Got Gross Grout?

"GROUT" is such an ugly word.  And unfortunately, it is sometimes an ugly, dirty part of your home.

I noticed that the grout in our living room had absorbed every little drop of liquid that had been spilled on it over the years.  Despite my efforts, I could not get it clean.  I could easily blame the kids or Rex, but I was just as guilty since I generally rush out the door each morning carrying two tons of school stuff and my much needed cup of coffee.  The coffee never makes it to the car without spilling a little here and there.  Once, I even left it on top of the car and didn't realize it until I stopped at a red light.  "What is that noise?  What is rattling on top of the car?  And where is my coffee?"  That mystery took at least 10 blocks to solve. 

Anyhoo, grout + spilled stuff = gross and impossible to clean.

 Take your eyes off that precious cat and feast upon the tile:  

Something about the tile just doesn't look clean to me.

I decided to tackle this problem last summer.
I visited Lowe's and purchased these products:

Then I spent the next several hours removing rugs and small furniture, scouring my grout with the cleaner and the brush, which was about as thrilling as it sounds.  I meticulously vacuumed the tile, swept the tile, mopped the tile, steam-mopped the tile, steam-mopped again, and collapsed from exhaustion.  But just for a sec because I knew I had to work quickly before the grout soiled itself again.

The next step will sound familiar to you if you read my "Patio Painting" blog.  I simply poured the grout sealer into a paint tray and rolled it on the tile and grout.  I did half the floor, let it dry for 24 hrs, then moved the heavy furniture to the "done" part and finished the remaining section.

The result was beautiful, somewhat glossy (which appeals to my Type A semi-clean freak nature) tile.

Ignore the backpack thrown in the middle of the floor; I said I was "SEMI-clean freak."

See the "wet look?"  The best part is, we can drop Popsicle (the kids,) spill an entire jar of salsa (me,) or spill coffee (me again,) all we want...and it mops right up!  Well, it doesn't mop itself up, I still have to do that part.