Grout, the mixture of water, sand, and cement that holds tiles in place, can be difficult to keep clean. The grout streaks easily collect dirt and stains, and before you know it, the grout will change color from white to black. Learn how to clean your tile grout so it's shiny white again, and how to take care of it so you don't have to clean it often.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Using Vinegar and Ammonia
Step 1. Perform initial cleaning
Before you start with deeper cleaning methods, it is important to clean the floor regularly. Follow your regular cleaning process by wiping all ceramic kitchen countertops, and sweeping the floor. This will remove all the top layer of dirt, and make your job a little easier.
Step 2. Make your solution
In a large bucket or bowl, combine 7 cups of warm water, 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/3 cup of ammonia, and white vinegar. Allow the mixture to thoroughly mix, so that the baking soda dissolves.
Step 3. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle
Storing the mixture in a spray bottle will make it easier to apply to wet areas, especially the dirtiest areas, and make storage easier. Fully fill your bottle, and then shake the solution properly.
Step 4. Spray the tile grout
Start with a small area, only 30 square centimeters in total. Spray your cleaning solution over the grout so it's wet. Allow the solution to soak for 3-5 minutes to work on cleaning the grout.
Step 5. Start scrubbing
Use your brush of choice for stiff-bristled cleaning brushes, toothbrushes, or magic cleaners, all of which are good choices. Scrub vigorously to remove dirt from the inside between your tiles.
Step 6. Clean the dirty liquid
The result of your scrubbing may result in small puddles of dirty liquid on your tiles. Use a damp cloth to wipe it down, and squeeze the cloth into a separate container. This will make your tiles cleaner in the end.
Step 7. Finish cleaning your tile grout
Use the process above to continue cleaning the rest of the tiles thoroughly. Focus only on removing the dirt and cleaning the dark areas of the grout, to reveal the natural white color underneath.
Step 8. Do the final wipe
When you are sure that the grout cleaning is complete, do a second clean of the entire area. If you're cleaning tiled countertops or in the bathroom, use a generic cleaning spray and washcloth to wipe down your entire tile. For floors, continue to mop your floors again, and wipe them with a dry towel.
Method 2 of 4: Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda
Step 1. Clean your tiles
Before you start and scrub your tile grout, you need to do the very basics with your favorite cleaner. If you are cleaning the floor grout, broom and then mop. For bathroom and kitchen grout, spray and wipe with your favorite cleaner.
Step 2. Make your paste
Mix hydrogen peroxide and baking soda in a small box, to form a thick paste. Each piece may vary depending on the consistency and thickness you want to use.
Step 3. Apply the mixture
Use your fingers or a toothbrush to apply the paste over the grout. Start with just a small area, no more than 30 square centimeters. Apply it thickly and completely cover the grout. Leave it for 5-10 minutes.
Step 4. Start scrubbing
Use a small brush, such as a toothbrush (preferably an electric toothbrush) to scrub the grout. Press on a small area to remove dirt and stains. If the grout is still dirty, add more of your paste and scrub again after letting it sit for a few minutes.
Step 5. Finish the area
Continue adding the cleaning mixture to the grout and scrubbing. Do it slowly to make sure you have cleaned all the grout.
Step 6. Wipe your tiles
Use a damp washcloth to wipe off any paste residue on your tiles. Finish by cleaning your tiles as usual with a countertop cleaning spray or mop and soap the floor.
Method 3 of 4: Using Oxygen Bleach
Step 1. Wipe down your tiles
Before doing your grout cleaning, remove all dirt and crumbs from all surfaces-which can make your grout cleaning process more tedious-by wiping your tiles. Follow your regular cleaning procedure by sweeping and mopping the floor, or using a cleaning spray to wipe down the table top.
Step 2. Make your solution
Oxygen bleach is a safe bleaching compound that works to dissolve bacteria and dirt, as well as whiten grout. Mix equal amounts of oxygen bleach with warm water, and allow the mixture to dissolve.
Step 3. Use your cleaner
Choose an area to start with, no more than 30 square centimeters at a time, and pour in your bleach. Make sure the grout is all coated with the liquid; You can use a spray bottle, if that makes it easier to do. Let the solution work on the grout for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4. Start scrubbing
When the bleach has coated the grout long enough, you can start scrubbing the grout to remove dirt and stains. Use a small brush, such as a toothbrush, to brush the grout. You can add more bleach when you scrub the tiles, to get them wet and speed up the cleaning process.
Step 5. Mop up excess liquid
When you're done scrubbing the floor, take a dry towel and wipe off the dirty bleach that's pooled on the tiles by mopping it. If the mop towel is wet enough, wring it out. Doing this will make it easier to complete the cleaning in the end.
Step 6. Continue cleaning your grout
Repeat the process of applying bleach to the grout and scrubbing until you're done with all the tile floors. For particularly stubborn grout stains, you can pour in the bleach and let it sit for an hour or so. The longer you leave the stain in the bleach, the easier it will be to scrub the stain.
Step 7. Finish cleaning your tiles
Do a final mop, before cleaning it again as you normally do. A final mop will remove any remaining bleach and grime, and leave your grout shiny and like new.
Method 4 of 4: Treating Tile Grout
Step 1. Clean up any spills immediately
Leaving cranberry juice or orange juice spilled on the grout for a few hours is a surefire way to get a new stain. As soon as anything spills on your floor, wipe it with a damp washcloth, to remove any traces left behind.
- If any stain remains, pour a little hydrogen peroxide over it. Let it sit for a minute before wiping it off with a clean rag.
- Dry spills can also stain the grout, if left on the floor. Sweep up coffee grounds, lumps of dirt, and other solids as soon as they fall on the floor.
Step 2. Treat minor blemishes regularly
To avoid doing deep cleaning too often, treat minor stains as soon as they appear. Use the same cleaning solution you would use for a deep clean, but use a spray bottle to tackle any small areas you want to clean. You can also try an alternative way of cleaning small stains:
- Use a baking soda paste. Mix baking soda with a little water to make a paste, and then rub it into the stained grout area. Leave it for a few minutes, then use an old toothbrush to scrub it.
- Use white toothpaste. Apply a small amount of toothpaste directly to the grout, then rub it in with your fingers. After a few minutes, use an old toothbrush to scrub the area. Wipe with a clean damp cloth.
- Use a pencil eraser. For the tiniest of blemishes, a pencil eraser does an amazing job. Choose an eraser that's white instead of another color, or if you use an eraser other than white, you'll end up coloring the grout with an eraser color.
Step 3. Leave the area well ventilated
Mold and mildew often affect the grout in the bathroom, which tends to be both damp and steamy for hours. Use an exhaust fan after a shower or bath, and wipe down the wet tiles to keep the grout from getting moldy.
Step 4. Use a grout filler
Once a year, using a commercially available grout filler can help prevent spills from sinking into the grout pores quickly, and they are useful against bathroom mold and mildew. Choose a grout filler from a building materials store and use it according to the manufacturer's directions.
Step 5. Color it with a different color
Sometimes it's impractical to keep the grout white. If you color your hair, or have kids who enjoy using paint in the kitchen, or just don't want to leave the grout sparkling white, consider getting a grout dye and using it to color the grout a different color. You can choose a color that matches your tile or something completely different for a contrasting effect.
Step 6. Know when it's time to replace the grout
The old grout starts to crack and crumble, and gets worse as moisture creeps in, and degrades the floor underneath over time. Replacing your grout when necessary is important, as it makes it easier to clean and prevents frequent build-up of mold and mildew.
