You’ve been diligently cleaning your tiles, but you were unaware you didn’t reach all the way to the grout - the paste that fills the gaps in between your tiles. Before you know it, the grout is dark, grimy, and has mold trying to establish a colony in the space in between your tiles.
But don’t panic. With a bit of tried and tested tips from the pros and a lot of elbow grease, you can restore your grout to the condition it was, when first installed. But first, let’s go through the tools you need to clean the grout.
Tools You Need to Clean Tile Grout
There are only a few tools you need to start:
- Cleaning solution
- Grout brush or a toothbrush
- Gloves
Go Natural With Lemon Juice or White Vinegar
If you want to go natural when cleaning grout, you can use lemon juice or white vinegar. Lemon juice is an organic and mild disinfectant that’s famous for helping remove grout stains. If you don’t have lemons, you can use white vinegar instead. Pour lemon juice or vinegar over the dirty grout lines and allow the liquid to sit for about 10-15 minutes. Scrub with a grout brush or a toothbrush. Rinse and wipe dry.
Cleaning With Oxygen Bleach
Oxygen bleach is a non-toxic, fabric-safe stain remover commonly used for laundry. To use this type of cleaner for grout, mix a liberal amount of oxygen bleach with water inside a spray bottle. Spray the solution in the grout just until the area is wet. Wait for at least 15 minutes; remember, the oxygen ions in the bleach work better the longer you wait. Test a small area, and if the stain lifts, scrub the rest of the area.
Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide
Prepare a cup of baking soda (or more depending on how big the area you need to clean) and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, preferably in a spray bottle.
Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda in between the grout until it’s completely covered. Spray or pour hydrogen peroxide on the baking soda until it’s wet. The baking soda will fizzle from the reaction. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes. Scrub, rinse, and dry.
Call the Experts
Cleaning tile grout, although necessary, is, for most people, not a pleasant experience. If you don’t have the time, the energy or if all the other methods you try failed, it's a good idea to call in the experts and let them work their magic. Call Benjamin and Franklin Plumbing of Port Lucie for advice now.