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Newer kitchen grout dirties REALLY easily..did we do something wrong?

Newer kitchen grout dirties REALLY easily..did we do something wrong?


  #1  
Old 07-10-03, 10:12 PM
mateasmom
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Newer kitchen grout dirties REALLY easily..did we do something wrong?

My husband and I tiled our (small) kitchen and dining area floor last year. That, as well as our kitchen countertops (completed first) were our first attempted at tiling. The countertops are done in a simple 4x4 ceramic with a light beige grout and have been perfect. The grout is easy to clean and hasn't cracked at all.

Our floors though are a different story. They dirty REALLY easily and are virtually impossible to clean! I have to SCRUB with grout cleaners and it still doesn't do a great job (and takes forever - and also I think it stripped the color a little). The grout also cracked (more like settling) in a few spots. From what I've read here, that could be caused by too much water in the grout.

I'm thinking I need to regout the floor. The grout is currently done in a nice medium beige color (don't recall the brand, but it was the name brand suggested at HD). I need to fix the few spots that have settled, but am considering regrouting the entire floor. Unless I can find something that I've done wrong which is making the grout dirty so easily, I'm thinking I'll just grout a dark color (since the grout always looks dark anyways!). The beige looked much better though, so I'm hoping someone here might have a suggestion as to what I have done incorrectly so that I can just redo the biege color.

Thanks for any help and suggestions!
 
  #2  
Old 07-11-03, 06:07 AM
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, TX
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What product did you use to seal the grout?

Porous grout will soak up moisture, DIRTY MOISTURE!

Soap residue will attract dirt faster.
 
  #3  
Old 07-11-03, 08:30 AM
mateasmom
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The brand was tilab or tile lab or something. It was what was recommended by the person at HD. A dark green bottle with yellow lettering I believe. We sealed the grout 3 times (per HD guys suggestions). Same as the countertops (which have been realtively easy to keep clean).
 
  #4  
Old 07-11-03, 08:50 AM
ee3
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Tile Lab is made by Custom Bldg. Products. I would suggest you contact them for guidence.
 
  #5  
Old 07-11-03, 04:47 PM
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, TX
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Right next to that green bottle of junk is a white gallon container that has a light blue lable that says Aqua-mix. It cost around $100 per gallon. You wouldn't be in this mess, had the HD professional, not been so uneducated on the products in the store.!

How long ago was it sealed? Doesn't their label say apply every 6 months or every year?
Call Tile-lab, as ee3 suggested.
 
 

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