Grout sealants that will repel dog urine?

August 13, 2011 5:06 PM

Grout sealants that will repel dog urine?

I already know how to get dog urine stains and odor out of the grout on our ceramic tile kitchen floor.

But once the grout is clean, every sealant we've tried (either on our own or having professionals come in) hasn't been effective from preventing the grout from getting stained again. The urine just soaks right back in, even after "sealing" -- and yes, we do wait the requisite time for the sealant to dry.

So it seems that we need a substance that is totally waterproof to apply to our grout / floor.

Any ideas? I'm willing to consider "thinking outside the box" solutions as long as they won't poison our dogs or us.

Also, ideally the sealant material would be heat-resistant, because I would like to be able to use my steam mop (regular floor wax melts).

Please advise, thanks!

posted by Jacqueline to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

Response by poster: Oh and before anyone suggests "train the dogs not to pee on the floor" -- one of our dogs is so mentally retarded (he spent the first 6 months of his life in a cage in a pet store) that he is literally impossible to house-train. He even pees in his own water bowl -- how stupid do you have to be to pee in your own water supply? But he's very sweet and loving so we put up with his "special" challenges.
posted by Jacqueline at 5:12 PM on August 13, 2011

One thought - have you tried pool tile sealant (e.g.: see bottom)?

Aquamix and Silox8 are often recommended by users on DIY/homebuilder forums. If you do a search for each of those names, you'll come across some good overviews of how different sealants work.

I've heard this sealant from Saver Systems is great, but it's probably too much for your application. Maybe poke around there to see if there is an interior option.

Tangentially - have you ever tried a belly band? It has helped a few of my friends with dogs who had been severely constrained in their former lives. And I assume you've tried the positive reinforcement clicker training with the dog, when he goes outside? I've seen a good number of puppy mill dogs respond successfully with that kind of training.
posted by barnone at 8:11 PM on August 13, 2011

I don't know of any sealant that will repel dog urine. This may be a case where you need to remove the existing grout and use a different type of grout.
I just message a friend who is in the industry. Once she replies I'll post her answer.
posted by nickthetourist at 9:23 AM on August 14, 2011

Here is her suggestion: Laticrete SpectraLOCK 2000 IG.

Apparently it is made for veterinary clinics, breweries, etc.

Unfortunately most sealers aren't going to help much.
posted by nickthetourist at 10:26 AM on August 14, 2011