Tile & Grout
Cleaning

Importance of Deep-Cleaning Tile and Grout
After years of hard use, tile in the kitchen, bathroom or mudroom doesn’t have the same shine or vibrancy it once did. Common mistakes that homeowners make in cleaning their tile — such as using abrasive cleaning substances as part of their regular cleaning routine and neglecting to seal their tile can make matters worse.

It’s a good idea to get a deep floor tile cleaning every two or three years to avoid long-term damage, such as staining or premature deterioration. Our cleaning system restores your tile and grout to their original colour and help extend the life of your grout.

How Do you Know it’s Time for Professional Cleaning Services?
Vacuums and mops reduce dirt and grime, but they can’t provide the intensive clean of a professional service. Watch for these signs your tiled floors need a professional clean:

• Your tiles and grout look stained, discoloured, or hazy, even after at-home cleaning.
• You see mould and mildew growing on your tiles or grout that you just can’t budge.
• Your grout looks darker than usual, suggesting the sealant has worn and let moisture in.
• The grout sealer seems cracked or chipped.
• Most homeowners should get their tiles and grout professionally cleaned every two to three years. However, you may need more regular cleanings in high-traffic areas, especially if you have a large family. You may also like to book a professional cleaning before selling your home to give your tiles and grout a lift.

Tile & Grout Cleaning for Different Areas of the Home
We can clean the tiles and grout on the floors of any area of your home. Below are just a few of the places where our customers have used our services:

• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Laundries
• Outdoor patios and entertaining areas

We’ll happily clean any tiled areas inside or outside your home. Simply provide details of the areas you want to have cleaned, and we’ll send you a free, no-obligation quote.

Types of Tiles That Alexanian Cleans
As flooring specialists, we understand what it takes to clean a range of different tiles. Call us to take care of the following types of tiles:

• Ceramic, porcelain or glass: We can make these common interior tiles sparkle like new.
• Natural stone: Tiles made from natural stones, including slate, granite, marble, travertine, and limestone, are porous. This makes them more sensitive to acidic household cleaners. Our polishing and sealing service safely restores the lustre and finish of natural stone tiles to protect them from future damage.
• Terrazzo: We can also clean terrazzo tiles made from natural glass and stone mixed with resin or concrete. These durable tiles are a popular choice for outdoor use in patios and entertaining areas, so you want to make sure they always look their best.

Sealing & Protecting Your Natural Stone

• Penetrating Sealer
  All natural stone is porous, some more than others. For most stone – especially very porous stones like hone-finished limestone and selective granites – the application of a quality penetrating sealer is highly recommended.

  The application of a penetrating sealer to a highly polished stone may not be necessary, but when in doubt it doesn’t hurt to have it sealed. If it the sealing prevents some staining, you’ve saved yourself the cost of a stain removal service.

• What Does A Sealer Do?
  Most stone sealers will not alter the original finish produced by the factory. A penetrating stone sealer is a “below surface” product being absorbed into the stone reducing its natural absorbency rate. This provides protection from accidental spills of staining agents. Some stones are so porous that no sealer can provide satisfactory sealing for an extended period of time. Refrain from applying from a topical sealer, wax or coating.
• How Many Applications of Sealer are Needed?
  Some more porous stones may require more than one application of a sealer. At least two applications are recommended on granites. Very porous granites, sandstone, quartzite, etc. may require more sealer applications. When sealer is no longer being absorbed into the stone, it is adequately sealed.
• How Long Does the Sealer Last?
  There is no uniform answer; the durability of stone sealer is affected by its exposure to use, heat, direct sunlight and routine maintenance. Generally speaking, most quality penetrating sealers will last 10 years or more – if they are not damaged or removed by the use of improper cleaning methods.
• When Is It Time to Reseal?
  A simple test is to pour some water on your stone surface, wait approximately 30 – minutes and then wipe it dry. If the surface of the stone did not darken, it indicates that the stone is still being protected by the sealer. It’s wise to test various areas, especially those exposed to high use.
• Color Enhancing Sealer
  While a penetrating sealer will not alter the appearance of your stone, a color enhancing sealer provides protection but will typically give the stone a “wet look”, darkening some colors and making others more vibrant. It is recommended to view a test area of this appearance change before proceeding with a color enhancing sealer application.
• Sealing Grout
  Cementitious grout is porous and will absorb liquids, possibly resulting in stain and bacteria growth. Grout sealing provides a stain protection barrier, as well as making routine cleaning and maintenance easier.