Every home owner nurtures a heart-felt wish of adding style to his home without compromising on comfort and to this effect tiles are an alternative worth considering. In fact experienced home owners regard tiles as being better flooring option than carpets owing to the class and sophistication that they lend to the interior of any premise. Maybe carpets add a soft touch to your floor but tiles provide versatility that cannot be matched by any other option.

Exhilarating that it is to step on to a newly tiled floor, the feeling is soon replaced by that of dejection when you notice the first cracks, chipped portions and the dark lining of the grout courtesy of having gathered plenty of dirt and grime. Deterioration suffered by tiles owing to daily usage is manifested in multiple ways, the most common being a layer of dirt and stains on the surface, not to mention the deposit in the grout.

How much ever you scrub your tiles, acquiring that new look once again seems virtually impossible unless you hire a professional tile and grout cleaning service. Because maintenance of tiles is a task which is easier said than done, the option of hiring a service provider must be considered owing to the following reasons –

Elimination of micro-organisms – Unknown to you, it is matter of time before grout is teeming with millions of micro-organisms, namely colonies of bacteria, mold, mildew and so on. Owing to their microscopic nature, these are seldom eliminated completely during normal household cleaning. In comparison, a professional service provider is more successful in flushing them out completely and sterilizing the surface courtesy of using strong cleaning agents.

Training – Because personnel of a specialized tile and grout cleaning service are required by law to undergo proper training protocol, it is but natural for them not to damage tile and grout during cleaning. Another advantage of training is the knowledge of how to handle the various types of tiles like granite, stone, porcelain and so on in terms of using an appropriate cleaning agent and applying a suitable technique.

Deep cleaning – By entrusting the task of tile and grout cleaning to a professional service provider, you can rest assured that the degree of cleanliness would be much higher than that achieved through personal effort. In addition to using a combination of cleaning agents and scrubbers to remove the dirt and grime, professional cleaners would also apply a protector that would preserve the clean and shiny surface of the tile and seal the grout.

Effective in terms of time and cost – Rather than spend time and money in planning the entire operation and buying various cleaning agents and equipment, hiring a service provider would be a much wiser investment. Not only would it save you time but also the expenditure not to mention the high standard of cleaning which befits a professional service.

Prolongs life-span – All you need to do is to summon the professional service to your home for tile and grout cleaning once every quarter or maybe once in six months. The deep cleaning that occurs without damaging the surface in any way would ensure that your tiles look good and your grout remains healthy and free from germs for a long time.

Revitalizes your floor – Courtesy of their expertise, professional cleaners use a variety of techniques like steam cleaning, spot removal, stain treatment and so on to remove the grease, grime and dirt that might have formed a layer over your tiles. Subsequent to having been cleaned, your tiles will have acquired a fresh look and the grout will have been rid of all the accumulated dirt and appear resplendent and rejuvenated.

Having made up your mind about hiring a tile and grout cleaning service provider after taking stock of the multiple benefits, it is time to learn how to go about identifying a suitable service provider. To this effect, a time-tested method entails asking plenty of questions about the various aspects like –

How experienced is the service provider in handling tile and grout cleaning? Which type of tiles does it handle?

Preference should be given to service providers who boast of extensive experience in tile and grout cleaning. Vast experience implies that the service provider would be aware of the nuances involved and also bear in mind the nitty-gritty pertaining to the procedure, thus relieving you of the burden of constant supervision.

Making specific inquiries as regards the types of tiles handled by him would provide you with an insight into his area of expertise. Based on the reply, you can then judge whether or not the service provider would be perfect to clean tile and grout in your home.

Is the service provider certified and licensed?

When it comes to license and certification, a word of caution is that rather than take their word at face-value you must insist on checking the license/certificate. While checking you must also note the regulatory authority that has granted the certificate and ensure that it is recognized by the state.

Ignoring this step would mean that the contractor cannot be held responsible for any damage that occurs during cleaning process and you will have to bear the cost of repair. On the flip side, making inquiries beforehand will cushion you against unpleasant surprises in the later stages when the contract is in its concluding phase.

What is the modus operandi used for tile and grout cleaning?

In the absence of one-formula-fits-all solution, a good service provider would rely on a combination of techniques to clean your tile and grout thoroughly. Likewise, length of the procedure would also depend on the type of dirt being handled since this would determine the duration of pre-treatment, time spent on spot cleaning and so on.

At this point, the onus is on you to inquire whether the service provider would seal the grout after cleaning and whether the cleaning agents used are eco-friendly or chemical based.

Final Word

Comparison shopping is the strategy that you must employ while looking for a suitable service provider for tile and grout cleaning. Some of the aspects that you must compare pertain to pricing, discounts, proximity from your home and flexibility as per the situation. You must also insist on a written contract and read the fine print thoroughly prior to putting your signature and closing the deal.

As long as you observe these benchmarks, hiring a service provider for tile and grout cleaning could indeed accrue a multitude of benefits in your favor.