Cleaning Bathroom Tile and Grout

Tile and grout can get really dirty and the bathroom is one of the harder jobs we do when cleaning our homes. Keeping up with cleaning tile walls and scrubbing tile floors can be a nightmare, especially if you have a busy family life. When my bathroom gets dirty I try to ignore it, hoping that someone else will step up and clean it. (It’s not like I don’t have anything else to do – right?) Bathroom tile gets a filmy haze of soap scum and body oils that will dull the color and shine, and the grout lines become dark and stained with mold and mildew when they are not cleaned regularly.

Homemade Bathroom Tile Cleaning Solution

There’s no need to buy a specialty cleaner to remove soap scum, dirt and grime. You clean bathroom tile with a homemade cleaning solution made from ingredients you already have at home. Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of baking soda
• 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
• 1 teaspoon dish soap (like Dawn)
• 16 ounce squeeze bottle
• Funnel

Instructions:

1. Using the funnel, add the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to the squeeze bottle.
2. Add the dish soap.
3. Put the lid on the bottle and shake until well combined.
4. Apply the cleaner to the areas of grout that need cleaning.
5. Scrub with a toothbrush.
6. Let sit 5 minutes.
7. Scrub again.
8. Rinse well with water to remove all residue of the cleaning solution.

The nice thing with a squeeze bottle – you can squeeze the cleaner right where you need it to go.

Remove Mold and Mildew with Vinegar

Pour white vinegar into a spray bottle (just straight vinegar). Spray the area and let it sit for about one hour. Respray the area, scrub then rinse with water to remove all residue of the vinegar.

Homemade Mold and Mildew Remover

Bleach is the main ingredient in many commercial grout cleaning products. It does an good job of bleaching mold and mildew, but be careful when spraying it because chlorine bleach can damage carpet, metal, wood and fabric. Mix up a cleaning solution of:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup bleach
• 1 tablespoon borax

Instructions:

1. Mix water and bleach together.
2. Add borax and stir until dissolved.
3. Pour into a spray bottle.
4. Spray on the surface to be cleaned.
5. Wait about 15 minutes.
6. Use a scrub brush or toothbrush to scrub the area.
7. Rinse the area with water to remove any cleaning residue.

While bleach is not recommended for regular grout cleaning, using it occasionally to tackle tough mildew stains is should be fine. However, frequent use of bleach can damage the grout over time Do not use if you are cleaning colored tile.

Keeping Tile and Grout Clean

To prevent further mold and mildew stains, seal your grout with a grout sealer. Grout sealer is simply a water repellent to prevent water from seeping into the cracks. Clear silicone waterproofing can also be applied to grout. This will repel the water and prevent mold and mildew from reoccurring in the grout.

• Mold and mildew are common in areas with high humidity, dark and moisture. Be sure to keep the bathroom fan running or open a window when taking showers.
• Use a squeegee to dry shower walls after showering.

Note: Even the best grout sealer will need to be reapplied every 6-12 months.

Cleaning Tips

• Never mix different cleaning solutions together. Rinse one thoroughly before moving on to another cleaning solution.
• Never use acidic products on natural stone surfaces or it will damage the surface. Vinegar is an acidic product.
• Know the surfaces you are cleaning and what is the manufacturers recommended cleaning process.
• Where cleaning gloves when cleaning tile and grout.

The bathroom is always going to be the one room in the house that no one likes to enter with a scrub brush. Happy Cleaning!

Bathroom Cleaning