To seal or not to seal. That is a good question.

The answer really depends on your unique situation. Here I will lay out some pro’s and cons to help you decide. Grout sealer is one of those things I have a love hate relationship with so here we go.

Pro’s: Grout sealers can be compared to a car wax the way wax protects the paint on a car the sealer protects the grout from liquids and soiling.

If properly maintained grout sealer will protect your grout for a long time and make it easier to clean with traditional methods.

If you have pets that have accidents then you should definitely seal the grout. Ceramic tile has a built in sealer because the surface is slick and glazed. Natural stone tile really should be sealed as well.

Cons: Now you know the good so let me explain the bad. If you do not seal the grout then it makes professional cleaning more productive with gentle solutions.

If you seal the grout and then wait too long to clean and re-seal it must be stripped with harsh corrosive chemicals that literally eat the top layer of grout and sometimes leaves it brittle. Grout sealers are extremely difficult to remove and can sometimes take two trips to get it all. It is very expensive and stinky.

My Advise: If you decide to seal your grout, please do not wait until you notice it isn’t cleaning up to re-seal. When you do re-seal you must make sure it is really clean by using some sort of extraction to remove particles completely. You do not want to seal dirt to the grout.

So if you are uncertain then no sealer is best unless you have indoor pets with bladder problems. I often recommend a yearly maintenance plan rather than sealers.