Searching for Grout Cleaning

[JM123456]

Hey,

I have a quick question about cleaning grout on a bathroom floor - more searching for opinions than facts...

I have 1.5x1.5" mosaic tile (glazed ceramic with a matte finish, as it is supposed to be "slip resistant") sitting on top of Schluter-DITRA membrane. (I know, no high heels or anything because 1.5 is below recommended size for the Schluter-DITRA). The grout is standard, sanded grout that is/was white.

I never sealed the grout or tiles because I wanted to give them a good amount of time to cure. (I wanted to give it the best chance possible to seal because it is sitting on old tiles that are almost certainly asbestos (which is why I did not want to pull them up). I also assumed that the grout couldn't possible get that dirty over a few weeks - thus greatly underestimating how much my kids would trash the floor.

My question are:

Do I use my steam cleaner on it? I am worried this might damage the grout/pull it up...or the heat might pull up the DITRA (unlikely, but still a worry).

Do I use a chemical cleaner?

Once cleaned, do I bother to seal the grout? Since it is mosaic, should I seal the whole floor? Or leave it unsealed?

I do not need perfect answers, just people's experiences and opinions.

Thank you!

 

[havasu]

Absolutely seal the grout after cleaning it. I have small 1/2" floor tiles in my shower and have had great success using "Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer". Spray it all over the floor, then let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub in all directions with a bristle brush. Rinse, then towel dry. The next day, I will seal the entire floor with a good grout sealer. Let it sit for no less than 2 hours, then wipe the excess off the top of the tile. I repeat this every 6 months. I know the kids will be without a shower for 24 hours, but you want it completely dry before sealing, and you want the sealer to be completely dry before using the shower.

 

[JPfloor]

In commercial bathrooms that get beyond filthy I use bleach with hot hot water and a little dish soap. Let it sit for a minute then scrub with heavy duty steel wool or a scrubbing pad using my foot to apply pressure… Mop and rinse with clean water… Works.

 

[Tile Tom]

Acid wash?

 

[JPfloor]

Acid wash?

I did that once with Muriatic acid. I accidentally patched over a slate floor that wasn’t getting covered. That’s some nasty stuff. I didn’t have any kind of mask so I held my breath running in and out of the room (young and stupid). Little bit of overkill for cleaning the shower floor.

 

[havasu]

Yeah. I'd be concerned about acid etching with using acid.