Is Sealing Your Grout Really Needed?

In short, yes, if you want your grout protected year-round. Grout is porous – think about your grout lines as like sponges all around your floors or backsplashes or showers. Being sponge-like, grout absorbs everything it comes in contact with like dirt, mold, mildew, liquids, debris, and more. That milk you spilled? The grout sucked it up. The mud your kids tracked in. The grout absorbed it. The puddle of pee from your dog? The grout is full of it.

Now, if your grout lines were covered by a grout sealer, the spills, dirt, and so on, wouldn’t absorb into the grout. They would sit on the sealer. The grout sealer protects the grout as it creates a protective seal.

However, if your grout is epoxy grout, it does not need to be sealed. Only cement-based grout should be sealed. Epoxy grout is made up of epoxy resins, epoxy hardeners, and sand/aggregate fillers. Epoxy grout isn’t porous so it will not absorb anything. Epoxy grout is easier to clean than other types of grout. However, epoxy grout is more expensive and harder to install.

A good grout sealer like Grout Shield’s clear grout sealer or color grout sealer repels and stops the penetration of dirt/liquids and also minimizes buildup. You should seal your grout after installation. However, it’s never too late to seal your grout, but if it’s dirty, you’ll need to clean it first with a quality grout cleaner. For tough stains, try Grout Shield’s grout and tile cleaner. You don’t want to seal dirty grout lines, because they will stay looking dirty!

You can tell if your grout needs a grout sealer by doing a simple at-home test. Put a few drops of water onto the grout. Did the grout absorb it? If the water beads, the grout lines have a sealer on them. if the water is absorbed, the grout isn’t protected.

Grout Shield’s color sealer doesn’t just protect your grout, it will give you a brand-new color, as well. There are endless colors to choose from. Color sealer is also great to use if the grout cleaner is unable to get rid of years-old stains.

For more information on Grout Shield products, click our grout cleaning product page, or call toll free at 1-800-631-0716.