Tile & Grout Cleaning Service

Purpose

Define the protocol for cleaning tile and grout surfaces - ceramic, porcelain, natural stone - in residential settings. This is a high-margin add-on to carpet cleaning routes because most homes have tile in entries, kitchens, and bathrooms. The grout is the hard part; tile is mostly cleanable by hand but grout requires the right chemistry + extraction tool.

Scope

Applies to:

• Glazed ceramic tile (most common residential floor + wall tile)
• Porcelain tile (similar approach to ceramic)
• Cementitious grout (sanded + unsanded - both)
• Travertine + similar natural-stone tile (with chemistry caveats)

Excludes glass tile (different chemistry), marble (pH-sensitive specialty work), and severely damaged or efflorescing grout (needs sealing or replacement, not cleaning).

Responsibilities

• Dispatcher confirms tile type + square footage at booking; flags natural stone for special handling
• Lead technician identifies tile + grout type; selects chemistry
• Customer is briefed on grout-line improvement expectations (NEVER promise "new")

Procedure

1. Customer briefing. "Tile + grout cleaning improves significantly. Grout will look much better, not new. If you want true 'as new,' that's a regrout, not a cleaning. About 60 - 90 minutes for [stated area]."
2. Verify tile type. Glaze test on ceramic / porcelain: a drop of water beads up on glazed tile, soaks in on unglazed natural stone. Wrong chemistry = etched / discolored stone.
3. Pre-vacuum thoroughly. Loose dirt becomes mud when wet. Get into all corners with a brush attachment.
4. Apply tile + grout cleaner. For ceramic / porcelain:

• Alkaline cleaner (most common, pH 10 - 12) - removes soap scum, grease, food residue
• Acidic cleaner (pH 2 - 4) - for mineral deposits + soap scum buildup; NEVER on natural stone
• Hydrogen-peroxide-based for white grout - restores brightness

1. Dwell time per label - typically 5 - 10 minutes. Don't let it dry; re-wet if it does.
2. Agitate with a stiff brush on the grout lines. Mechanical agitation is half the cleaning - chemistry alone won't remove embedded dirt without scrubbing.
3. Extract with a tile + grout extraction tool (Hydro-Force SX-12, similar truck-mount accessory). Hot water + vacuum, working the wand back and forth.
4. Multiple passes on heavily-soiled grout lines. Each pass extracts more dirt; water should run clearer with each pass.
5. Final rinse with clean hot water to neutralize chemistry.
6. Apply grout sealer (separate service, sold at quote time). A sealed grout stays clean 2 - 3x longer. The customer who declines is calling you back in 6 months; lead with sealing as the value protection.
7. Air-dry with movers OR open ventilation. Foot traffic on damp grout grinds dirt back in.

Acceptance Criteria

• Tile + grout visibly improved (photograph before + after)
• No streaks or chemistry residue
• Grout color uniform within reasonable expectation (not "new" but visibly clean)
• Grout sealer applied (if sold) per label
• Customer signs the field report acknowledging the realistic expectations conversation

Troubleshooting

• Grout still looks dirty after cleaning: heavily-stained or aged grout may need grout color restoration (a sealer + color combined) - separate service.
• White haze on tile after cleaning: chemistry residue. Re-rinse with clear hot water.
• Color difference at certain grout lines: dye stains (red wine, juice) absorbed into porous grout - usually permanent. Grout color restoration product can mask.
• Etching on natural stone: WRONG CHEMISTRY USED. Will need stone professional to refinish. Document immediately + report up the chain.

References

• IICRC S210 Standard for Professional Cleaning of Stone, Tile, and Grout
• Tile + chemistry manufacturer literature
• Manuall internal: Standard Hot Water Extraction Service