Unlike carpets that you can vacuum and steam-clean, tiles require more attention and more serious cleaning than any other floor or wall. Tiled floors are lovely and their designs can truly brighten up the house, but tile and grout can accumulate more dirt and their appearance will turn less appealing over time. Furthermore, filthy grouts in the bathrooms and kitchens are bacteria magnets and can be a health risk, especially when you have children in the house.
Hiring a cleaning service may be expensive for the average
homeowner, but is it worth it to have the tile and grout professionally
cleaned?
 |
| Image credit: Andy Franklin |
What is grout?
Grout is the combination of sand, cement, and water and it
is filled between the floor tiles during installation. Dirt and grease are
easily absorbed by grout; thus, you often see marks and patches on the tiles making
them look filthy and old. Areas that get a lot of foot traffic are bound to get
grimy because of dirt from shoes directly attaching itself to grout. In the
kitchen, food stains and mildew contribute to the grout stains, while the
bathroom grout also falls victim to mold, mildew, and soap scum.
Dirty grout means deadly bacteria
Grout is a breeding ground for bacteria, and not cleaning it
means different diseases from microbes and mold may spread right inside your
home. It also releases a pungent smell that can give anyone a headache or make
one’s stomach turn. The more grout suffers from neglect, the harder and longer
it takes to clean it. Besides causing illnesses, unclean floors tend to become
unattractive and make the house a far from ideal living space.
Hire a professional cleaning service
It takes regular, proper cleaning to remove the build-up of
deep-down dirt on the grout because it is difficult to clean. Extra care and
special cleaning supplies and equipment are necessary to clean the grout
effectively. Instead of doing it on your own, you can rest assured that the
cleaning will be done by floor-cleaning professionals who have the skills and
experience to get the job done right and on time.
It may be cheaper to clean the tile and grout yourself, but
you may end up losing more money in the long run. Check with your Chicago financial advisor to see what makes the most sense. Steam-cleaning machines can
be rented in hardware stores and supermarkets; however, you need to learn how
to use it and use the correct cleaning solutions. You would have to spend an
entire day cleaning the kitchen floors and walls, and you are not sure that
everything has been cleaned properly. Precious time and money would have been
wasted.
A professional tile and grout cleaning service may seem to be a big expense
when you pay upfront, but hiring experienced people to clean and sanitize your
home will be worth it. You just need to find the right professional that will
give you the best offer for your floor.
How much?
The biggest factors you have to consider are the dimensions
of the area to be cleaned and the time it will take to clean. Cleaning
companies will ask you for the square footage of the area to calculate the
price. If it’s the initial visit, the rate may be higher because of the amount
of grime on the floor. Regular visits will get you a lower flat rate and you
will get a notice in case of a price change.
