Property Managers: See How Our Expert Tile and Grout Cleaners Restored the Floors in this Exclusive Apartment Building in Chicago, IL

May 02, 2017

It is a cold Chicago morning and Mr. Smith, who works for a property management agency, wakes up to tense shoulders and a craving for coffee. Today his tenants are moving out and he needs to have everything ready to get his property out on the market as soon as he can. However, he has yet to find decent tile and grout cleaners in Chicago that can spruce up his property in a timely fashion.


One of the struggles of being a property manager is searching for independent contractors in the home repair and improvement industries who are reliable, efficient, present all the necessary permits, meet deadlines, and don't overcharge.

As Mr. Smith pours an extra cup of coffee, he regrets not having a few professional maintenance teams on hand. Having a few go-to independent contractors will save you time when looking for providers, comparing offers, checking references, and reviewing work. It can also establish a trusting and professional relationship, meaning you won't have to worry too much about the quality of the work, nor will you have to stress over deadlines. If you ever need an emergency repair, having them as backup will save some trouble.

Contrary to Mr. Smith, our client, who works for the distinguished Chicago-based Draper & Kramer property management company, already has a team of professional tile and grout cleaners in Chicago to do all necessary restorations when maintenance time comes. Not long ago we were called again to North Lake Shore Drive, to work on some of the company's apartment units to fix them up and get them back on the market.

On the scheduled day, Sir Grout Chicago's crew of expert technicians arrived at the apartment complex. The client told us she wanted us to work mainly on the floors, countertops, and bathrooms, with the kitchen floors being of utmost importance since she considered them the units' selling points. We were happy to oblige and began to work right away.


The kitchen tiles were soiled and dulled in both of the units, probably because of heavy foot traffic and improper cleaning methods, as you can see in the before and after pictures. The grout was darkened, which meant it was time to re-seal it. The restoration started by applying our own soap-less and pH-balanced cleaner and then using a high-speed scrubber to rinse away all the deep-seated dirt. To get rid of all the mold and bacteria and to reach the most difficult spaces, we used a high-temperature steam cleaner. Once the floors were thoroughly cleansed, we applied our proprietary ColorSeal—a water-based, non-toxic sealer that helps recolor and even grout lines and make the grout water and mold resistant.

We used the same cleaning methods on the bathroom countertops and floors. Since the bathrooms in both units had granite countertops that were showing signs of etching and staining, we proceeded to restore their usual shine using different types of abrasives. Once the countertops were honed and polished, we worked on the showers. We cleaned the tiles and grout and re-caulked the shower joints with our own epoxy grout to seal them and prevent future water damage and mold infestations.

After a just two days of diligent work, we showcased the results to the property manager, who was happy with the job and deemed the property ready to be shown to prospective clients. She told us she would require us for a less intensive maintenance session in 6 months to a year and that she was glad we were working together. It would be harder to find and keep tenants, she added, if we were not as good as we are at our job.

If you are in the same situation as Mr. Smith, who is about to spend three or more days making phone calls and evaluating offers and rates instead of showing properties, consider building your list of independent contractors to relieve some of the stress.

If you are a property manager desperately searching for professionals to keep your floors, countertops, and bathrooms looking brand-new, Sir Grout Chicago offers all the hard surface restoration services your property needs. Contact us by calling (773) 923-2084 or filling out our "Request a Quote" form, and visit our main website www.sirgroutchicago.com to get acquainted with our extensive catalog of services.

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