How to Clean Tile Grout
Tile is stain resistant—but not grout. It’s not uncommon for grout lines to become dingy over time. Grout lines easily get dirty from spills in the kitchen, grime in the entryway and mold in the bathroom.
Luckily, grout is just as easy to clean. Follow these steps on how to clean grout, so it can shine like new again.
Start with plain water and a brush
Don’t reach for the chlorine bleach right away. You’d be amazed at how much warm water and a little scrubbing action can restore white grout lines. When tile grout starts to look dingy, clean it with the mildest solution, and work your way up from there. Fill a spray bottle with plain warm water; then apply it to the affected area. Use a stiff-bristled brush to scour the grout in circular motions.
Make a cleaner with household ingredients
If plain water doesn’t work, you can experiment with common household ingredients. Commercial grout cleaners are available, but homemade solutions are much safer and just as effective. All you need is a stiff-bristled brush, baking soda, water, vinegar and maybe some hydrogen peroxide.
To clean tile grout, start by mixing water and baking soda into a paste. Coat the grout with this mixture. Baking soda has a gritty texture that excels at penetrating porous surfaces and lifting away tough stains.
Next fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar. Spray this solution onto your previous mixture to activate the baking soda. When combined together, the vinegar and baking soda will start to foam. Let the ingredients sit for five minutes or until the foaming stops. Scour with a brush to work the ingredients into the grout.
If this method doesn’t work, banish grout stains with hydrogen peroxide. This common household item has more cleaning power than vinegar. Make a paste with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda; then let it sit on the grout for several minutes. Scrub with a stiff brush until the grout shines white again.
Test cleaners in a discreet area
While learning how to clean tile grout, always test your cleaning solution on a hidden spot of the floor. Good places to test cleaners include behind the toilet, underneath appliances or in the corner of a room. You need to test a small, hidden area of the floor in case the active ingredients discolor your grout. Once your cleaner of choice passes the test, it’s safe to scrub the rest of the grout.
Rinse the grout with clean water
Finish the job by wiping solutions away with a sponge and clean water. This step for cleaning grout is especially important if you’re experimenting with different solutions. For instance, you should never mix vinegar and bleach because they’ll release deadly fumes into the air. If one cleaner doesn’t work, rinse thoroughly before trying a different one.
For more tips on how to clean grout, speak with the professionals at All American Carpet Inc. We specialize in floor installations of all kinds and can teach you how to maintain them. Expert advice is just one call away.
Categorised in: Tile Flooring