Now that our Carolina summer is (hopefully!) wrapping up and pumpkins are gracing our porches, it’s the perfect time to bring your indoor look into the new season.

To quickly freshen up your space on a budget, pick accessories that tell your autumn story. Golden accents, burnt orange or mustard pillows, and a fresh new throw on your sofa or arm chair can instantly give your living room a face lift. New vanity lighting in your bathroom can bring in a warm glow, along with a crisp shower curtain, luxury towels and fall framed artwork or autumn-inspired baskets. It’s amazing how the colors of fall can make their way indoors for your enjoyment.

While those are clearly visible changes, there are not-so-obvious things that need to be cleaned up. Take your backsplash, for example. With family and friends gathering in your home over the next three months, there may be extra cooking—and focus—in your kitchen. Is your backsplash up to snuff? If your budget allows, opt for an updated subway tile in crisp white, neutral gray, or creamy beige that carries across any season.

If you have a fairly new backsplash, it’s important to keep it looking new. Tile and grout cleaning can keep your kitchen sparkling, and we recommend annual professional cleaning in high-use tiled areas once a year. Grease and dust can get caught in grout lines and leave a thin film on tiles, even with frequent home cleaning. For small areas, you can try products available at home stores and give it a go on the weekend.

For high-traffic tiled spaces, specialized grout, or detailed tile work, a professional cleaning is the right approach. Sometimes, grout is cracked or doesn’t fully clean. A tile professional can repair any grout lines, safely and thoroughly remove as much grime as possible, and color the grout to make it new again. If applied properly by experts, grout color will not fade or peel because commercial grout color differs from products sold to consumers. We do not recommend coloring your own grout—something can go wrong and the results will not last. Tile and grout cleaning and coloring is recommended for kitchens and bathrooms, where frequent use shows on your walls and floors.

A professional grout cleaning, repair and re-color will ready your home for fall without breaking the bank. And if you’re considering putting your home on the market, grout cleaning and coloring is highly recommended. Give me a call to discuss how we can help spruce up your home for Carolina’s favorite season! You can reach me at tileandhome.com, directly at 980-616-0914, or email MrTileNC@gmail.com. It would be my honor to help you welcome fall into your home!