Ceramic tile and grout deep steam cleaning

Cherry Hill Homeowner’s No Longer Crying ‘Wolfe’ About Her Dirty Tile

Some time ago this new customer had us out to clean her upholstery. The team arrived, and I stopped by, and got down to it (even the Love Sacs,™ a fun type bean bag chair was cleaned.)  During the walk through I was expounding on all the services. And when I mentioned tile & grout cleaning our client got excited. Planting a seed, our client wanted to think about it.

As they were discussing the tile cleaning process Wendy pointed out the uneven color of  the grout in high traffic areas vs other areas less traveled. Along the walls and where you don’t walk it is much cleaner. In the work areas and traffic lanes, it’s dirty. And this home was no different!

About the process.

When the client inquired about the tile cleaning process, Wendy explained the process. She also inspected the floor (at the invitation of the interested client). It was a decent size area to include the foyer, the butler pantry, the powder room, the kitchen and breakfast table area.  As they walked Wendy pointed out how soiled the grout. It was especially soiled in the traffic areas. And it was also dirty by the major work station areas too. When you really focused on the grout there was a substantial difference in grout color when you see the grout along the edges. Then, by all the major work areas it was very dark dirt and germ build up elsewhere.

The idea of clean tile sunk in so she called us to schedule!

What’s crazy about tile cleaning is, often homeowners don’t know how much dirt, grease, residue, and contaminants collects in the grout joints, and even the tile. And frankly, the wider the grout joints the more obvious it becomes. Honestly with our process, “the reveal” can be quite apparent!

The work.

Our team applied the cleaning solution, and right away “the proof was in the pudding!”

It can be very telling when the pre-spray tile cleaning solution is applied to the floor. Just like that, the tile becomes dark as all the dirt and grime releases, without even scrubbing, from the grout joints. And if the homeowner sees it when its applied, they usually get disturbed or acknowledge that they didn’t realize how dirty it was.

While we cleaned our client didn’t witness “the reveal” as it happened but we sure did.

Usually what happens is the pre-spray is allowed to dwell or soak in and begin to break down the soiling. This is when the cleaning solution reacts chemically with the soils. Before long, or right away the solutions attack the soils. And the dirt releases often making the floor darker than usual. So instead of just the grout joints being dirty often it makes the whole floor dirty, especially where the wet “slurry”lays on the floor. For clients who watch this can be quite dramatic and disturbing. (A similar process occurs with carpet and upholstery cleaning. But since the fibers are fuzzy you don’t see the soil release, but indeed it happens.)

As the steam wand buzzed over the floor it instantly cleaned and rinsed the dirt out.

It is very telling when the steam wand sprays the hot water at 1200 Psi. And likewise, it is quite telling when the wand creates a suction steam chamber to increase the cleaning power. Then as it removes the dirty water and rinses the floor it is obviously much cleaner than the rest of the floor.  Near boiling the water is sucked into the extraction hose and out to our waste tank in the truck.

There is no question this is advanced cleaning technology, and a process we like to refer to as liberating our homeowner, just like she was freed like Cinderella and the wicked step mother!

Years ago Westwood Tile And Stone saw the immediacy of the cleaning and was blown away with the demo.

At the time they felt tt was the biggest advancement in cleaning seen in 35 years of business, and the missing piece that would help their clients finally have a solution for cleaning dirty grout, besides comet and a toothbrush!

Even before the technology, Westwood had us cleaning their carpets, and along the edges, where the carpet wand ran across the tile and grout, they couldn’t believe how clean the tile and grout got. Being visionaries, they even suggested we toy with inventing a tool that would be suitable. Boy were they on to something.

When we learned a steam wand for tile had come out we asked our supplier to demo it at the owners of Westwood Tile’s home in Medford. The appointment was set. The demo ensued, our client’s jaws dropped, and frankly ours did too. We signed the contract to purchase the wand system in their driveway, and took the wand home with us!

Westwood teamed up with us and they notified all their residential clientele about the steam cleaning.

This began a friendly rapport between Westwood and our team. The cleaning potential was well received by their clients, and we immediately began solving a cleaning dilemma for them with ease, and without lifting a finger (honestly until then, and before home steam mops, the alternative with comet and a toothbrush!)

The results.

In the end this client was pleased!

This client was overwhelmingly pleased that her floors were so cleaned and sanitized. She was especially happy that she was able to write a check, and have the work done without lifting a finger!

Still need convincing- follow these instructions and you will be able to tell if cleaning will work for you.

If you have tile and grout, regardless of large grout lines, or small, steaming the floors will correct most appearance problems. It also drastically kills and removes the germs and contaminants from the floor and grout.

One way to tell if you are in need of cleaning is to take look around your floors. Look at the high traffic and work areas. It will be especially apparent by the sink, the dish washer, trash cans, fridge, stove or ovens. Compare those areas to the areas less traveled. Look at the areas against the wall on the far side of the breakfast table. If there is a drastic difference, then you know professional steaming will help.

Ps- About grout paint: call us first before you think painting the grout will solve your problems. Cleaning may be the simple solution. Don’t automatically assume you need to go to drastic measures like using grout paint. We do offer a specialized restoration process that impregnates grout colorant (not available in the box stores or hardware stores,) but we rarely recommend it. Again, simple cleaning may be the best and most cost effective solution for you.

Call us to discuss your project simple steam cleaning may be very effective! To get a free estimate Call us at 609.953.0472 or CONTACT US on line.