MN just make this decision for me

[Preiu]

Okay I know this is a tedious question and I should not need to involve strangers on the internet but I’ve been flip flopping for the last hour.

Basically I am a neat freak. Mess gets me down - grew up in filth.

My kitchen grout is filthy - hasn’t been done in 2 months. I have the house to myself (therefore no one to keep coming in and out of kitchen). But it’s a four/five hour job (white grout and limestone effect tile) and I always regret starting half way through.

I have a really difficult 2 weeks ahead and I genuinely do think clean grout would make me feel less shit. I probably will be neglecting tidying so having a clean base would be amazing.

With Karcher and bleach it’s straightforward but very annoying. I could happily just sit on the sofa all day.

Feeling lazy.

What should I do? Or what would you do? I keep going between the two.

Honestly the thickness is all over the place. They look like they even touch in some places. Is there a reason grout should be 3- 5mm?

Buy a very big rug. Job done.

On the list. Just forked out for repairs. After redoing the house we are skint.

Floor tiles have traditionally had a thicker grout line, but don't know if there is a reason other than aesthetics and personal preference. I guess as floor tiles are typically bigger sizes than wall tiles (although these days you get some massive wall tiles as well) it looks more in proportion perhaps.

I know when our lounge was done the tiler said he rarely did less than 3mm now.

Soak cotton wool balls
in bleach and stick it into the grout in one small area and leave overnight. If it is not dramatically different in the morning then leave it, it’s just the colour.

Genuinely, OP...show yourself some love and leave it. Life is way too short, and not cleaning your grout won't be top of your list of regrets when you're 95 and looking back.

(Also worth noting that no one apart from you will notice or care).

I know I shouldn’t care but it just makes the kitchen feel icky. Even when the rest is tidy and clean.

Just make a decision. If you are going to do it, do it now and stop wasting time dithering. If not, go sit on the sofa and watch some TV.

I scrub the grout in our kitchen but just with a small brush and grout cleaner in between the tiles where it's needed, so round the back door, in front of the sink and the cooker. It certainly doesn't take me 5 hours and our kitchen is quite big.

Our grout stains. So it’s kind of an elbow grease type job.

I don’t think it’s been sealed. Does anyone know how I can check to see if it has?

yup grey tiles and grey grout.

I'm like you, OP, and I would probably clean it.
Living with my darling husband currently,
I'm sure when I'm on my own one day (big age difference), my OCD won't be chained by anyone.
😂
(Grew up with emotionally abusive parents who didn't care much about cleanliness).

Yes - it's far easier maintenance wise and looks good with light tiles

Honestly, just go over it with dark grey and never worry about it again

Gosh I'd go over them with something dark so the dirt doesn't show up. I don't think white grout is practical for a floor! Then you won't feel bad about not cleaning it.

Dribble neat bleach on the grout and leave for a couple of hours then rinse off.

Then colour it all in dark grey.

Two possibilities- the dark grey grout pen, or.... I'll let you in on a secret. If you don't clean it, ever, apart from general floor cleaning, then it slowly goes a nice even dark grey and stays that way.

Just leave it and let it get uniformly dirty.

Did it - may have over done it with the bleach I am coughing all over the place.

Does anyone know of a good seamless floor that is for for a kitchen? Thinking about what I would put down in my next kitchen?

im thinking of some type of extremely hard wearing wood? I’ve seen that there are some stain proof ones on the market

This.

Except, get someone in to do it. I would. Although I am - as noted regularly on threads like these - a lazy cunt.

Grout doesn’t need “sealed”. Grout IS the seal

It sounds like whoever laid the tiles has done a poor job... usually you would put spacers down between the times to ensure even lines of consistent width to grout over.

It sounds as if that's not happened properly here if your tiles are nearly touching in places. If the space between tiles is very thin the grout there can not adhere and harden properly, causing cracks, dips and blemishes and making it collect dirt unevenly, which seems to be what you are experiencing.

I would try sealing it one time after you have done a really good job cleaning and that should help maintain the appearance.

@Preiu I've had excellent results by applying a paste of water and sodium percarbonate, leaving it for an hour or so, giving it a scrub then wiping off. Then (re)seal the grout.

I have two disgusting dogs and cats and light grout with grey tiles and this is also my approach, although in some places it goes a nasty orange. This is one thing my DP has a lower threshold for than me so I ignore it until he does it.

Bleach causes the grout to become more porous and is therefore really bad for it. It then attracts more and more dirt which is what's going on here. I'd just mop the floor, ignoring the grout for now but check what the manufacturers recommend to use on it.

Smart seal grout cleaner is what you need - it’s fairly toxic stuff so wear good gloves glasses and mask. It makes the grout look new in minutes. I’ve used their grout paint too and it’s lasted years