Cleaning Grout

[AmberL]

We have our kitchen tiled with beautiful 20X20 tiles. The grout is fairly dark (med to dark beige). Unfortunatley after having it installed we were told to let the grout "cure" for some time. Well it has been several months and it still hasn't been sealed. Ouch I know shame on us. The grout has held up pretty well, there are some areas that are a little darker than other areas, but not to bad. I heard that cleaning the grout with a white vinager mix would help.

I guess my question is.....is the grouting necessary? Should I clean it before I seal it? Also, I heard the sealing process darkens the grout, should I be worried if there is a slight difference in color in some areas? I thought maybe once sealed it just might all even out. Wishful thinking?

Any advice would be good. thanks for your help.

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[SABoyt]

Amber, cleaning the grout with vinegar is not going to help if the spots are dirt. Acids only clean minerals, not dirt. Maybe poeple make this mistake because installers use acid or vinegar to clean the grout haze (a mineral) from the top of the tile.

You need a good alkaline cleaner (ammonia and water if nothing else is available) and a scrub brush to clean any areas that are not the same color. The acid will etch the grout, so if you are trying to re-open the pores before you seal, that might serve a purpose. Just use it sparingly. That should be done after you hae cleaned the grout with an alkaline cleaner. Acids will bleach the color out of darker colored grout and then you will have inconsistently colored grout everywhere. If you seal it when it is dirty, it will stay dirty.

A good clear sealer will not affect the color of the grout. Once dried, you will not know it has been applied by appearance. There are lots of different brands available, just don't buy the cheapest thing you can find. Go for a professional brand, it will be worth it.