Before and After: Epoxy Color Seal Makes a Shower in Chestnut Hill Look Brand New

March 01, 2016

Showers are meant to keep you clean, but they get so, so dirty. This was the case for a Boston resident who lived in Chestnut Hill. His impressive tile and grout shower had marble accents that left him feeling both clean and luxurious. The shower was more of an in-home spa – generating tons of steam in a space that's 2-3 times the size of the average shower. He left it feeling refreshed and happy.

Over time, the bright white tile and grout started to look splotchy and darker – more of an off-white. He noticed some grout lines were greying, and the corners of the shower were especially dark. It looked as if the caulk was deteriorating – he could see that it was peeling in some areas as well. He tried cleaning it, but it seemed like the dark color would only get so much lighter, and he was fighting a losing battle. The homeowner did some research: looking online, he discovered that his peeling caulk could lead to further tile deterioration and even water damage to his home. That was a bad sign. He asked his neighbors if they knew a company that could provide local Chestnut Hill caulking services. They recommended Sir Grout of Greater Boston.



The homeowner called and set up a free evaluation. He hoped the damage wasn't too severe – maybe it was too much to hope that his shower could look new again. Fingers crossed, he spoke with the technicians on the day of his appointment. They quickly confirmed that his caulk in the corners needed to be replaced. They would begin with a thorough cleaning, and see if the stain would lift from the grout. If not, a grout recoloring would restore the color.

They began cleaning the tile and grout. The vapor cleaning process was combined with a vertical soft brush scrubbing system to gently lift and remove as much mold, mildew, bacteria, soap scum, and dirt that was discoloring the grout. Once removed, the grout was still not a pristine white color. To fix this, they suggested a grout sealing and recoloring. Epoxy ColorSeal was the ideal product for the job: not only would it cover up the unattractive, dirty-looking stains from the long-term exposure to dirt and soap scum, it would help prevent future problems. Grout itself is porous – and these microscopic pores collect dirt and soap scum, creating the perfect home for mold and mildew to grow. It's very difficult to clean these with household cleaning products. Instead, filling the grout with Epoxy ColorSeal creates a uniform color and seal that prevents that invasive collection of dirt that will eventually break down grout and cause cracking.

Once the cleaning and Epoxy Color Seal was completed, the caulking service began. The corners were repaired with a high quality caulk which would prevent water from seeping into the corners, where it's prone to collect.

The homeowner looked at the shower. In as little as a day, his shower went from dirty to brand new! It looked as if he'd remodeled it. He couldn't believe how non-invasive and effective the whole experience was! He immediately called his neighbors to thank them for the recommendation and brag about his beautiful shower.

The team prepared to leave, and left the homeowner with some valid instructions: be careful what you clean your tile and grout with. Products that are acidic or alkaline will damage grout and stone. The floor may look clean once you clean it, but it will be left more vulnerable to damage, and it will be harder to remove the dirt in future cleaning sessions. The best option is to use a pH-neutral cleaner.

Your shower is a humid, harsh environment – if it's not kept clean and properly maintained, you may end up having to replace your tiles and grout. If you have stains that appear permanent, just call (781) 899-0388 and we'll help you achieve a brand new look to your shower.

If you found this article helpful then let us know in the comments section below. Likewise, feel free to share it using the share options below. Want us to cover another topic of your interest pertaining to Hard Surface Restoration? If so, then like us and follow us on social media, and post to any of our social media profiles the topic you'd like us to discuss: Facebook Sir Grout of Greater Boston, Instagram @sirgroutboston, and Twitter @SirGrout.