help you out! When Dirty Grout Needs To Go....Call The Grout Pro! http://www.thegroutpro.com/