Many
people don’t realise this, but the secret to great looking tiles
is great looking grout.  Grouts
are porous and, as a result, they easily absorb grease, dirt and
lime scale.  Spillages
such as wine, lemonades or greasy substances will cause marks and
patches in the joints in the floor. 

Grout between wall-tiles, particularly in damp areas like
bathrooms, will become dirty and unattractive as a result of Mould,
Mildew and Limescale.

Discolouration
of grout joints in bath or shower areas due to continued use of acid
formulated shampoos and soaps. This causes yellow orange and pink
stains to the grout over even a short period of time.

Sealing forms
an invisible barrier between the grout and the surface, this will
then protect your investment for years to come.

Different
tiles present different problems and it would be impossible to
comment on and every type within this article however in general
porous flooring such as Terracotta should be sealed every two to
three years to lock in the beauty of the tile and protect it from
wear.

Mexican terracotta in particular is very porous and
difficult to clean. Mexican Terracotta does not get baked in a
kiln, instead they are left to bake outside in the sun and if it
is a cloudy day the temperature can fluctuate leading to an
increase in the porosity of the tile.

How to
clean your tiles and tile grout and then
protect them so they keep on looking good.