Putting things in order in the bathroom: how to clean the seams between the tiles?

Tile in the bathroom can look expensive and elegant. But over time, she risks losing her attractiveness. High humidity, poor ventilation and temperature changes often affect the appearance of the tile. To return to such a coating a glossy shine and a neat look, you need not only to wash it to a shine and rub the tile itself, but also to update the tile joints.

Over time, stains from dirt appear on the tiles: lime deposits, traces of shampoo and even cleaning agents, but, more seriously, from mold and mildew. If you devote little time to caring for such a coating, traces of black plaque become very noticeable. This blackness is a sign of the spread of mold and mildew.

It is impossible to look at it indifferently, not only because the tiles look dirty and unkempt, but also because the presence of "self-proclaimed neighbors" (mold and mildew) has a detrimental effect on the condition of all household members. The fungus cannot break through the immune defenses of a healthy person, however, if the body is weakened, then the spores penetrate into the body through the skin and respiratory tract, therefore, cleaning the tile joints must be given the utmost attention. and not to postpone general cleaning.

There are many ways to clean tiles. For this, you can choose a modern detergent. Fortunately, there is a wide range of effective drugs on the market. You can also adopt traditional methods in the battle for perfect cleanliness in the bathroom, as well as wash or scrub the tiles purely mechanically. using scrapers, spatulas and other simple devices.

Dirty tile gaps are the first thing you pay attention to in the bathroom, as well as in the kitchen. If initially they were white, and now they have acquired a grayish or yellow tint, then try to take advantage of the achievements of the chemical industry.

To clean the seams with household chemicals, it is better to choose a potent agent, since the dirt between the tiles in the bathroom, as a rule, gets clogged very deeply, and chemical solutions that act mildly work well with the tiles themselves, but do not give a full result in the fight against inter-tile pollution.

These chemicals are based on strong acids. To clean the tile gaps, a chemical mixture is applied to the seams and waited for it to take effect. After some time, the seams are washed with warm water. If necessary, you can wipe off the remaining dirt with a brush

It is also possible to restore the aesthetic appearance of the tile covering mechanically, although this process is laborious, requiring thoroughness and care. But unlike a chemical agent, the tool penetrates to any seam depth in which dirt has lodged.

In this case, such simple devices as a kitchen scraper or sandpaper will come in handy. To effectively remove dirt in floor joints, a non-rigid metal brush can be used. Although in this case there is a risk of ruining the floor covering, since this tool removes the old grout in strips, and they can be noticeable. It is safer to use a semicircular chisel, which is used in the work of woodcarvers.

To get rid of traces of limescale on the tile and in its seams, you can use special household chemicals that are applied with a sponge or brush, wait a few minutes and wash off with water:

• A modern means of removing dirt from tiles is melamine sponge... It is created from a special material (a modern type of plastic), which, like an eraser, cleans hard surfaces from dirt, which allows you not to use chemicals when cleaning;
• If you don’t want extra spending or you don’t trust special store products, use what any housewife will definitely have at hand. Can be done a mixture of soda and hydrogen peroxide. Given its required volume, it is necessary to select the composition so that four parts of soda account for three parts of peroxide. If desired, add the detergent you are using to this mixture to make it easier to wash the dishes. It removes fat perfectly. The resulting composition must be applied to the tile floor. After a couple of hours, it remains to clean the surface of the tiles and seams with a brush and wash it thoroughly;

• If this recipe doesn't suit you, make a solution toothpaste, mustard and lemon juice... To be sure, it's a good idea to supplement this combination with ammonia. The compound is coated on the seams and kept for 10-20 minutes. Then they are thoroughly washed with water;
• A solution is considered a reliable combination lemon, vinegar and baking soda... For 6 glasses of water, take half a glass of baking soda and a third of a glass of vinegar, then add the same amount of lemon juice. Apply the liquid to the seams for 10-15 minutes. For a really reliable result, it is best to help the liquid mixture penetrate the grout with a brush. This procedure must be carried out at least 2-3 times in order to surely get rid of all the accumulated dirt.

It is important to observe precautions when processing tiles, since almost all effective compositions (even homemade ones, even store ones) can burn the skin, and are harmful to the respiratory system, so you need to work with rubber gloves and a protective mask.

If, when processing tiles in the bathroom, the hostesses take on "heavy artillery", then, as a rule, it is no longer a matter of simple removal of dirt, but of the fight against fungus. The same lemon, vinegar, soda and hydrogen peroxide give a certain effect in the fight against this scourge:

• for example, you can prepare an effective antifungal agent from available tools: mix ammonia and vinegar (a tablespoon of both), add a teaspoon of fabric softener and two-thirds of a glass of water. Mix all this and work the seams with the resulting composition using a stiff brush;
• you can also use modern means. The same special felt-tip pen with waterproof dye, which quickly kills the fungus and, moreover, hides the resulting color defects;
• if the blackness in the bathroom has appeared recently, you can use chemicals that include chlorine. This, for example, "White"... It is used both in folk recipes against the fungus, and on its own. To achieve the desired effect, it is enough to treat the entire tile with this liquid, including the seams;
• fit for business and oxygen bleach... It is diluted in warm water at a ratio of 1: 1. The agent is used to treat the tiles with a sponge, carefully smearing the tile joints. Then leave for an hour and a half. During this time, the active substances penetrate into hard-to-reach places of the tile covering and kill harmful microorganisms and fungus. After the completion of the process, the chemical itself is calmly removed with a stiff brush.

Some people react very badly to chlorine and other chemicals. If there is a chance that one of the tenants of the house will end up in a hospital bed because of this, then in the fight against the fungus, you can use a steam cleaner. This appliance produces high pressure steam. Thus, without the use of chemicals, you can reliably clean both the tiles themselves and the intermediate joints. The jet of steam softens the dirt, kills the fungus and other bacilli.

There are also quite neglected situations when the fungus in the seams "blooms in double color", and the grout itself is already crumbling.

There are many types of tiles. Depending on what kind of material you are dealing with, the appropriate cleaning agents should also be selected:

• glazed tiles do not tolerate acids. From contact with substances containing acidic components, it fades;
• After cleaning, matte tiles must be treated with a special mastic that forms a film. It makes it possible not to get dirty on the surface of the tile for a long time;
• if mosaic or glass tiles are used in the bathroom, do not use strong products containing a large percentage of alkali and acid;
• when cleaning the tile, it is preferable not to use granular powders and particularly hard brushes;
• Purchase an epoxy-based grout. Such materials are resistant to penetration of dirt, as well as to the formation of mildew and mildew;

• regular maintenance of the tile with chemical agents is necessary with the start of its operation. The use of special tools is most effective when the pollution has not sunk deep into the tile joints and have not taken root in them.
• the systematic use of special chemicals when cleaning the bathroom will make it possible not to start this situation, and the tile will look like new for a long time;
• the condition of the tile flooring directly depends on the microclimate in the bathroom. Care should be taken to keep this room as dry as possible.A well-designed ventilation system will help to ensure this; moist air must be forced out of the room. It is even better if the hood starts working when the light is turned on in the bathroom;
• a simple rule should be developed: immediately after one of the household members has taken a shower or a bath, the tile is wiped with a cloth that absorbs water well so that dampness does not linger in the tile joints;
• the walls under the tiles must not be cold, otherwise condensation is inevitable.

You will learn more about how to clean the seams between tiles in the following video.