Tips for More Effective Grout Cleaning

You’ll be able to keep your tile floors, walls and countertops looking a whole lot cleaner if you also focus on cleaning the grout. Tile generally does a good job of resisting dirt and stains because it is designed to do so. The grout, however, is porous, meaning it will absorb dirt and spills to stain much more easily. The kind of grime that gets into the grout will vary based on where the tile is located—you’ll get food and liquid spills in a kitchen, soap and mildew in a bathroom and general dirt and muck in an entryway.

With this in mind, what’s the best method of cleaning grout to keep your tiles looking great? Here’s a quick overview of some grout cleaning tips you can use in Frisco, TX:

• Wipe: With hot water, wipe down the grout with a damp cloth to remove any surface dirt and grime before you start to get more in-depth with your cleaning.
• Cleaning solution: Spray a cleaning solution onto the grout. You can make a 50-50 mixture of water and vinegar in a spray bottle, then apply it and let it sit for about five minutes. If you wish, you can also find commercial grout cleaners or use diluted bleach, but generally we recommend just going with whatever you have around the house. If possible, try to avoid using caustic products, because they will erode the grout over time.
• Scrub: After you’ve let the cleaning solution settle, you can use a small scrub brush or old toothbrush to scrub the grout. An electric toothbrush will give you even more scrubbing power. Just make sure not to use a metal or wire brush, as this could damage the grout or scratch the tile. When you’re done scrubbing, rinse with hot water once again.
• Air dry: When you’ve finished cleaning, allow the grout to air dry for about 24 hours before you apply a silicone-based grout sealer. This will make the grout more resistant to future dirt and muck. Generally speaking, you should reapply the sealer every couple years or so.

There are some circumstances in which the dirt on grout will be particularly stubborn, in which case you might have to try some other grout cleaning methods for it to truly work effectively.

You could, for example, create a mixture of two parts baking soda with one part water. Apply the paste and let it sit overnight, then scrub it away with a nylon brush the next day and rinse thoroughly with hot water when you’re done.

If the tile itself is particularly course or porous, you should use a less acidic solution than vinegar, as the vinegar could stain the tile. You can instead create a baking soda/peroxide mixture, and clean with a soft brush.

Finally, sandpaper can be used to remove stains from the grout. Fold it and work the crease back and forth along the grout. Even a pencil-top eraser could give you enough friction to remove those stains.

For more information about the best methods of grout cleaning in Frisco, TX, contact Scrubs Home Cleaning today.

Categorised in: Grout Cleaning