Is discolored grout considered as a wear and tear in the bathroom?

The property looks amazing with the tile floors. Tiled floors are easy to maintain with little effort during regular cleaning. The floor’s grout discoloured over time due to poor cleaning practices and other reasons. Here is a detailed analysis of what causes grout discolouration and how to prevent it.

Many people construct their dream homes covered with tiled floors in every place. Many houses have timber or carpeted bedrooms and living rooms. However, kitchen and bathroom floors have tiles for safety and cleaning factors. Tiled floors dramatically build up grouts due to inevitable consequences of time and daily usage.

 Why does the tiled grout discolor over time?

The property grout can discolor over time due to exposure to heavy sunlight, chemicals, or lack of cleaning. Here are some common reasons for grout discoloration and damage.

Heavy foot traffic: Small insects, mud and dust particles come inside with the dirty shoes in the house. Rainy weather makes the property dirtier than dry days. Heavy foot traffic can discolour the tiles over time if you’re running a retail or food business. Minor wear and tear due to heavy foot traffic is expected by the property agents.

 Spills and stains: If you have a pet in the house then grout discolouration is common due to furry pet’s poop. When coffee, liquor spills or pet discharge stays on the grout, discolour happens longer. Toddlers use crayons on cement-based grout or tiles that discolour the grout.

Mould buildup: Bathrooms or shower tiles can easily build up mould due to a lack of cleaning practices. Eventually, grouts turns black.

Heavy and acidic cleaning products: Bleach or acidic heavy chemicals can damage the grout and surfaces. Harsh cleaners can remove spots or chemical stains that lead to discolouration of grout.

General Tips to avoid grout discoloration:

• Avoid using bleach, alcoholic, acidic and harmful chemicals on grouts.
• Open windows for air circulation or use fans after using the shower.
• Have a habit of regular vacuuming and mopping on the tiles to avoid dirt buildup that leads to grout discoloration.
• Clean the floor spills and stains as early as possible to avoid further damage. Use natural or ph- balanced cleaners to avoid grout discoloration.

How to fix Grout discoloration

• Use a supportive grout sealer to fix the small grout portion in line with the entire tiled surface.
• If you have ceramic grout, try to scrape them properly then re-apply the grout sealant.
• Use silicone grout sealant in bathrooms for a quick and easy grout discolouration solution.
• Vacuum and mop the tiled floors more often to avoid layering up the dust, debris and dirt buildup in the grouts.
• Discoloration is a common issue in the shower and kitchen tiles. Use a grout cleaning brush to clean the grouts before the mould buildup.
• Hire a tile and grout cleaner for deep cleaning and scrubbing the grouts.
• Try to clean or treat the spills over the grouts as early as possible to avoid discolouration in a deeper area.
• Seek professional help to choose the correct sealant. Poor quality grout sealant can damage the grout and pick up the stains easily.

Grout discolouration at End of lease cleaning.

Minor grout discolouration and dirty grout are considered normal wear and tear by the rental agents and landlords. However, if you’ve been living in the same rental property for a while, agents can notice the major grout discolouration at the end of the tenancy process. As a tenant, you need to present the property as a satisfactory clean. The agents can ignore minor grout discolouration. Seek a professional grout cleaner or contractor who can fix the issue in major grout repair issues.

The professional end of lease cleaning team covers the basic and minor grout cleaning of the bathroom and kitchen. If your rental property requires deep scrubbing and manual grout cleaning then consider it as an additional service at high expense.