It’s pretty easy to locate a weakened grout. Grout sealing that was not performed correctly is easily visible during and after the tile installation. The grout between the tiles is porous in nature, readily soaking or absorbing up any liquids, dirt, or stains from the tiles. In addition, moisture breaks up the grout, forcing it to weaken and eventually start breaking down. Sealing the grout in the right manner provides it with a protective layer, making it easy to clean and last longer. So, how to know if your grout is effectively sealed?

sealed grout lines

Perform the Water Test On Your Grout

Deciding whether your tile’s grout has been sealed is easy if you perform the water test. For that, perform these steps:

  1. Fill up water in a spray bottle.
  2. Adjust the spray nozzle’s setting and change it to mist. This is an important step for verifying whether your grout is sealed or not.
  3. Spray a mist of water evenly into your grout.
  4. Wait for two or three minutes to allow the water to set on the grout.
  5. Now, you have to examine the grout in detail. If it changes color or gets darker, this is a telltale sign that the grout wasn’t sealed properly. On the other hand, if the grout’s color remains unchanged, there was nothing wrong with your grout sealing.

You can also monitor the water beads to determine if your grout has been sealed. The sealing is adequate when the water beads flow down from the ground. Alternatively, when water is absorbed by the grout, there can be two possibilities:

  • The grout was not sealed properly.
  • The sealer has worn off.

Furthermore, look for the red flags to figure out if your sealer has become old and ineffective. Usually, this happens when your sealer is peeling off, signifying its deteriorating condition. Hence, you must reseal it.

What Is the Right Time to Reseal Grout?

If your tiles are relatively new and were laid down some time ago, resealing can be quite beneficial in the long run. Additionally, if you have tiles in an outdoor area, such as an outdoor kitchen, your grout will not last longer. Hence, frequent grout replacements are likely in the future.

One of the factors that impacts grout is the unventilated bathrooms. Keep in mind that they contain a great deal of humidity and moisture, breaking down the grout. Thus, if your tile work is loose and your grout has begun to flake off, perhaps, you need to contact Grout Magnificent to help. To do this, you can send us a message for a FREE Estimate. Our experts can take care of all your grout-related worries effectively.