For good reason, tile and grout are commonplace on commercial restroom floors. These durable materials look nice, perform well, and contribute to floor safety. The combination is meant to withstand significant foot activity and persist for decades. Tile and grout floors, on the other hand, might be difficult to keep clean.
Knowing how to clean tile and grout floors in commercial restrooms gives you and your staff an advantage. Restroom upkeep becomes more efficient and straightforward. Customers and clients will be satisfied. Even your teams will be delighted if your tile and grout floors are kept clean, attractive, and safe.
Business Benefits from Clean Restroom
Bathrooms that are filthy result in a loss of revenue. Customers consistently rate a business’s quality based on the condition of its restrooms, according to surveys. That reality applies to restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality establishments just as much as it does to supermarkets, car dealerships, and petrol stations. A clean, fresh-smelling restroom instills consumer trust regardless of the industry.
Customers have always raised an eyebrow when they see filthy restrooms. However, in the wake of the Covid outbreak, the world is now focused on cleanliness, health, and safety, and even a smell of a poorly maintained lavatory drives people away. Employees are in the same boat. Many people are hesitant to give up working from home because they are anxious about sharing a bathroom. Providing a spotless, bright, and odor-free environment will help to reduce concerns.
The Trouble with Tile and Grout
Tile and grout are ideal for usage in moist locations such as restrooms since they are waterproof and affordable. To create distinct aesthetics, builders can alter tile colors, sizes, finishes, and textures. As a result, it’s a popular choice for people wishing to make a splash with their restroom design.
The floor tile itself, whether porcelain or ceramic, is relatively simple to clean. These dense and non-porous surfaces are effectively cleaned using alkaline, acidic, or pH-neutral solutions. Scrubbing is also possible without scratching the tiles. (Just remember to stay away from metal scrubbing products.)
The flexible filler between the tiles, grout, is a different story. The substance, which is made up of a combination of water, cement, and sand, is softer than tile and surprisingly porous. Grout attracts moisture, dirt, and germs and holds them in place. These contaminants stain the grout, generate foul aromas, and make restrooms appear untidy, unprofessional, and unappealing.
Smelly Floors in a Clean Restroom
Before the floor has even dried, a recently mopped restroom might begin to stink. This is because mopping fails to remove dirt and contaminants from the grout. In reality, it has the exact opposite effect.
The tile is raised over the grout line. The substance then acts as a squeegee, sucking water from the mop and depositing it directly into the grout lines. The worst offenders are cotton string mops, but even newer technology like microfiber mops leave a lot of dirt behind.
The bacteria that have taken up residence in the porous grout are fed by this unclean mop water, which is a combination of street soils, urine, and whatever else is on a toilet floor. These bacteria grow, producing foul-smelling gas and staining the grout. What’s the result? A stinky bathroom that a mop can’t get rid of.
Methods for Cleaning Bathroom Tile and Grout
Cleaning the tile and grout floors in commercial restrooms involves a strategy. Begin by cleaning the floors daily. Grout should be scrubbed hard once a week to avoid stains, mildew, and odors from forming. When utilizing tile and grout cleaning products, always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Cleaning Tile and Grout in 4 Easy Steps
- Allow the diluted solution to sit for a while.
- Using a stiff brush or a non-metallic pad, scrub the tiles and grout.
- Using a wet/dry vacuum, remove the cleaning solution and dirt.
- Rinse and dry with clean, freshwater.
