Scrubbing tile and grout

[daniel@procarpet]

I really need to get a brush to scrub under cabinets and corners. I currently use a regular grout brush to hit these areas first and then I go over the whole floor with a 175. I spray the floor first and then when I go back with the 175 I shower feed solution to keep the floor wet. I have tried the 200 dollar stiff nylon brush that is really for scrubbing concrete and a adjust a glide brush. My brush is pretty worn so today I took the glide section off. The brush still glides over the top of the tile and doesn't dig in unless I tilt the 175 up on its side. I feel the chem will do its job if enough dwell time is given but sometimes I run into a situation where I have to go back and scrub the floor. Now I put extra effort into the aggitation portion. What do you do to scrub tile?

 

[BLewis]

We never scrub tile. We use the angle brush for grout lines only. Spray, scrub grout lines and let dwell at least 15 minutes. We do alot of tile with some of our commercial accounts and after we scrub the grout the first time we never have to ever scrub it again. As far as the tile the chemical and the psi and turbo should always take care of the pores of the tile.

 

[GeneMiller]

same here, we never scrub tile just the edges by hand with a small angle brush.

gene

 

[alazo1]

same here, we never scrub tile just the edges by hand with a small angle brush.

You don't use a grout brush for the grout in the field?. What do you use?.

I scrub with a grout brush as most do and dwell and turbo take care of the rest. Unless of course there is a coating. If it's natural stone I may scrub with a 175 buffer as well. Specially some travertine that has a high hone.

Albert

 

[Blue Monarch]

Call me a hack, but I rarely scrub at all. Powermax, plenty of dwell and a turbo = happy customer.

 

[dealtimeman]

stripper and powermax or oxyblaster - only scrubb grout lines very quickly to make sure chem gets in and does its job.

 

[Blue Monarch]

What stripper r u using? Several guys are doing this, but I haven't seen the need yet. Of course, in Lincoln, there isn't all that much tile.

 

[tmdry]

Daniel,

As most have stated using a floor machine is not going to make much of a difference on these jobs. You didn't mention but I hope you are covering the cabinets and baseboards w/ tape/mil plastic when scrubbing w/ the 175, it will throw crap on there, you won't see it, but later on when client inspects the job, they'll be pissed that they have to wipe it down. Make it easier on yourself. We'll use a floor machine for natural stone. The chems should be on that floor for at least 15-30 minutes, they'll do all the work.

 

[Jose Smith]

Under the counter is the one place that does not need scrubbing. It's like new there. We scrub all traffic areas with the GLS, rinse with a glided wand and go.

We don't do a ton of ceramic tile, my typical clients don't have that stuff. But when we do it's easier than carpet.

Jose Smith

 

[GeneMiller]

i have to disagree ,under the cabinets is the only area we scrub. in a perfect world it would be clean but it never is. we pretreat with bridgepoint break-away boosted with powdered peroxide, scrub the edges and turbo the rest. we clean at 1100 psi with 200 plus water
works flawlessly.

gene

 

[Mikey P]

Jose only cleans clean homes.



Under counters is where the mop pushes the funk in many homes.

Adding a Stripper to your Oxy product will do wonders when there is a mop n glow type coating involved.


In grease pits the stripper will help cut the funk as well.

 

[handdi]

put your knee pads on
get a turbo tool hand held has a brush on it works very well
not the spinner type
open the cabinet doors work 95 percent of the time

same people that make the blue turbo tool
i think retail is around 240 or so\
steambrite has one for 240 free shipping
turboforce cobra tile and grout hand tool
try it you will like it

 

[Jose Smith]

Wow, I am surprised. I can't remember ever seeing dirty grout under the counter, the toe kick, or in corners. But I don't clean a ton of tile/grout. One job every two or three months maybe.

So a question, if this is where the mop is pushing debris, does it really need a scrubbing? Or just a cleaning?

I just don't get it. Are these areas where soil has been depositied by a mop really in need of a deep scrubbing? How common is this?

Jose Smith

 

[Blue Monarch]

If the mop has been slinging dirty water under there for a while, it may need some scrubbing. A lot of times the tool won't fit in the area and agitation is needed to get 'er done.

 

[Jim Nazarian]

If your cleaning grout in a Living room then you probably don't need to scrub, but expect to scrub ALL the grout in a kitchen.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

I have tried several tile cleaners including strippers. If the floor is dirty they will clean the floor with dwell time. If the floor is stained from the customer mopping with mop n glo or pine sol it is going to need to be scrubbed. I have a new chem I am going to try next time. I hear it just needs to be spread around and then sucked off. We shall see. The photos are after scrubbing for thirty minutes with a 175 and grout brush.