The great thing about hard floor surfaces such as ceramic or natural stone is that they are beautiful, durable and long lasting. While many of them are processed in a way that leaves them virtually impenetrable, such as glazed ceramic tile like you would find in a bathroom shower, most are not. This leaves them fairly porous and open for penetration from dirt, grime and grease. In addition, grout, which is usually cement-based, is extremely porous. Over time, as the floor is cleaned with a mop and solution, the dirt, grime and cleaning products work their way down into the “open” pores of both. Not only does this make the surface lose its “new” look, but the grout will darken over time. It is highly common to see bright white or light-colored grout turn black.
Whether you clean the floors yourself or use the services of an outside maid service, this mop-and-bucket method is standard protocol in almost all cases. The problem is that it only helps to clean the topmost surface, while at the same time, pushing most of the problem dirt back down into the tile and grout. Without the use of specialized equipment and cleaners, it will stay that way and only continue to get worse.
