In case you already decided for sealing your ceramic tiles, you will receive the benefits of this action. But only if you do this job properly, otherwise, you can put your entire floor in the danger. This is why it is important to seal it by the book and not miss any of the steps. There are people who do that and then they regret it. They have to re-grout the flooring, and lose the time and money while doing it. I suggest you take this seriously and do this job right.

First, sealing the grout does not last so long as it says on the product label. Manufacturer would like you to believe that, but the truth is different. In case you have a 5 year sealer warranty, it will probably last for 6 months. And that would be maximum if you use a grout sealer in your bathroom, since there is a lot of moisture in that room.

You have to do this in a strict fashion. Take the quality sealer, which is actually a more expensive product. You have to know that nothing that is cheap has high quality. This is just the way things are, and you can apply that to any other product out there. When you hear stories of people buying products that replace the original, but for a lot less money, be sure that they are not telling the truth. Those products will be able to do the job, but it won’t be right. In near future, it will all fall apart. The same thing is with the grout sealers.

Since you already payed a lot of money for your tile floor, it is wise to invest more money to protect that investment. And you will need to pay $100 per gallon or more. Do not take anything that is cheaper than that. You can, but I do not guarantee you success. And I do not guarantee that you will not be doing the same thing over again, very soon.

When you got the sealer, make sure your floors are clean. Do NOT use detergents or heavy soaps to clean the tiles. Use water and some white vinegar. If you use soap, then you will dull the floor. They will have sticky surface that will attract all the dirt that comes into room. And the mop you are using should be clean too. Wash it as many times as you can. You want the water to do most of the business, the mop is just there to flush it all away, so it has to stay clean.

It is crucial that you follow these instructions. If you don’t, the sealer will lose its life expectancy. It is as simple as that. If you do not want to invest time into cleaning, it is better for you to keep the grout as it is. Do not seal it. Yes, that’s right.

The reason is simple. There can be some dirt left and it will destroy the sealing. Then it is better just to clean it when you feel the need to. Only if you can to the preparations right and clean the entire floor with perfection, I recommend sealing. The dirt has to come on the surface and totally exit the flooring. Only after that the sealing will bring results.

Decide what can you do between these two solutions. I, of course, recommend sealing your ceramic tile floor. But if you can’t do the cleaning properly and buy a quality grout sealer, it is best that you leave things as they are.

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Before applying sealant to your grout, you need to wash the floor with acid and give it at least twenty-four hours to dry up. If you rush it up before it has thoroughly dried the sealant will not adhere to the grout in the desired manner. Another thing is to satisfy yourself with the looks of the grout, for once sealant has applied then there is nothing you can do to change anything with the grout.

You don’t need many items for carrying this job and in most of the cases every household would have these items except for the sealant that you have to procure from the market. A word of caution here! Buy sealant of good quality. That will last longer than the cheaper variety. Further, it’s always better to buy slightly more that your requirements that can be estimated from the floor area. The excess can be returned to the store and your money be refunded. A quality sealant sells for fifty to a hundred dollars per gallon. Another very important precaution is to have an absolutely clean mustard bottle. Wash it a couple of times to ensure there are traces of mustard left there. You should understand that mustard reacts with grout and could leave stains on your tiles. Here’s the list:

Grout Sealer

Masking Tape

White Terry Cloths

Empty Mustard Bottle

Fill the mustard bottle nearly 3/4 full with the grout sealer. If it were filled beyond that, the sealant would come out a bit too fast for you to handle. You may also adjust the spout to get the needed flow for a comfortable handling of the fluid. You’ll get a feel of sealing after you are done with a couple of grout lines. Don’t be in a hurry, as that will cause wastage of material. Confine you activity to an area of about 30 to 50 square feet, for if you attempt a larger area, you may get dry sealant on a tile and that may be difficult to get rid of with a wet towel. You need to paint both the horizontal and vertical lines and work backwards to avoid getting in touch with the sealant that you have already applied. Practice applying a smooth steady stroke while applying the sealant to the grout and try to remain within the grout lines as far as is possible. Having thus completed the first 30 to 50 square feet, you may start wiping off the excess of sealant from the tiles.

Use a moist terry cloth and start wiping of all excess sealant from the tiles. Move your hand in a circulatory motion over the excess sealant, reaching the area a couple of times to ensure no sealant is left on the tile. Keep wringing your rag frequently before making it wet again. This helps to keep the rag clean. It will be good to keep replacing your rag after every 100 sq. feet. Continue the same way over the next 30 to 50 sq. feet till you finish the entire floor. Keep in mid that it takes three to five days for the sealant to dry up completely. So, don’t use wet mop for that period.

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