While grout cleaning can be one of the most cumbersome household chores, it is also one of the most necessary. It is difficult to get down on your hands and knees and scrub grout lines, but there are several reasons to sacrifice your body and get the job done.
First, you must consider your health. Sometimes the black stains in grout lines are actually growing mold or mildew. Both of these substances are things that various people have allergies to. Allergic reactions to mold can range anywhere from irritation of the throat to trouble breathing. In addition to mold and mildew, dirty grout can be home to various bacteria. If you have young children or pets that spend a majority of their time with hands or paws on the ground then the bacteria could be a concern. Babies and pets put their hands and paws in their mouth all the time and they could get sick.
Even if you are not concerned about the health effects of dirty grout, you should consider the resale value of your home. Most people will acknowledge that the two most important things prospective home buyers look at are kitchens and bathrooms. These are also the two area of the house where you are most likely to find grout lines. If your grout lines are dirty when you show your house to buyers, it will say that you do not take good care of your house very well. And if you do not take care of the parts of your house that everyone sees, how do you take care of the parts that are less obvious? A little house cleaning can go a long way when it comes to selling your property.
Finally, clean grout just looks better. When a home builder or designer picks the tile and grout for a floor or shower, the choices are not arbitrary. The color and texture of the grout is purposeful and contributes to the overall aesthetic look of the room. If you allow the grout to get dirty, you lose all of those effects.