Tiles are pretty, strong, and usually easy to clean, but tile grout? That’s a totally different story. Because it is typically light in color and is porous in composition, your tile grout is most of the time prone to staining. There are tons of reasons why your grout gets stained or dirty. It may be mud, spills in your kitchen, or mold and mildew on our bathroom; all these can get stuck in between your tiles. Fortunately, it is always possible to clean them. Check out these easy tips on how to clean floor tile grout using some common household goods and a bit of elbow grease.
Best Methods to Clean Grout on Floor Tiles
Before you do the steps on how to clean floor tile grout, remember that the best way is to start with the mildest cleaning solution with any home cleaning project. When you doubt a grout cleaner, you can test it in a hidden spot—under your appliance in the kitchen or behind your toilet in the bathroom.
The following methods on how to clean floor grout are arranged from the mildest to the strongest:
Scrub Your Dirty Grout with a Stiff-Bristled Brush and Warm Water
If you don’t have a brush for this, you can check out options specifically designed to clean grout. You can spray warm water on your grout lines and scrub in a circular motion. Let it dry.
Spray With Similar Parts of Vinegar and Warm Water for a Few Minutes
For heavier dirt and mild stains on your grout, apply vinegar, a reliable, good old stuff used for many household chores. Just fill your spray bottle with your half-and-half solution of warm water and vinegar. Spray on your grout, let it stay for five minutes, then scrub using a stiff brush.
Make a Baking Soda Paste, Apply and Spray With Vinegar
To take even more extra cleaning power to the party, cover your grout lines with a paste of baking soda and water. Then spray the vinegar solution on top. Once your mixture stops foaming, scrub using a brush and rinse with plain water.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide
You may need hydrogen peroxide for medium stains, which are available in most drug stores. You can also use the product directly or apply a paste made from your baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
Apply Oxygen Bleach and Let It Stay for Up to 15 Minutes
For tougher and more difficult stains, use oxygen bleach as a grout cleaner for your grimy grout. You will find that this cleanser is usually in powdered form. Whatever product you prefer to clean grout, remember to make the area well-ventilated, carefully read, and follow the application directions. You will generally want to let the oxygen bleach solution stay and let it work for ten or fifteen minutes before you rinse it off. Always rinse off with clean water so that the grime and dirt won’t resettle into the grout lines.
Use a Commercial Cleaning Product
The best grout cleaners available in the market can quickly remove molds and mildew and restore your tiles’ bright grout white lines. These work in one of two ways: (1) spray and wipe, or (2) scour using a brush. Spray-on products usually claim to work without scrubbing, saving time and energy, but they can also contain harsher solvents, acids, or chlorine bleach. Scouring with your brush and cleaner usually does require a bit of work, but this method can be effective on your floors and heavily soiled grout. So, before you start using a product, pay close attention to its active ingredients, and follow the instructions (especially the safety precautions).
Apply Chlorine Bleach Sparingly on Your Grout
Another tip on how to clean floor tile grout is to use chlorine bleach sparingly (and other commercial cleansers with chlorine bleach) in extreme cases to clean grout. Before applying, rinse away all of the attempts listed above—particularly the vinegar, as traces of vinegar combined with bleach will release a highly toxic chlorine gas into the surrounding air. Never make this your routine because long-term use will erode the grout, so you should only use these products on a limited basis.
Steam Clean the Most Serious of Grout Stains
One of the most effective and environmentally-friendly ways on how to clean floor tile grout is to use the best steam mops. Clean those hard surfaces in your house with steam cleaners that are designed for residential use.
Conclusion
Keeping your floor tile grout clean will not only make it look amazing but will keep those bacteria at bay. May it be kitchen stains, dirt, mud, or molds, and mildew, it is possible to clean them using household or commercial products that are very much readily available in the market. Make sure to follow these easy tips on how to clean floor tile grout to achieve that clean and sparkling tile grout. Find out more about floor tile grout cleaners here!