Tile & Grout Cleaning near you

The method depends on the tile, the grout and how deep the soil goes, so a good cleaner identifies all three and tests a small area before working on the whole floor or shower.

Right after a deep clean is the best time to seal, because a sealer locks in whatever is in the joint, clean or not. On cement-based grout, a penetrating sealer soaks in and slows how quickly water and spills are absorbed. It doesn't make grout stain-proof or waterproof, and it wears with scrubbing and foot traffic. Epoxy grout and most glazed tile don't need it, as our tile installation page explains.

Grout cleaners range from mild detergents to strong alkaline degreasers, acid cleaners for mineral deposits, and oxygen or chlorine bleach products for discolouration. That variety is what makes grout cleaning risky in a small bathroom. Health Canada warns never to mix bleach with ammonia-based products or with acids such as vinegar, because the combination releases toxic gases. It also advises ventilating while cleaning, wearing goggles and rubber gloves, and keeping products in their original containers out of reach of children and pets. In a closed shower stall, those precautions matter even more.

Natural stone isn't cleaned like ceramic or porcelain. Calcite-based stones such as marble, limestone and travertine react with acids, so vinegar, many bathroom cleaners and descalers can etch dull marks into a polished surface almost at once. Many stones are also porous and absorb oils and coloured liquids, and some darken when a product soaks in. A qualified cleaner identifies the stone before choosing anything.

Dark spots in shower grout are usually mould feeding on soap residue and moisture that never quite dries. Health Canada's mould guide advises against using bleach to clean up mould, and says small areas can be cleaned with unscented soap and water and then dried. The same guide says to use an exhaust fan when you shower or bathe and recommends keeping indoor relative humidity between 30% and 50%.

Cleaning only removes what's on the surface. Mould that keeps returning in the same corner, sits inside the silicone caulking at the tub, or shows around loose tiles points to moisture: failed caulking has to be cut out and replaced, cracked or missing grout needs repair, and water getting behind the tile is a job for a tile contractor. Mould that spreads beyond a small area belongs to a mould remediation professional.

Grout usually darkens so gradually that nobody notices until a rug or a piece of furniture is moved and reveals the original colour. These are the usual signs that routine cleaning is no longer enough.