Those Shower Tiles

Shower in the Tiles

Probably the first and most important thing about tile -- although it sounds counter-intuitive -- is keep water off of it.  "Keep water off of tile in a shower?" you ask.  Yes.  As soon as you are done with your shower it is very important to squeegee it down.  Have a nice-looking old towel around and wipe it down afterwards.  This is important because your grout work will last four to five times longer if you do this.
That is prime directive in Tile Showers.  Then, there is cleaning the tiles and the grout.  Never mix chemicals together.  Remember mixing bleach and ammonia basically makes mustard gas:  the stuff used to kill people in World War One.  Windex (ammonia) and Bleach will kill you; and if they don't you'll wish you were dead.  Wear protective eye-wear and rubber gloves when you clean the grout.  Use a brush (a metal brush will seriously damage the grout).  Test the preparation you intend to use in an inconspicuos corner.  Bleach on colored grout can actually bleach the grout, and usually unevenly.  Vinegar or baking soda (both together will just fizz).  Mr. Clean or any of the commercial grout cleaners you can find at your Hardware store or at Home Depot.  You can try Oxyclean or Hydrogen Peroxide:  again test a small inconspicuous corner.
 
The Oxygen Cleaner is by far the most popular method. If it looks like mold -- then just bleach diluted in a spray bottle with water will get rid of it.  Just another note of caution on the bleach and ammonia thing:  If the 911 call center doesn't patch you through to poison control, call 1-800-222-1222 after you are finished with 911.

One of the best videos comparing commercial cleaners can be found on YouTube:  Just follow the link below.  It is an impartial testing of the most popular commercially prepared products.  You Tube Video Comarative Analysis

 

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