Tile is beautiful, durable and generally easy to clean, but the grout is something different story, because of its light coloring and porous composition. It is a mixture of water, sand, and cement that keeps the tiles in their place, it can be difficult to keep clean. In a tiled entry or mudroom, dirt and grime are the usual culprits, while in the kitchen, maintain spills are more likely to blame. Soap, mold, and mildew meanwhile make it different to maintain and clean grout in bathrooms. Fortunately cleaning white grout is possible using only common household products a bit if elbow grease and this article will help you to clean grout. You can follow these steps and methods make your washroom grout free.
Ways to Clean Grout:
1.) Do a Preliminary Clean
Before you get down to the deep cleaning methods. It is necessary and the best way to begin is with plain water and a stiff bristled brush. If you don’t have one, you can buy it from the most hardware stores and carry an assortment of brushed specifically designed for the purpose of cleaning grout. Just simply spray warm water on the grout lines and follow your regular cleaning process. Then let it dry. This is also one of the way to clean hardwood floors as well.
2.) Use Vinegar and Ammonia to Clean Grout
You can create your own solution. You just need a bucket or a large bowl, then put a cup of warm water and mix a half cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of white vinegar and 1/3 cup of ammonia. Then mix all the ingredient properly.
- Pour this mixture into the spray bottle, keeping the solution in the spray bottle will make it easy to mist the dirtiest area and mainly for the storage. Fill you spray bottle completely, then shake the solution well.
- Spray the mixture on the grout but start with the smaller area only about 1-2 square feet. Then spray the solution and let it sit for about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Then start rubbing the or scrubbing with the help of brush of your choice to clean grout. You can use a hard bristled cleaning brush, toothbrush or a magic eraser is also a good option. Put some hard work into your scrubbing to get the ground in dirt out from between your tiles.
- All of your scrubbings will create a little pool of dirty liquid on your tiles which need to be clean. You can use a clean and dry cloth to wipe away all the dirty liquid and wring it out into a separate container. This will help to clean your tiles in the end.
3.) Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda to Clean Grout
Before getting down and scrubbing your grout you need to do a basic once over with your favorite cleaner. If you are cleaning floor grout, you can sweep and mop. To clean the grout of bathroom and kitchen counter grout, spray and wipe it down with your favorite cleaner. This mixture also helps to clean the blood stains.
- You can make your own paste with the help of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl to form a thick paste. The parts of each can vary because its depend on the consistency and thickness you want to work with.
- Then you need to spread the mixture and you can do this using your figure or toothbrush. Spread the paste on the grout. Start with the smaller area, not larger than 1 to 2 square feet. Keep the solution thick and coat the grout completely. Let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- You can begin scrubbing with the help of brush such as a toothbrush to clean grout. Apply firm pressure over a small area to lift dirt and stains. If you feel the grout is still dirty then you can add some more paste and scrub again after letting it sit for a few minutes. Continue mixing the adding cleaning mixture to the grout and scrub it off. Work slowly to ensure that you have gotten all your grout cleaned up.
- Then use a damp rag to wipe off the remaining paste on your paste on your tile. Finish by cleaning your tiles with your regular cleaner for counters or a mop and soap for floors.
4.) Oxygen Bleach to Clean Grout
Wipe down your tile to get rid of all surface dirt and crumbs that might make cleaning your grout more tedious by wiping down your tiles before getting the grout cleaning. You can use your regular cleaning regimen by mopping and sweeping floors or by using a spray cleaner to wipe down countertops.
- Or you can create your own solution. You can use oxygen compound, it is a safe bleach compound, which works to dissolve bacteria and grime while whitening grout. Mix equal part of warm water and bleach to make the solution and allow the mixture to dissolve.
- To apply the cleaner choose your starting area, not larger than one to two square feet at a time, and pour on your bleach. You have to make sure that grout is thoroughly coated with the liquid. You can use a spray bottle if it makes it easier to do so. Then leave the solution to work on the grout for about 15 to 20 minutes to clean grout.
- Then you can begin scrubbing at the grout to remove dirt and stains. Use a small brush, like a toothbrush to rub on the grout. You can also add more bleach if you want to keep the area most and expedite the cleaning process.
- When you will finish the bleaching process, then you need to mop te excess liquid. Grab a dry towel or any cloth suitable for you and mop up the dirty bleach water that pools on the tile when you finish scrubbing. If there is lots of dirty water then wearing the towel out between uses. Doing this will make it easier to finish the cleaning in the end.
- Repeat the process of applying the bleach to the grout and scrubbing it out until you have finished all your tiled area. If you have tough stain on the grout, then you can apply the bleach for and hour and longer which is more suitable for you. The longer you will let it soak the easier it will be to for you to scrub out the stain.
it is the last step to clean grout. Do a final mop up of your tile before cleaning it again as you usually, would. A final wipe down will remove any bleach and dirt and will leave your grout shiny and as good as new.
5.) Clean up Spills Right Away
This step will help you to take care of your grout. If you will let cranberry or orange juice sit on grout for a few hours, then definitely is going to leave a stain. As soon as something is spilled on your floor, wipe it up with a wet rag in remove every last trace.
- If stains are left behind then pour a bit of hydrogen peroxide over it. Let it sit for a minute before wiping it away with a clean cloth.
- Dry spills can also stain grout if they are left on the ground on the floor. Sweep up coffee ground, clumps of dirt and other solids soon after they are dropped.
6.) Treat Small Stains Regularly
If you want to take care of your grout and avoid having a deep cleaning too often, then clean small stains regularly. Use the same cleaning solution which you used for deep cleaning, but employ a spray bottle to treat the small area you want to clean. You can also try and alternative small stain cleaning methods.
- Use baking soda paste and mix them with a little water to make a paste. Then rub it on the stained section of the grout. Leave it for a few minutes the use an old toothbrush to scrub it away.
- Use white toothpaste. Apply some of the toothpaste onto the grout, then rub it using your finger. Then leave it for a few minutes and scrub the area with the help of a toothbrush. Wipe it up with a clean wet rag.
- You can use a pencil eraser for the smallest stains. A pencil eraser does a surprisingly good job. Always choose white eraser rather than a different color eraser.if you will choose a colored eraser you will end up with dying your grout.
7.) Keep the Area Ventilated
Mold and mildew often affect the grout in the bathrooms, they tend to stay wet and steamy for hours at a time. you should use exhaust fan after taking a shower or bath. Wipe up the wet tile to keep your grout from getting moldy.
8.) Apply Grout Sealer
Always try to apply a grout sealer once a year. Applying a commercial grout sealer can help to prevent spills from quickly seeping into the pores in the grout. It helps with bathroom mold and mildew. You can buy a grout sealer from your hardware store and apply it according to the manufacturer’s instruction.
9.) Dye it a Different Color
Something keeping grout white is not a practical option. If you can dye your hair, or you have kids who like to paint in the kitchen. Consider getting a grout stain and using it to dye the grout a different color. You can choose a color that matches your tile or something completely different for a contrasting effect.
10.) Know When to Replace your Grout
Older grout starts to crack and crumble and they get worse as they come in contact with the mixture. Moisture gets in easly and degrades the floor underneath over the time. Then understood that its the time to replace your grout because it makes it easier to clean and prevents the mold and mildew from taking hold as often.