How To Clean Grout

Cleaning grout doesn’t have to be difficult. Read our guide to learn about the best products for sparking results and how to navigate the cleaning process.

Written by Brenda Woods Updated 07/23/2024

Grout may not be the most exciting part of your kitchen or bathroom design, but it’s important. It’s the glue holding your tile design together and can majorly impact how clean a room looks. Dirty grout can make your space look old and unclean, and maintaining grout is one way to prevent stubborn stains or stained grout. Our guide offers effective cleaning tips, describes how to achieve clean grout, and explains which tools and solutions work best for work on tiled surfaces.

Why Clean Grout?

Grout is critical to preventing moisture from damaging vulnerable parts of your kitchen or bathroom. Tiles are easy to wipe clean, but grout can make for a more complex cleaning job. Grout is a porous substance, and grout-filled joints can easily collect dirt.

Porous grout surfaces absorb grease, dirt, food products, and other contaminants, allowing them to harbor bacteria and mold. The substances that make your grout dirty can degrade the material over time, causing early chips, cracks, and breakage.

Cleaning grout amounts to the following benefits:

Gets rid of bacteria that can make surfaces unsafe
Improves the appearance of your tiled surfaces
Increases your grout’s lifespan
Removes mold and mildew that can impact your health

Cleaning Tools

You’ll need a specific collection of tools to clean grout effectively. Gather the items listed below.

Broom or vacuum: Use to remove loose dirt, dust, and debris
Bucket: Use to hold water with which you’ll rinse tile and grout
Gloves: Use to protect your hands while you clean
Grout cleaning brush/toothbrush with stiff bristles: Use to scrub grime and stains from grout lines
Mop/sponge: Use to apply the cleaning solutions
Steam cleaner: Use to loosen dirt and grime buildup for easier cleaning
Towel: Use to dry the tile and grout after cleaning

Cleaning Materials

Commercial grout cleaners can help you clean tile grout, and you can find many on sites such as Amazon. Do-it-yourself (DIY) cleaners are often equally effective, and you can make them from items such as baking soda, vinegar, and other solutions.

Always begin with the mildest solution when you first start cleaning grout, and only use harsh cleaners if those don’t work. Wear gloves to protect your skin when handling harsh chemicals, and ensure the room is well-ventilated.

Commercial Grout Cleaners

Better Life Natural Tub and Tile Cleaner: This eco-friendly cleaner includes natural ingredients such as coconut, corn, and citrus. Users say it’s effective but think the sprayer could use improvement.
Black Diamond Grout Cleaner: Black Diamond is a professional strength, acid-free cleaner that includes a grout brush. It’s safe for colored grout and natural stone surfaces such as ceramic, marble, and granite. This cleaner is effective on dirty grout but requires scrubbing and may not be as effective on tough stains as other solutions.
Goo Gone Grout & Tile Cleaner: Goo Gone is safe for tile, ceramic, and porcelain, but you should not use it on marble and limestone surfaces. It’s a certified EPA Safer Choice cleaner, and many users say they don’t have to scrub it.
Grout-Eez Grout Cleaner: Grout-Eez is an acid-based formula with a thick gel consistency. It requires little scrubbing and is easy to rinse. However, the thick formula may not go as far as other cleaners, and it’s unsafe to use on natural stone.
Stardrops The Pink Stuff: Stardrops is a thick cleaning paste that can be used on a variety of surfaces. It has a gritty texture and is safe for delicate surfaces such as ceramic, porcelain, and marble. Users say they’re impressed with its performance but say you have to scrub this cleaner a lot for it to work.
Zep Grout Cleaner: Zep is an acid-based cleaner that can brighten any color of grout. However, the thin consistency makes it easy to overpour, and the acid formula isn’t safe to use on natural stone.

DIY Homemade Grout Cleaner:

Gather the ingredients below to make your own grout cleaner:

Mix the homemade grout cleaner immediately before you start cleaning. Fill a cup with warm water, and add enough baking soda to give the mixture grit. Add a few drops of dish soap, and stir the mixture together. Carefully pour the white vinegar along a section of grout lines, then pour the cleaning solution on top of the vinegar. Allow the mixture to sit for about five minutes before you begin scrubbing.

Steps to follow

Cleaning Process

Cleaning grout is a pretty straightforward process that doesn’t take tons of time. Follow the steps below to clean your grout with a commercial or homemade grout cleaner.

Prepare the Area

Sweep or vacuum tile floors, and wipe walls and shower stalls to remove any loose dirt or debris. Use a steam cleaner to loosen dirt and grime.

Mix the Cleaning Solution

If you’re using a homemade cleaner, mix your ingredients as your recipe directs. Remember which ingredients work together and which work separately.

Apply the Solution

Follow your solution’s application instructions. Some instructions advise spraying solution over an entire tile surface, while others advise you to apply paste directly to grout, or to grout lines, with a gloved finger.

Let it Set

Follow the instructions on the container to determine how long you should wait for your commercial cleaner to set. You can usually allow a homemade cleaner to sit longer than a commercial cleaner.

Scrub as Needed

You may only need to gently wipe light dirt and grime with a cloth to effectively remove them. If stains remain, scrub grout lines with a grout brush.

Rinse

Rinse the area with clean water, and use a cloth or sponge to remove thicker solutions. Drying the area with a towel or mop will help avoid water spots or streaks.

Seal Grout

Wait 24 hours after cleaning your grout to ensure it’s completely dry, and apply a sealer as directed by the product’s manufacturer. Sealing grout is necessary for deep cleaning but not quite as important for lighter cleaning.

When To Call a Professional

Consider calling a professional to help you remove deep-set stains from grout if you notice any of the following issues:

Mold and mildew grow back quickly after you clean.
Tile surfaces emit a foul odor.
Your grout has cracks, broken places, or other damage.
Your grout has stains you can’t remove.
Your tiles look dull.

Search for professionals with several years of experience who have collected good customer reviews.

Our Conclusion

Cleaning your grout improves the appearance of your tile surfaces and makes your grout last longer. Clean your grout regularly and seal it after deep cleaning for especially sparkling tile surfaces. Start simple with homemade cleaning solutions. If those don’t work, try commercial mixtures. If you still don’t see results, call in the professionals.

FAQ About How to Clean Grout

How often should I clean my grout?

You should clean your grout every few weeks and deep clean it annually.

Can I use bleach to clean grout?

You should not use bleach to clean grout. Bleach whitens and kills mold and mildew, but it discolors grout over time and even causes grout to deteriorate.

How can I prevent grout from getting dirty?

You can prevent grout from getting dirty by sealing your grout after cleaning it. Ensure your grout has dried before you apply sealer.

Are there any natural methods for cleaning grout?

Yes, there are natural methods for cleaning grout, such as natural commercial grout cleaners or homemade cleaners that you prepare yourself. Ensure the ingredients you use are safe to apply to your type of tile.

How can I repair damaged grout?

You can repair damaged grout by scraping away the old grout and refilling the joints with new grout. Hire a professional if you’re not sure how to apply grout.

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