Home Cleaning Tips and Tricks

Keeping a clean house is important for many reasons. First of all, a clean house is appealing to both the inhabitants and guests. It is absolutely amazing the difference you feel between walking into a messy room and walking into a clean room. The clean space makes you feel safe and calm where the messy room makes you feel on edge. A clean house also gives a good impression to anyone who visits. People often feel like they are walking into the middle of something if they walk into a dirty house. House cleaning is important not only because of aesthetic reasons, but for the resale value of your home. Certain household chores may seem cumbersome and unnecessary sometimes, but they help sustain the longevity of parts of your house like the tile grout, carpets, floors, and windows. Without regular cleaning these areas can deteriorate and make your house less valuable when it comes time to sell. Cleanliness is also important in terms of your health. Without a cleaning schedule, certain areas of your house might start to grow mold or mildew which many individuals are allergic to. If you suffer from any kind of allergies then mold exposure can be particularly bad for you. In addition, clutter and left over food attract pests like ants, cockroaches, mice, and rats. If you want your home free from vermin, then keep your house clean.

Cleaning Supplies

The cleaning supplies you will need to keep a house looking spic and span vary depending on what room you are cleaning in and what kind of fixtures and furniture are in there. You need very different janitorial supplies for cleaning in the bathroom, for example, than in the living room. However, if you just moved into your first house or apartment away from the help of your mother and father, then there are a few tools that should be in every homeowner’s cleaning kit.

First, you want the supplies to clean floors. If there is carpet in your home, then you will need a vacuum cleaner. When you go to the store to buy a vacuum cleaner, you might be overwhelmed by the number of choices. For example, there are about twenty different Electrolux vacuum cleaners alone. You can buy relatively inexpensive vacuums as well as vacuum cleaners that cost hundreds of dollars more than the basic model. A good rule of thumb is to buy the best vacuum cleaner you can afford because a good vacuum goes a long way in keeping your carpets in good condition. The next cleaning tool you will need is a broom and dustpan combination. You will want one of these if you have any floors in your home that are not carpeted. In addition to the broom, a mop and bucket are also a good idea to clean the hard floors. Other helpful cleaning supplies include scrub brushes, sponges, a squeegee, and rags. With these basics, you should be able to clean almost any surface in your home.

After you have the brushes, so to speak, you will need the paints. In other words, cleaning supplies are the next thing on your house cleaning shopping list. If you want to be really simple about it, you could probably clean all the surfaces in your house with some baking soda and vinegar. Nevertheless, most people prefer specialized cleaners for different purposes. It can be easy to get carried away, though so here is a list of the basics:

Window cleaner
Bathroom cleaner (to treat soap scum and clean toilets)
Dish soap
Grease cutting cleaner (orange essence for example for the kitchen
Furniture polish
All purpose cleaner for floors
Bathroom Cleaning
By far, one of the two hardest rooms in the house to keep clean is the bathroom. The other is the kitchen which we will address later. Bathroom cleaning is complicated by the fact that the bathroom environment is wet and humid much of the time, and there is an over abundance of hair, dead skin, nails, etc. The combination of the environment and what is done in the bathroom make it a very gross place if you think about it. To keep you bathroom clean, you will want some multipurpose bathroom cleaner that works well on soap scum and mildew. You should also have some glass cleaner and perhaps a specific toilet bowl cleaner. The toughest thing in the bathroom to keep clean is the tile grout. Grout cleaning is an art in itself and you will need to spend time on this chore every day if you want to learn how to clean grout efficiently and want your grout lines to look like new in the years to come. It is super important to keep your bathroom looking clean because the bathroom and the kitchen are the two rooms most sighted by potential home buyers as deal breakers when they are house hunting.
Kitchen Cleaning
As I said before, the other room in the house that is tough to keep clean is the kitchen. Kitchen’s are exposed to all kinds of elements that can affect their cleanliness. Grease, splashes from cooking, raw food contaminants, crumbs, and general clutter can all contribute to the slovenly state of any kitchen. That is why it is important to have a cleaner that can cut through grease and grime easily. Most cleaners with an orange essence have this quality. You also want something that can kill bacteria because uncooked or unprepared foods can leave behind harmful germs and bacteria on your counters and sink. Some plain old dish soap is also important to clean your plates and utensils. Organization is also important in the kitchen because they can become easily cluttered. You can find all kinds of drawer and cabinet organizers to help you here.
Cleaning Tips
When you think about having to clean all the surfaces, floors, objects, and ceilings in your house the task might seem so daunting that you don’t know where to start. The most important cleaning tip anyone can give you is to make a schedule. Think about the rooms or items that need to be cleaned regularly. Then organize them into a list and break up the task into days. For example, kitchen cleaning, bathroom cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, floor cleaning, and window cleaning are some tasks that need to be completed on a weekly basis. You can assign each task a day of the week and every time that day roles around you know it’s time to attack that cleaning project. If you are busy with something and miss one week, it won’t matter too much because you will get to it the next week. For larger cleaning items on your list like cleaning the kitchen, you can break it up a little further. You know you can wipe down the counters and organize every week, but things like cleaning the oven, refrigerator, or cleaning out your cabinets do not need to be done as often. Schedule those tasks once a month so that on kitchen cleaning day you do all the small stuff and one big task each week.
Of course, there are house cleaning projects that only need to be addressed once or a few time per year. Carpet cleaning, gutter cleaning, cleaning out your closets, wall scrubbing, etc can go on a schedule of quarterly or yearly tasks. Set aside one weekend each season for large cleaning projects. If you stick to a schedule, you house should stay in top shape for a very long time. Plus, when you decide to sell, you will be ready to go. Most sellers go on a cleaning spree when they decide to list their house, but if you stick to your schedule you will not have to do that.
Another helpful cleaning trick is to make it fun. Some people think that cleaning chores are dull and tedious. The truth is that you can make the cleaning experience a fun one by adding in some music or an element of competition with your family members. Play music throughout the house while each member of the family does their chore. You can try to see who finishes first or who does the best job and then award that person with the remote for an evening or dinner of their choice for the week.
Professional Cleaning Services
Many homeowners do not have time to keep their house clean on their own. They require the help of a professional or commercial cleaning service. These are companies that you hire to come into your home once or twice a week and clean whatever you like similar to a janitorial service for a business. The service can be as basic as dusting and vacuuming or as in depth as cleaning out kitchen cabinets and scrubbing carpets. Most services will let you change the things you want cleaned as often as you like. They leave behind a checklist for you to fill out indicating any special work you want one in the future. If you hire one of these services you want to make sure they are bonded and have a strong history in your community. You will be giving these people the keys to your home so you want to make sure you are protected.
Even if you do not use a commercial cleaning service regularly, you can hire professionals for specific jobs like grout and tile cleaning in a bathroom, carpet cleaning, or gutter and siding cleaning. When you weigh how much time it will take you to complete the task against the extra cost, it might be well worth the expense.

Two Types of Grout Sealer and the Most Popular Brands

Sealing grout is a necessary step in any tile and grout project. Unfortunately, this step gets overlooked many times to the determent of your grout. Because it is porous, dirt and mildew can get down into your grout making it appear dirty and discolored no matter how much you clean it. Grout sealer prevents this from happening and as a result your grout and tile look cleaner and newer for longer. But just because you know how important it is to use grout sealer, that doesn’t mean you know what grout sealant product is the best grout sealer for you. Looking at the display of sealant products in a home improvement store or tile store can be daunting because there are so many choices. This page will give you some insight into what kind of grout sealer you should use and some grout sealer reviews of some of the most popular brands.

What are the Different Types of Grout Sealers?

Penetrating Grout Sealer – Sealer penetrates the porous tile and grout. Polymers are dissolved in either water or a solvent and the liquid works its way just under the surface of the grout and tile. When the water or solvent evaporates, the polymer is left behind to fill the pores and voids in the grout. The result is a shield that repels water and resists staining.
Topical Grout Sealer – This sealer is sometimes called a coating sealer. They form a protective barrier on top of the grout and tile rather than under the surface. Coating sealers are also polymers dissolved in water or solvent and the liquid evaporates away to leave the barrier of polymer behind. The polymers used in topical or coating sealers are larger polymer molecules that bridge the gaps or voids in the tile and grout rather than fill them. A common polymer used in topical sealers is acrylic.

When Should I Use Penetrating Grout Sealer?

Wet environments like showers or bathtubs
High traffic areas where foot traffic can wear off topical sealers
Exterior tile and grout that is exposed to the elements (e.g. patios or walkways)

Penetrating grout sealers are definitely the more popular type of grout sealant and you will find more of them on the shelves than coating sealers because they last longer and provide better protection. You can use penetrating sealers on almost any type of tile; just check the specific product instructions. Each formulation is slightly different and certain products are recommended over others for certain types of tile. The chart below will give you an idea of which products are recommended for which tile materials.

Penetrating sealers are also more appropriate in wet or moist environments like a shower or bathtub than topical sealers. If water or moisture were to get under the topical or coating sealer, there would be no way for it to escape and that trapped moisture will foster mildew growth. When water hits a penetrating sealer, it beads up on the surface and never gets into the grout.

When Should I Use Topical Grout Sealer?

To achieve a gloss or matte finish
Extremely high porosity tiles
Low traffic areas in the interest of cost

There are circumstances where coating or topical tile and grout sealers are more appropriate. One of those circumstances would be if you wanted to add a finish to the tile or grout rather than just leave the natural look of the tile and grout. Finishing products can be applied separately after the tile and grout are already sealed, but it is more convenient to have a single product that accomplishes both steps. High gloss and matte finishes are common choices that are often combined with a sealer. Because the finish needs to be on top of the tile or grout lines, these sealers are topical or coating sealers rather than penetrating ones.

Another possible circumstance where you would want to use a topical grout sealant is on extremely high porosity tiles like terracotta. If you try to use a penetrating grout sealer on these tiles, two problems might arise. First, you might have to apply so much penetrating sealer that the color and appearance of your tile would change drastically, negatively affecting the aesthetics of your tile choice. Second, you might have to use so much penetrating sealer that it just isn’t very economical. In these circumstances, it is better to use a topical sealer so that you preserve the appearance of your tile and do not waste your money.

	Sanded Grouts	Non-Sanded Grouts	Polished Marble	Polished Travertine	Polished Limestone	Unpolished Marble	Unpolished Travertine	Unpolished Limestone	Polished Granite	Slate	Other Natural Stones	Unglazed Ceramic	Porcelain	Masonry	Saltillo	Terra- cotta
Tilelab Stonespecific Polished Marble, Travertine + Limestone Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tilelab Stonespecific Tumbled/Honed Marble, Travertine, Limestone + Slate Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tilelab Stonespecfic Polished Granite Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tilelab Surfacegard	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Tilelab Grout & Tile Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Tilelab Aim and Seal Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tilelab Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tilelab Stonespecific Stone Enhancer & Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no
Tilelab Gloss Sealer & Finish	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes
Tilelab Matte Sealer & Finish	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes
	Sanded Grouts	Non-Sanded Grouts	Polished Marble	Polished Travertine	Polished Limestone	Unpolished Marble	Unpolished Travertine	Unpolished Limestone	Polished Granite	Slate	Other Natural Stones	Unglazed Ceramic	Porcelain	Masonry	Saltillo	Terra- cotta
Aqua Mix Sealer’s Choice Gold	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Aqua Mix Ultra-Solv	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Aqua Mix Penetrating Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Aqua Mix Pro-Solv	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Aqua Mix Sameday Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Aqua Mix Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Aqua Mix High Gloss Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Aqua Mix Seal & Finish Low Sheen	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	yes	yes	no	no	yes	yes	yes
Aqua Mix Enrich’N'Seal	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no
	Sanded Grouts	Non-Sanded Grouts	Polished Marble	Polished Travertine	Polished Limestone	Unpolished Marble	Unpolished Travertine	Unpolished Limestone	Polished Granite	Slate	Other Natural Stones	Unglazed Ceramic	Porcelain	Masonry	Saltillo	Terra- cotta
Tile Guard Natural Stone Premium Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	no	yes	yes
Tile Guard Enhance and Seal	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no
Tile Guard Natural Stone Penetrating Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	yes	yes
Tile Guard Floor and Countertop Stone Sealer	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	no	no	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tile Guard One Step Floor Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tile Guard Water-Based Floor Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tile Guard Penetrating Grout Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	no	no
Tie Guard Silicone Tile Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Tile Guard Silicone Grout Sealer	no	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
	Sanded Grouts	Non-Sanded Grouts	Polished Marble	Polished Travertine	Polished Limestone	Unpolished Marble	Unpolished Travertine	Unpolished Limestone	Polished Granite	Slate	Other Natural Stones	Unglazed Ceramic	Porcelain	Masonry	Saltillo	Terra- cotta
Stonetech Professional BulletProof Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes
Stonetech Prefessional Heavy Duty Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes
Stonetech Professional Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes
Stonetech Professional Natural Stone Countertop Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes
Stonetech Professional Impregnator Pro Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no
Stonetech Professional Heavy Duty Exterior Sealer	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	yes	no	no
Stenetech Professional Advanced Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
Stonetech Professional Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
	Sanded Grouts	Non-Sanded Grouts	Polished Marble	Polished Travertine	Polished Limestone	Unpolished Marble	Unpolished Travertine	Unpolished Limestone	Polished Granite	Slate	Other Natural Stones	Unglazed Ceramic	Porcelain	Masonry	Saltillo	Terra- cotta
511 Impregnator	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no
511 Porous Plus	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes	yes
511 H2O Plus	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
511 Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
511 Spray-On Grout Sealer	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no	no
511 Seal & Enhance	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no	yes	no	no

Below is a description of some of the more popular tile and grout sealers available to homeowners and contractors.

Tilelab SurfaceGard

Tilelab SurfaceGard is their top of the line all purpose grout and tile sealer. This product by Tilelab comes in a variety of sizes with bottles ranging from one pint to one gallon. The quart size bottle comes equipped with a spray nozzle for easy application. The instructions for this product say to apply the SurfaceGard with a sponge or mop. If you are using a container without the spray nozzle, then you can pour it directly on the tile and grout and then spread it around with a mop or sponge. This product is suitable for almost any tile material and all sanded and non-sanded grouts. Typically, polished surfaces will only need one coat while more porous surfaces like grout will need at least two. Excess residue that remains after sixty minutes can be removed with a white polishing pad. You can get anywhere from 200 to 1200 square feet of coverage per gallon depending on the porosity of the tile and grout.

You can purchase Tilelab products at the following retailers: Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and many tile distributors.

Tilelab Grout & Tile Sealer

This product can be used on the same surfaces as the SurfaceGard product. The only difference between these two products is that the Grout & Tile Sealer is a little less expensive and does not last quite as long. While the SurfaceGard claims to last for twenty years, the Grout & Tile Sealer will not last nearly as long. This product comes in either a gallon bottle or a quart bottle with a spray nozzle. Coverage is 200 to 1200 square feet per gallon depending on the porosity of the tile and grout and is applied with a mop or sponge. Excess can be removed by scrubbing with a white polishing pad sixty minutes after application but before the product is completely dry.

You can purchase Tilelab products at the following retailers: Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and many tile distributors.

Tilelab Stonespecific

There are actually three different Stonespecific products made by Tilelab and each is designed for slightly different natural stone surfaces. One product is meant for polished marble, travertine, and limestone. The second product is meant for un-polished, tumbled, or honed marble, travertine, limestone, and slate. A third product is meant for polished granite. Tilelab made this series of products as an improvement of the SurfaceGard product. There are slight variations in the formulations that make each Stonespecific product better suited to different porosity stones. All three products come in a quart bottle with spray nozzle. The application process is slightly different from the other Tilelab products in several ways. First, you need to work the sealer in for five to ten minutes rather than just applying and waiting for the sealer to penetrate. Then you wait for a longer amount of time between the first and second coats. Coverage is anywhere from 800 to 1,200 square feet per gallon and excess sealer needs to be wiped off immediately after application before it dries.

You can purchase Tilelab products at the following retailers: Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and many tile distributors.

Tilelab Aim & Seal Grout Sealer

Tilelab Aim & Seal Grout Sealer is meant specifically for sealing grout lines. This product comes in an aerosol can that you are supposed to hold eighteen to twenty four inches away from the grout. You spray the grout lines and then wipe away any excess sealer that gets on the surrounding tiles allowing the sealer to penetrate the grout. You can spray the aerosol can in many positions because of its 360° nozzle. It can even be sprayed in an inverted position making it easy to apply in tough areas like the corners of a shower stall from a standing position. The coverage for this product is 525 linear feet per 15 oz. can. This might be a good product to use if you are looking to reseal your grout lines but your tiles do not need to be resealed.

You can purchase Tilelab products at the following retailers: Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and many tile distributors.

Tilelab Grout Sealer

Tilelab Grout Sealer comes in a six oz. bottle with an applicator brush at the tip. The product is squeezed out of the bottle and applied to the grout lines alone using the applicator brush. Like the Aim & Seal Grout Sealer, this product is for sealing grout lines only, not tiles. You can wipe off any excess sealer that makes it onto the tiles with a cloth. You might use this product instead of the aerosol can if you want a more controlled application process. For example, if you are sealing the grout on a kitchen backsplash and you want to avoid getting sealer on your cabinets or painted walls nearby, you might choose to use the Tilelab Grout Sealer rather than the Aim & Seal Grout Sealer. Coverage is anywhere from 60 to 80 square feet per 6 oz. bottle, depending on how many coats you need to apply. It should also be noted, that the literature from Tilelab on this product indicates that is not as good a stain resistor as the Aim & Seal product.

You can purchase Tilelab products at the following retailers: Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and many tile distributors.

Tilelab Stonespecific Stone Enhancer & Sealer

Tilelab’s Stonespecific Stone Enhancer & Sealer is a penetrating product that combines the protection of a sealant with the rejuvenation of an enhancer. The enhancer will darken and accentuate color differences in the natural stone tiles. This product should be used to improve the appearance of worn or faded stone tiles. This product comes in a quart spray bottle and has approximately 43 to 85 square feet of coverage in a bottle. Once the product is sprayed on, you need to spread it out evenly over the tile and grout to ensure even enhancement. Try to avoid overlap or application of excess material in any one area because the stone will not appear uniform. It should be noted that the more porous the stone is, the deeper the color enhancement will be. Make sure to test the material on a small inconspicuous area first to make sure you like the result.

You can purchase Tilelab products at the following retailers: Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and many tile distributors.

Tilelab Gloss Sealer & Finish

Tilelab Gloss Sealer & Finish is a topical sealer or coating sealer that is used on extremely porous stones like terracotta and slate. The result is a glossy coating that enhances the color and appearance of your tile while providing a layer of protection against scuff marks and stains. This product comes in quart and gallon bottles and you can expect somewhere between 300 and 500 square feet of coverage per gallon of product. The application process is simple because you just need to apply an even layer with a sponge or mop and allow for it to dry.

You can purchase Tilelab products at the following retailers: Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and many tile distributors.

Tilelab Matte Sealer & Finish

The Tilelab Matte Sealer & Finish is also a topical sealer, but the end result is a low sheen matte look rather than a high sheen glossy look. The protective finish helps to prevent stains and scuff marks while enhancing the color and texture of your porous stone tiles. The product comes in 2 sizes, a quart bottle and a gallon bottle. Coverage is 300 to 500 square feet per gallon and application should be done with a sponge, mop, or lambswool applicator. Make sure that you apply several thin coats rather than one thick coat. If the sealer coat is too thick it will dry unevenly and the end result will not be as attractive. Several thin coats will produce a better result, but it does take longer.

You can purchase Tilelab products at the following retailers: Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and many tile distributors.

Aqua Mix Sealer’s Choice Gold

Sealer’s Choice Gold is the premium all-purpose grout and tile sealer from Aqua Mix. This product is a water-based penetrating sealer that is safe to use on almost any type of tile and grout. Aqua Mix markets this product as especially appropriate for food preparation and serving areas because of its superior stain protection. The Sealer’s Choice Gold also has a Rapid Cure Formula unique to Aqua Mix that is designed to achieve optimal penetration in as little time as possible. Aqua Mix claims that this sealer will dry in as little as four hours. Other products might take as long as twenty four hours before you are allowed to walk on the surface. Sealer’s Choice Gold comes in a variety of sizes ranging from one pint to 5 gallons. Application can be accomplished with a mop, sponge, or cloth. You can also spray the product on and then even out with a sponge or cloth. Any excess sealer that does not penetrate the surface of the tile or grout should be removed within five minutes. The coverage of this product is anywhere from 300 to 1,500 square feet depending on the porosity of the tile and grout.