Tips For Cleaning Grout Tile

Grout is a product that is used to fill in around the tiles that you have placed around your home.

Some common areas include your tiled flooring, your tiled bathroom sink and walls, and your kitchen area.

It is essential to keep the grout of your home clean for several reasons. First, if you keep it clean, it will help you to have a highly valued and good looking area.

Secondly, clean grout will last longer, keeping you from having to deal with costly repair work down the line.

How to Clean Grout

The first thing that you need to do is to gather the things that you will need for effective grout cleaning.

You probably have most of what you need already in your home.

Gather your Cleaning Supplies

• Mild detergent, no fragrances or dyes.
• General purpose, white vinegar
• Bleach
• A scrubbing brush
• For larger areas, a brush with a long handle is better for your needs
• Terry cloths

Basic Grout Cleaning

Now that you have what you need, you can begin to clean the grout between the tiles in your home.

You will want to work on a small area at a time so that you can dry the area as you go, keeping the grout as clean as possible throughout the time frame. Here are some basic cleaning tips to help you.

1. Make a solution for cleaning. Use one half cup of mild detergent to two gallons of water.
2. Place solution onto a small area.
3. Use a scrub brush to scrub into the grouted areas between the tile.
4. Soak up the liquid
5. Dry the grout a clean, dry terry cloth.
6. Move on to the next area.

Cleaning Grout On Tiled Bathroom Walls

When cleaning the grout on a bathroom wall, you need to do the same process. It may be easier to place the cleaning solution into a spray bottle.

Make sure to rinse the tile walls down thoroughly.

Tile Floor Types

When cleaning grouted areas that are on surfaces that are not able to be scrubbed with a bristle bush, you should find a very small brush for the job. A toothbrush sized brush may be an ideal choice. Or, you may have to use a sponge and a terry cloth to clean the grouted area.

If you have a type of tiled flooring that can not be heavily wet, like that of stone or marble, then you should find out from the manufacturer the right way to clean these areas. If you do not heed their warnings, you could damage your warranty.

Additionally, you could cause the flooring to need to be resealed for protection which may be costly. If you have flooring other than ceramic with a grouted area, you should follow manufacturer’s directions closely.

Removing Grout Stains

Often times, you will find those awful spots on your grout that somehow have something there to stop them from easily coming off. It is not easy to get them off with regular cleaning methods. But, you can use other methods for cleaning as well.

A good way to get to a stain on your grout is to use a product that is designed for it. Although you would have to purchase it, these products are the most ideal for cleaning specific stains. They are targeted and easy to use as well. If you select these products to use to clean the stains in your grout, make sure that you follow the directions for using them carefully.

Other options that you can consider include using isopropyl alcohol for cleaning stains or using white vinegar, which can be just as effective. Use these by blotting them onto the stain and then using a bit of elbow grease to scrub at the stain. Depending on the type of stain that it is, it may come right off. Some stains can be permanent.

Bleaching Grout

There are some products on the market that work to bleach the grout. This will cause the grout to be lightened in intensity and they can also help to remove stains. But, in order for them to work effectively in stain removal, it should be noted that the grout needs to be a light shade and so does the tiling around it. A bleaching product may die or discolor the area around it so it should be done with care.

Cleaning grout is something that you should do on a regular basis. Remember that mopping does not get the flooring completely clean. In fact, you will need to do a bit of scrubbing to get the grout completely clean. You can select to use grout cleaning products you find on the store shelves or you can use simple products from home.