Is this Grout or Dirt?

[djdmaze]

So I'm trying to understand the concept of grout cleaning. I seen those white fill-in-the-lines grout filler products which look like they just paint on top of the grout lines. In this case if dirt is in the grout, it just gets painted over which is disgusting. We cleaned a restaurant floor last night with degreaser, a stripper and grout brush on rotary buffer machine. I cannot distinguish what worked better. Does anyone know if degreaser or stripper works best for tile and grout like this? My partner and I hand scraped every inch of this 2000 sq ft floor. It was so bad it seemed the grout needed to be scraped first and the floor cleaned afterwards. I almost wanted to charge an extra $200 on top of quote to scrape out the grout. The scrape work was very intensive. Now can anyone tell me if we are cleaning this right? Is this dirt we are scraping out of the grout or are we damaging the grout? Is this black grout or is this just dirt buildup in the grout? I have no idea but this process took a long time and will need a new technique or brush to get this up. The black stuff was so hard to scrape out in some areas it made me think I was damaging it. Now the last picture in the post is the final product. So can someone tell me if we damaged and pull up all their grout filling or was it years of caked up dirt and grime? If so how we clean this better instead of hand scraping? I was thinking of a harder roatary brush such this MAL GRIT Brush: https://www.unoclean.com/Malish-813...h-Plastic-Block-80-Grit-18-Inch-Diameter.aspx
I want the hardest bristles because that grout or dirt was hard to pull up. Only came out with metal scrapers and dulled the hell out of them too.

 

[Mikey P]

That's a typical scenario with commercial kitchens that haven't been cleaned in years first you got to scrape off the layers and layers of Grease and then clean the grout underneath ..strippers and high alkaline cleaners won't break that stuff down.

strippers do work good as grout cleaners that you really don't want to be breathing butyl that often..

 

[djdmaze]

That's a typical scenario with commercial kitchens that haven't been cleaned in years first you got to scrape off the layers and layers of Grease and then clean the grout underneath ..strippers and high alkaline cleaners won't break that stuff down.

strippers do work good as grout cleaners that you really don't want to be breathing butyl that often..

Wow thanks Mikey! What do you thing about the Mal-Grit Brush? Will that help break it down? If not what will? Just hand scraping and scrape tools?

 

[Mikey P]

Wow thanks Mikey! What do you thing about the Mal-Grit Brush? Will that help break it down? If not what will? Just hand scraping and scrape tools?

Even those wont always dig through an 1/8 " of grease but they are a must have for tile cleaning professionals

 

[Mikey P]

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these are golden too for shit jobs

 

[Jimmy L]

Should apply a grout sealer so the grease won't stick and be easier to remove . So in ten years it will be easier when they call you to clean it again.

 

[Bob Pruitt]

Many of the fast food type restaurants use a color sealer when the floor is new. I'm thinking, but not positive, it has something to do with the floor being moped nightly with a health department approved cleaner/sanitizer product.
May be a requirement for them in some States. Hope that isn't what you removed.
If you did then I guess you could sell them a new color seal.

 

[Jimmy L]

Put them on some sort of schedule like every 3 months or so so it doesn't get that bad again. Dirty mop and slopping around greasy water did it.

 

[Mikey P]

Many of the fast food type restaurants use a color sealer when the floor is new. I'm thinking, but not positive, it has something to do with the floor being moped nightly with a health department approved cleaner/sanitizer product.
May be a requirement for them in some States. Hope that isn't what you removed.
If you did then I guess you could sell them a new color seal.

Good catch Bob, those strips of black funk do look like a coating of some sort

 

[Hack Attack]

I'd of presumed the grout should look close to these areas??



but I've been wrong before

 

[djdmaze]

Thank you for all the replies. All of you were very helpful.

Good catch Bob, those strips of black funk do look like a coating of some sort

That's exactly what I thought, it was everywhere except small corners as if it been applied. Can grease really get this thick in all areas of the restaurant? And some areas were so tough you would think maybe I shouldn't be doing this/too hard to scrape.

I'd of presumed the grout should look close to these areas??

View attachment 92592

but I've been wrong before

I assumed the same.

 

[Mikey P]

Thank you for all the replies. All of you were very helpful.

That's exactly what I thought, it was everywhere except small corners as if it been applied. Can grease really get this thick in all areas of the restaurant? And some areas were so tough you would think maybe I shouldn't be doing this/too hard to scrape.


I assumed the same.

Grease doesn't really come off in strips like that in my experience..

 

[Mikey P]

Do you have some close up photos of the finished product?

 

[djdmaze]

Many of the fast food type restaurants use a color sealer when the floor is new. I'm thinking, but not positive, it has something to do with the floor being moped nightly with a health department approved cleaner/sanitizer product.
May be a requirement for them in some States. Hope that isn't what you removed.
If you did then I guess you could sell them a new color seal.

You know now that makes much more sense as I thought about a kitchen job we did that did not have the sealer in grout and there were tons of food pieces in the grout which made it nearly impossible to remove as food would stick between the grout. Now they may deal with that problem because the janitorial crew wont know what to do about that. That black layer kept the grout closed....now I wonder if we shouldn't have removed it.

 

[djdmaze]

Do you have some close up photos of the finished product?

I don't Mikey, sorry. I was so ready to get out of there lol

 

[djdmaze]

Grease doesn't really come off in strips like that in my experience..

Exactly. Same here.

 

[Mikey P]

Should apply a grout sealer so the grease won't stick and be easier to remove . So in ten years it will be easier when they call you to clean it again.

Amazingly enough Jimmy is correct, sealing will show a benefit 10 years later...

 

[Andy]

Many of the fast food type restaurants use a color sealer when the floor is new. I'm thinking, but not positive, it has something to do with the floor being moped nightly with a health department approved cleaner/sanitizer product.

Are they concerned about people eating off the floor or picking up food that has dropped on the floor and putting it back on the plate?

 

[Condog]

Would a CRB, hydro force sx12, or bonzer be a better option on this?

 

[Mikey P]

The wire poll brush that Interlink sells and the SX12 at 1500 psi, hopefully hot as hell.


Groom Industries Stainless Steel Grout Brush Amazon product

 

[Mikey P]

And the appropriate stripper

 

[todg]

That's RESTORATION not cleaning...Charge double!

 

[Small town janitorial]

Better you than me. That's a live and learn scenario. Good work.