Tile grout gets dirty because it is a porous substance that traps dirt and attracts growing things like mold and mildew. Keeping your grout clean can be a very time consuming activity, unless you take some precautions to prevent it from getting dirty in the first place. Short of not using the room where there is grout, there are a few ways to minimize the devastation of your grout and avoid constant grout cleaning.

First, you can avoid the conditions that foster the growth of mold and mildew. They like to grow in warm and damp places. After you use your shower or sink, make sure that you take a towel and wipe them dry. Also, try to avoid shutting the shower curtain or shower door all the time. Letting the air flow through the entire room will eliminate hot pockets of mildew activity. Another thing that you can do that is more passive is seal your grout.

Gout sealant comes in two varieties. First, there is topical grout sealant. As the name implies, these sealers are applied on top of the grout like a kind of coating. They work by repelling water and stains. Topical sealant products wear off over time and should be reapplied every two years. You will find that your grout needs more attention as your sealant comes to the end of its life cycle. The second type of grout sealant is called a penetrating sealant. These protecting fluids chemically attach themselves to the grout and end up protecting from within. These sealants last for a very long time and do not need to be reapplied as often. They are especially suited for areas that come into contact with a lot of water like the shower or bathtub.

Since grout sealant is such a great line of defense against stains and mildew, you would think it would be standard on every tile installation. However, that is not the case. Sealant cannot be applied until approximately thirty days after the grout is installed. That means that the professionals who install your tile are long gone by the time you need to apply the sealant. You will need to take care of this chore yourself. There is one very important tip to remember about grout sealant. Only apply t to clean grout. If you apply your sealant while the grout is dirty then you will never be able to get it clean.