What -- nobody washes their backsplash?! LOL!

A quick wipe down, is what I do. However, I rarely cook anymore, so probably not a helpful answer. LOL

No...not me either. :)

If your DH cleans the 'splash with soapy water (or whatever) after he fries, you won't have a buildup. But if it gets the proper cleaning attention, it might be a good idea to reseal the grout every so often so I too will see what you learn about grout sealing.

I would consider a smooth splash behind the stove area …no grout…stainless steel perhaps…or match the metal on your hood....…keeping a long handle brush and spray cleaner handy for use after each frying ..is a good idea in either case….leaving the sealer for a chore …as needed..

I have owned a huge glass cutting board forever, seven homes now, and when I'm not using it I prop it up behind the cooktop. It's proven to be a great protector from cooking oils, etc. Plus it's see through  And maybe get your frying fan half an air fryer - safer and healthier :)

I used Fusion Pro grout which does not require sealing. I avoided white...just in case, even tough my herringbone tile is white. I wok and fry and everything in between. I have a 1200 cfm hood which does an awesome job. I'm very clean so I wipe the backsplash (and the hood baffles) down at least every other week with Mrs. Meyer, and after heavy "wokking". After 1.5 years, it looks like it did when I installed it.

Only sealed it once and after 8 years,  it still looks brand new.  However,  we tend to only fry things on the front burners.  The rear burners are mostly used for larger pots or simmering.  We rarely have to clean our backsplash.  If you're constantly having to clean your backsplash,I would recommend resealing once a year.

You could get a three sided splatter guard for stove top when frying.

I didn't know there was such a thing as a splatter guard for the stove -- will have to look into that. There's a gap behind the stove and the back wall so I can't prop anything up on there, but the glass cutting board is a good idea.

The deep fryer is in the garage, but DH does pan-fry/high-heat saute stuff on the stove.

And guess what? I'm the one who oil-stained the grout already!! I was browning some chicken pieces, on the front burner no less, and a big splat of oil hit the backsplash. I did wash down the splash that evening but darn it a small section of grout got hit good. Soapy water and a grout brush didn't work, 409 and a grout brush lightened it enough to where no one will ever notice but me because I know it's there and it bugs me.

So yea, I probably should re-seal once a year.