Cleaning grout tile floor: How To Clean Tile And Grout

The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Grout: 10 DIY Tile & Grout Cleaners Tested

Published: Nov 17, 2019 · Modified: Mar 24, 2022 by Bren

Need help cleaning grout? I tested 10 popular homemade grout cleaners to figure out which DIY tile and grout cleaner works best.   The winning grout cleaner is an all-natural cleaner that brightens and whitens grout with only 2 simple ingredients. Learn the easy, healthy way to clean grout and tile today!

Our new-to-us house has a white tile entry and white tile in the kitchen. Between the kids, the dog, and my husband (who likes to walk inside in his lawn mowing shoes) it’s nearly impossible to keep the tile and grout clean.

Seriously, there always seems to be one mystery spot or blob of goo somewhere on the white tile floor.

The worst part? The brownish discolored tile grout.

The floor tile grout hadn’t been cleaned in so long that it was hard to tell what the original color was meant to be. Was it white? Was it tan? Your guess is as good as mine.

What’s Best for Cleaning Grout?

I love DIY green cleaning solutions so I set out to find the best homemade grout cleaner that uses safe, all-natural ingredients.

My Grout Cleaning Resume

Let me backtrack just a bit… I’m not a newbie at cleaning grout! Thanks to my husband’s career we’ve lived in 10 difference houses including one with light colored stone tile floors and one with white tile and teal grout (???). We’ve had tile bathrooms and tiled kitchens, tiled entry ways and tiled laundry rooms. It’s safe to say I have a lot of experience cleaning grout.

Scrubbing grout might just be my least favorite chore. To me a tile floor means lots of scrubbing on your hands and knees to get (and keep) the grout spic-and-span.

(Anyone else feel a little like Cinderella when scrubbing floors?)

I wanted to see if there was a better way… a magical grout cleaner I was missing (or some singing songbirds that could help)… so I began to investigate homemade grout cleaner recipes –>

And I was totally overwhelmed. There were so many complicated recipes and many conflicting opinions.

The Great Grout Cleaner Experiment

I decided to test the 10 most popular DIY grout cleaners online to find the best homemade grout cleaner.

Methodology

I tested each cleaner on the same surface (grimy white grout and tile) and used the same process to test each cleaner:

1. I divided the tile floor into 10 sections using painters tape and numbered the sections with post it notes. (Yes, I’m a green cleaning nerd.)
2. I mixed a batch of one cleaner, applied it to one section of the tile and grout, gave the cleaner 10 minutes to start working, then scrubbed the grout with a clean, dry toothbrush and wiped the area clean with water and a clean white cloth.
3. I repeated step 2 nine more times using a clean, dry toothbrush and different white cloth each time. (I’m a martyr for your green cleaning needs!)
4. I waited overnight for the grout to dry completely and then recorded the results.

The differences between the tile and grout cleaners were mind boggling! Some of the cleaners made absolutely no difference, some worked okay, and two left the tile grout amazingly clean!

The Tested Grout Cleaners

I found the 10 most popular DIY grout cleaners online to test. These are the recipes and directions I followed for each cleaner.

Grout Cleaner #1

Ingredients: 3 cups water, ½ cup baking soda, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup white vinegar

Directions: Mix ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray floor, let sit for a few minutes, scrub.

Grout Cleaner #2

Ingredients: 1 cup Epsom salts, 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup liquid hand washing dish soap

Directions: Mix together the Epsom salts, baking soda, and dish soap. Scoop mixture onto the grout and rub clean. Rinse.

Grout Cleaner #3 (Winner!)

Ingredients: 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, 1 tsp dish soap

Directions: Mix together the baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap.  Spoon mixture onto grout, wait 5-10 minutes, scrub and rinse.

Grout Cleaner #4 (Winner!)

Ingredients: 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup hydrogen peroxide

Directions: Sprinkle baking soda onto grout until it is covered, spray with hydrogen peroxide until it is wet, wait 10 minutes, scrub, and wipe clean.

Grout Cleaner #5

Ingredients: 3/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3 tbsp salt, 3 tbsp hand dishwashing liquid, 1/2 cup vinegar, 10 drops essential oil (I used lemon)

Directions: Mix together is a large bowl or bucket (mixture foams a lot), pour into a spray bottle. Spray floor, let sit for a few minutes, scrub.

Grout Cleaner #6

Ingredients: 1-gallon water, 1/4 cup washing soda, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tbsp dish soap

Directions: Combine washing soda, vinegar, and dish soap in a one-gallon container. Slowly pour water into a container. Pour mixture into a spray bottle, spray the floor, let sit for a few minutes, scrub.

Grout Cleaner #7

Ingredients: 1-gallon hot water, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp Castile soap, 8-12 drops essential oil (I used lemon)

Directions: Mix ingredients in a bucket and mop floor.

Grout Cleaner #8

Ingredients: 1.5 gallons hot water, 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, 1/2 – 3/4 cup white vinegar, 5-10 drop essential oils (I used lemon)

Directions: Pour all ingredients into the hot water. Stir to combine. Mop or spray onto the floor.

Grout Cleaner #9

Ingredients: 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 tbsp hand dishwashing detergent

Directions: Pour ingredients into a spray bottle and swirl to combine. Spray on the floor, wait 5-10 minutes, scrub and rinse.

Grout Cleaner #10

Ingredients: 2 cups warm water, 1 tbsp baking soda, 2 tbsp Castile soap, 30 drops tea tree essential oil, 20 drops sweet orange essential oil

Directions: Pour ingredients into a spray bottle, shake to combine. Spray grout and wipe clean.

 

The Tile and Grout Cleaner Results

The Winners

The best grout cleaner was the most simple: hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. (Tested Grout Cleaner # 3 and Grout Cleaner #4 both use this combo and had equally great results.)

Why this combo works:

• Baking soda is mildly abrasive so it helps to remove the dirt that is stuck in the porous grout surfaces without causing any damage.
• Hydrogen peroxide is a natural alternative to bleach that brightens and eliminates germs. Plus it is non-toxic and decomposes into water and oxygen.
• Dishwashing detergent (used in Grout Cleaner #3) cuts through the greasy grime that gets tracked onto tile floors.

I love using the cleaning combo of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide! It’s in my DIY  Natural All-Purpose Cleaner that works great for all types of household cleaning and is perfect for laundry stain removal.

The Losers

The most disappointing homemade grout cleaners were the ones that mix reactive ingredients such as Castile soap and vinegar or vinegar and baking soda.

• These combos create reactions that cancel out the cleaning power of both ingredients and leave your grout and tile dirtier.
• Read more in Green Cleaning Ingredients That You Should Never Mix.

I was also let down by cleaners that used expensive ingredients (such as 50 drops of essential oil) or took a lot of time to make (such as measuring and mixing 6 ingredients) and didn’t do much cleaning.

I’d rather stick with low-cost ingredients that are easy to mix into a cleaner!

How to Clean Grout

 Getting ready to clean? These grout cleaning tips will help you get the best results:

1. Give the grout cleaner some dwell time. You’ll get the best results if you allow your favorite cleaner some time to work (also called dwell time) before you start scrubbing. When cleaning tile grout, let the cleaner sit on the surface for 5-10 minutes then scrub out the dirt.
2. Use a small, firm brush to scrub grout lines. Grout is porous meaning it has minute spaces or holes that liquid can pass through. These tiny spaces are great traps for dirt and grime. Scrubbing grout with small firm brush will loosen this dirt making it easier to mop or wipe up. (I use a cheap toothbrush to scrub my grout.)
3. Scrub first then mop. After scrubbing the grout clean, sweep up any excess baking soda with a broom or wet/dry vac, then give the entire tile floor a final once over with a mop (or damp cloth). Use warm water with a few drops of dish detergent or a gentle floor cleaner. This final swipe will rinse off any remaining grout cleaner and leave the entire floor shiny.

Grout Cleaning FAQ

I get lots of emails from readers with grout cleaning questions. Here are some of the most common questions about cleaning grout:

What is grout?

Grout is the porous material that builders use to fill the spaces or cracks between tiles. It creates a smooth solid floor, wall, or backsplash and makes tile pop. The most common type of grout is cement grout. It is made from a mix that includes water, cement, and (sometimes) sand.

How do you clean grout between floor tiles?

Apply grout cleaner, allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes, then get a small brush and scrub. An old toothbrush works great.

Is bleach bad for tile grout?

I do not clean with chlorine bleach because it is toxic and pollutes indoor air. You should not use bleach when cleaning grout and tile because:

• Bleach is a base with a pH of around 12 meaning it is a highly alkaline substance that is caustic (can cause severe burns or injuries). Because of its high pH bleach can be corrosive and slowly destroy the materials it touches including grout and tile finishes.
• Grout is porous so it absorbs the bleach and wicks it down to your subflooring and/or over to you baseboards (or carpet) where it can do even more damage and cannot be rinsed away. Yikes!

Is vinegar bad for tile grout?

Vinegar is an acid with a pH of around 2 (vinegar contains acetic acid). A popular cleaning vinegar manufacturer recommends never cleaning grout with vinegar because it can corrode the surface.

• There are a lot of online cleaning tips that recommend mixing baking soda and vinegar to clean grout. This fun bubbling reaction is actually the baking soda neutralizing the acetic acid in the vinegar. The resulting mix cleans about as well as plain water.

How do you clean grout naturally?

Mix a thin paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, apply it to the grout, wait 10 minutes then scrub with a toothbrush, wiped clean with a damp cloth.

• Baking soda is mildly abrasive so it helps remove the dirt that is stuck in the porous grout surfaces without causing any damage.
• Hydrogen peroxide is a natural alternative to bleach that brightens and eliminates germs. Plus it is non-toxic and decomposes into water and oxygen.

How do you whiten tile grout naturally?

Let the baking soda/hydrogen peroxide cleaner “soak” into the grout for a few extra minutes (15-20 minutes). Giving the cleaner a longer “dwell time” allows it to brighten and whiten the grout.

What’s the best homemade grout and tile cleaner?

Mix together 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and 1 tsp dish soap. Apply cleaning mixture onto the grout, wait 5-10 minutes, scrub, sweep up the excess baking soda, and rinse.

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Reader Interactions

3 (Top Secret) Tricks for Cleaning with Vinegar

When I discovered this easy, quick, and budget-friendly way to clean grout NATURALLY with vinegar, I had to share it with the world! This grout cleaning tip uses vinegar and two other natural ingredients you probably already have in your home, with additional DIY cleaning recipes for using vinegar to clean your sink and tub. Plus, it’s so safe that even kids can get in on the grout-cleaning fun!

Is natural cleaning your jam? Then don’t miss this hack for making DIY Natural Cleaning Wipes and these Homemade Toilet Scrubbing Bombs for Cleaning Your Toilet Naturally.

When the school where I used to teach decided to use vinegar– VINEGAR!– to wash the cafeteria floors each day I was completely skeptical.  After doing a little research it turns out vinegar is a healthy cleaning alternative to products with scary ingredients.  Plus, it’s cheap and safe for both the environment and the 400+ kids we were in charge of caring for each day… BUT.

BUT There’s that one little detail, the thing I silently wondered and was scared to ask–  wouldn’t the cafeteria smell of vinegar all day?  Because if it did, believe you me, we would hear about it from those 400+ darlings I previously mentioned.  They don’t hold back.  On anything.  EVER.

Guess what?  The smell dissipated within moments of being put on the floor.   Our school saved tons of money using vinegar to clean, and soon I was slinging the stuff all over my home, too.  It combines beautifully with other non-toxic products to clean your home naturally,  safely, and cheaply.  What’s not to love?

our kitchen– so fresh and so clean!  until the kids get home, at least.

 

Over the years I’ve discovered a few cleaning tricks where vinegar is a star.  Since I only use natural cleaners, it was a perfect fit.  Here’s three ways you can achieve chemical-free cleaning, a fresh home, and good eco-karma to boot!

 

 

3 Recipes for Cleaning With Vinegar

1.  Easy Homemade Grout Cleaner (“The Magic Grout Trick”)

Our previous kitchen had large white tiles with {very dirty} grout.  When we first moved in, we’d spend hours scrubbing with a chemical grout cleaner.  Then I discovered a MUCH easier way and cleaning it became a breeze because of this trick.  Plus, my “helpers” can get involved and I don’t have to worry about harsh chemicals!

And all you need to do this is vinegar in a spray bottle, baking soda, and a grout brush like this one.

Ben back in the day in our old home, he loved helping his mama!

1.  Sprinkle baking soda on the grout.  Use your finger to make sure it covers all the grout, also wiping away excess powder.  Use a spray bottle filled with vinegar to apply it over the baking soda. Sixth grade science project lovers unite– the {safe} chemical reaction does all the work for you!  Let it sit and bubble and scrub itself for a few minutes.  But not too long, or the dirt settles back into the grout.

2.  Using a grout brush like this highly rated one, give it a little scrub to get the dirty solution off the grout.  Prepare for it to be muddy!  Keeping a cup of water to quickly rise the brush off helps, but don’t add too much water to the floor– the grittier the solution, the less elbow grease you’ll have to put into it.

3.  Wipe up the muddy solution (I used rags instead of paper towels, to further my green cleaning mojo).  Then, clean as usual: quickly run the vacuum to get up excess baking soda, and then go over it with a mop.

There you have it, clean grout with half the work, and no expensive special cleaner to buy.  I cleaned this section in under 30 minutes and it had– and I’m mortified to admit this– over 7 years of build-up on what must have been unsealed grout.  My ‘ah-ha’ moment came when I opened the door to the bathroom, and saw this line where I stopped cleaning.  YUCK!  And yet, so cool to see how well the vinegar trick worked.

2.  The Sink Bomb (DIY Sink Scrub)

I call this the sink bomb because it’s just that– the BOMB!  Vinegar is amazing when it comes to cleaning sinks.  First, I sprinkle some baking soda in the sink and then spray some vinegar and let it bubble.  The baking soda is a low-grit way to scrub the sink, and the vinegar a disinfectant.  Wipe off and rinse, your sink is now fresh and clean.  Next, if your garbage disposal is a bit stinky simply add a cup of vinegar and let it sit for about an hour.  No more s-t-i-n-k.

BEFORE:

 

This one is the real bomb-diggity.   If your garbage disposal or drain is clogged, add equal parts baking soda and then vinegar.  Here comes that 6th grade science project again– hello, volcano!  A cleaning volcano, that is.  Rinse with warm water.  Good as new, with NO strong chemicals to worry about.

AFTER:

3.  Amazing DIY Tub Cleaner

I used to hate cleaning the tub.  It bothered me to think that my kids were sitting in a tub of water potentially filled with the reside of whatever I’d just used to clean it, so I’d scrub and rinse forever.  Then I discovered this tub cleaner, and it’s amazing.  Simply put equal parts blue Dawn dish soap and vinegar into a spray bottle.  Spray it on the tub, let sit for about an hour, and wipe away.  Then a quick rinse of water.  That’s it– NO scrubbing, and NO dangerous chemical bath for my kids.  This stuff works, friends, it’s amazing!

I first published this post 7 years ago, before I started using essential oils. Now for a daily household cleaner, I use Thieves Cleaner because it’s natural and safe and smells like Christmas. But for tough tasks like grout or the sink, I still use vinegar all. the. time.

How to Make Heavy Duty Tub and Tile Cleaner with Vinegar

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Natural cleaning isn’t just great for the environment.  It’s also great for your budget.  As you can see, instead of buying specific products for each cleaning job, vinegar and one or two other non-toxic ingredients does it all.  For waaaaayyyyy less.  And won’t clutter up every shelf, sink, and cabinet either.

The list of vinegar’s amazing uses goes on and on, and I’m discovering new ones every day.  What’s your favorite way to clean with vinegar?  Any tricks to share?

 

How to clean grout in tiles – get your grout looking as good as new

(Image credit: Ronseal)

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Tackling discoloured or mildew-infested grouting can feel like a war you’ll never win. However, with our tips on how to clean grout, keeping your bathroom and kitchen walls and floors pristine will become a breeze.

Bathroom tile ideas can usually be brought to sparkle with a quick spritz of cleaning solution and a light buff with a clean cloth. However, the crisscrossing lines of grout are a whole other story.

Made from a mixture of water, cement and sand, grout is often light-coloured and porous. This makes for a fatal combination that is prone to staining.

‘Whilst cleaning your grout might not seem like the most fascinating job, don’t skip it’, says Harriet Goodacre, Tile Consultant at Topps Tiles . ‘As grout is a porous substance, if not properly cared for it can attract mould and mildew, which can build up and stain if not dealt with properly. ‘

Mould and mildew are the biggest culprits for stains when it comes to bathroom grout. These can leave your grout a faded black colour, not a good look in a pristine white bathroom. However, even a build-up of shampoo can turn your grouting into an unappealing shade of yellow.

When it comes to kitchen tile ideas, mould is less of a dilemma, but washing up liquid or splashes of food can still leave grouting looking grubby.

(Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles)

‘Grout can be tough when it comes to cleanliness, says Rachael Meadowcroft, Product Manager at Ronseal . ‘Grime and mould can be a nuisance in the steamy settings we usually find tiles and keeping a constant shine is no easy feat.’

These days you can pick from a huge range of different-coloured grouting that can make maintaining them easier. When planning how to grout tiles, bear in mind that black, pink, blue or even coffee brown will all resist stains better than traditional white grout.

However, if you are determined to stick to white, or have found your gorgeous blush grouting starting to take on a yellow hue, we have a list of tried and tested grout-cleaning methods.

When it comes to cleaning grout, always start with the mildest method first. If you are still struggling to return your grout to its original shade, try each method, progressing to the strongest. We’ve listed each method for how to clean grouting from the mildest to strongest, so you can work out which method works best for you and the best cleaning products to use.

How to clean grout in tiles – 7 easy methods

How to clean grout with no chemicals

(Image credit: Future PLC/Barbara Bazso)

What you’ll need

• A scrubbing brush or old electric toothbrush
• Warm water

Method

Sometimes all grouting needs is a good scrub. Using a scrubbing brush, or an old electric toothbrush, scrub the grouting with warm water in a circular motion.

You can buy special scrubbing brushes, such as the Sonic Scrubber Cleaning Tool  from Lakeland. The interchangeable heads will fit between the tiles easily and oscillate at 10,000 times a minute. You might find a little warm water is all you need to get your grout looking as good as new.

How to clean grout with whitening toothpaste

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

What you’ll need

• Scrubbing brush or old electric toothbrush
• Whitening toothpaste

Method

Give your grouting a good scrub with a little whitening toothpaste, which often contains bicarbonate of soda because of its effectiveness at lifting stains. The toothpaste should act as a mild abrasive that will help remove any black tinges. Apply to the grout using a scrubbing brush or an old toothbrush.

How to clean grout with vinegar spray

What you’ll need

• Scrubbing brush
• White vinegar
• Spray bottle
• Warm water

(Image credit: Rezigo)

Method

For mild stains, a solution of vinegar diluted with warm water should help restore your grout to its original colour.

Fill a spray bottle with half vinegar and half warm water. Spray it onto the grout, and leave it to stand for five minutes before giving a good scrub with a stiff brush.

A regular spritz of vinegar spray is a great way to keep your grout in tip-top condition in between deep cleans and can help prevent mould build-up over time.

How to clean grout with bicarbonate soda and vinegar

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole)

What you’ll need

• Scrubbing brush or old toothbrush
• Bicarbonate of soda
• White wine vinegar

Method

This method is a favourite with clean-fluencer, Lynsey Queen of Clean. ‘If you have discoloured tile grout, mix together a thick paste of bicarbonate of soda and white wine vinegar,’ she says in her How To Clean Your House At Christmas book.

‘Apply the paste to the grout with a small brush or an old toothbrush. Leave for 15 minutes to settle and then rinse,’ she adds. ‘Your grout will come up as good as new.’

How to clean grout with lemon juice

(Image credit: Future PLC / Polly Eltes)

What you’ll need

• Fresh lemon
• Toothbrush

Method

If your grout is suffering from discolouration or stains, try using the juice of a lemon to get it back to its original colour. 

Slice a fresh lemon in half, and run the juice along the grout. Leave on for at least 15 minutes, then give it a final scrub with a clean toothbrush. Rinse away with warm water and pat dry with a clean towel. 

How to clean grout with bleach

What you’ll need

• Toothbrush
• Bleach
• Bicarbonate of soda

Method

‘Bleach is best when it comes to removing that top layer of stubborn mould and grime from grout’, says Rachael from Ronseal.

You should reserve using bleach for those stubborn grout stains that you can’t seem to budge, as it can fade the colour of your grout if used in excess. Before you set to work, make sure you have opened any windows or doors to keep the space well-ventilated.

There are two ways to clean grouting with bleach. You can use it neat, pouring a small amount into a cup and dipping an old toothbrush into it before scrubbing.

Our prefered method is to make a paste out of bleach and bicarbonate of soda until it resembles toothpaste consistency. Apply it to the grout and leave for 15 minutes, then take an old brush and scrub the paste away. ‘Be sure to rinse the tiles after and avoid using any paper or cloth-based products to wipe as this will leave fibres on your freshly cleaned surface’, advises Rachael. Allow the grout to air dry.

How to clean grout in a shower

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Jamie Mason)

What you’ll need

• Choose a solution from above
• Cotton wool bud

Method

‘In most households, showers are used multiple times a day, so grime can quickly build up, with a film of soap scum forming, mould appearing along seals and once-white grout turning black’, says Sue Caldwell from Clean Living International .  

When tackling grout in the shower, be aware that the tight corners can be tricky. To make sure you get in each and every corner, when applying your vinegar or bleach solution, swap the toothbrush for a cotton wool bud. 

Cotton buds are great for cleaning small crevices, so you can ensure even the bottom corners of your shower are sparkling.

How can I get my grout white again?

To uncover your grout’s original whiteness, you need to remove the layer of mould, mildew and dirt that is covering it. Depending on how thick this layer is, you can clean it using milder agents like whitening toothpaste, white vinegar spray or just warm water, but if the black is proving more stubborn, you may have to resort to using bleach. 

Old toothbrushes are perfect for cleaning grout because their bristles can scrub the grout lines without damaging the tiles. After you’ve given your grout a good clean using your chosen detergent, try using lemon juice to break down any remaining stains or discolouration.  

‘Using fresh lemon juice is always a good shout for removing stains, especially in porous grout, due to its acidity and ability to break down stubborn stains,’ explains James Roberts, Director at Sanctuary Bathrooms . 

What is the best homemade tile grout cleaner?

A lot of professionals will advise that you can clean your grout well with household items you likely already have in your store cupboard. 

‘To successfully remove the dirt from your grout, one of the oldest tricks in the book is to apply bicarbonate of soda, water and vinegar, and scrub with a clean toothbrush’, says Christopher Nye, cleaning expert from Your Overseas Home . ‘This method costs pennies but could make it look like it has been freshly regrouted.’

Bathroom expert James Roberts agrees. ‘White vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide are all effective cleaning agents for cleaning mould from grout as they are mild abrasives’, he explains. 

(Image credit: Fiona Walker-Arnott)

How to clean grout between floor tiles?

‘For floor tiles, cleaning products or degreasing agents that contain wax, sodium silicate or other additives that leave sticky deposits should be avoided as these will create a dirt “key” on the floor’, advises David Talbot, Head of Specification at Craven Dunnill Jackfield .

Your floor tiles and grout can easily be kept clean with regular brushing and then mopping using warm water to which a neutral or nearly neutral sulphate detergent is added. Leave the solution on the floor for a period of 5 to 15 minutes, depending on how dirty the grout is. Then remove the solution with a mop and clean water. 

‘It is this “rinsing” operation that removes the dirt so the use of clean water is essential,’ explains David. 

With a little elbow grease and the right cleaning formula, you’ll have your grout looking like new in no time.

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women’s weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.  

With contributions from

• Katie SimsContributor

How to Clean Grout on Tile Floor & in Showers

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Learn how to clean grout on a tile floor and in the shower with these steps & tools.

The other day, I watched a viral Tik Tok video on how to clean tile grout with toilet bowl cleaner! Then, I watched a lady try it in her own situation. It ended up cleaning the grout nicely, but the method used reminded me of when we had fancy tiles in our rental house bathroom.

Although it sounds nice to claim it is “easy” or “quick”, I would say cleaning tile grout is never either. It’s a process that requires some time and scrubbing. So put on your patience and some good music, and it will work out in the end!

The following is the story of the first time I ever tackled cleaning tile grout – written originally a few years ago. Hopefully it will be of help to those of you puzzled by the grout cleaning process, too!;)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.

For the first time ever, we have swanky finishes in our bathrooms. Over the years, I’ve had vast experience with  surfaces like barker board, linoleum, cedar planked ceilings, and plywood walls. But, never ever have I had the chance to try out any of the “in thing” finishes…

Like tiles with grout and glass shower doors.

I was beyond thrilled.

However, I didn’t have a hot clue as to how to clean these swanky new finishes.  So, in the quietness of my own living room, I started researching via Google.  There was a plethora of information. Article after article gave details of the “simplest” ways to clean tile grout.  The more I read, the more confident I got. It didn’t sound hard at all…

Off to the store I went to pick up the  recommended supplies:

Supplies for cleaning Tile Grout

• baking soda
• hydrogen peroxide
• vinegar
• spray bottle
• sponge (don’t bother to buy this!)
• grout brush– This is the ticket, friends. You MUST have a tile grout brush!
• rubber gloves (which I already had)
• window washing squeegee, or shower squeegee 

I was quite excited to start this process and was beyond elated to think of how sparkly clean the bathroom would be when all was said and done.

One thing that none of my articles addressed was the “how” of actually getting to the tiles in the shower. It was very clear from the start that I needed to get into tub to reach the tile.  I wasn’t looking forward to having slimy feet, so I folded a towel to stand on and began the “oh-so-simple” process:

How to clean grout in shower

1.

Spray the grout with a mixture of one part vinegar to one part water. (So far so good!)

2.W

ipe a paste made out of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide on the grout.

Dip the grout brush into the paste , spread it on to the grout lines and started scrubbing . Be aware, though. Although this method covers the grout well, it will also spatter over your pants, hair and the bottom of the tub. (!)

At that point, I realized that cleaning grout is a great alternative to going to the gym. It’s a good mix of yoga stretching and aerobic workout. Perhaps grout cleaning could be be the new exercise craze?

By then, I was huffing and puffing and  more than happy to reach the next step.

3.

Let the paste sit on the grout and work out the dirt. 

I couldn’t remember what all the articles I read said, so I waited about 30 minutes.

After a lovely cup of coffee and a delicious lemon square snack, it was time for step 4.

4. Clean off the paste.  

One article I read said the easiest way to do this was with a window washing squeegee. I pondered this a long time. How in the world was I going to use that without getting my feet wet??

Of course, none of the articles addressed such mundane details…

So, I found myself a dishpan, put a dry washcloth in the bottom, and stood in it.  (Can you picture it? Good, because I was too tired to take any more actual pictures. )  It worked like a charm.  I situated myself at the far end of the tub in my feet-saving dishpan,  rinsed my window washing squeegee out with the tub tap, and then just scootched around as I needed to. After a wash & wipe down with the squeegee, it was time to start on the floor.

How to Clean Floor Grout

By this time, I was already tuckered out. Here’s the step by step method I used.

1. Pour a stream of hydrogen peroxide on the grout.

2. Sprinkling baking soda directly on it.

3. Let sit for 30 minutes

4. Scrub with the grout brush

5. Wipe clean with a cloth and water.

Thankfully, the effort payed off in the end.  The grout is much cleaner.

Before:

After:

OK…Now, that I’ve shared my gong show of grout cleaning, can any of you fill me in on your secrets of cleaning and keeping clean this lovely swanky finish?

There must be something I’m missing!!

In contrast to the oh-so-simple articles I read, I would say that grout cleaning is oh, so NOT simple.

But, those swanky tiles sure are pretty!;)

For more house cleaning hacks & tips, you may want to check out:

• How to Clean Glass Shower Doors
• What is a Norwex EnviroCloth and How do I Use It?
• Cleaning up Confusion About which Norwex Cloth to Use in the Kitchen
• 5 Favorite Norwex Products
• Simple Under Kitchen Sink Organization + DIY Cabinet Mat

Update: This post giving the simple steps to clean grout on tile floor and in showers was updated July, 2021

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Why Tile and Grout Cleaning is Important

Tile flooring is a beautiful part of the home and keeping the tiles and grout clean is an important part of home maintenance. It may seem easy to clean tile floors, but tile and grout cleaning is actually a delicate matter that you may need help from professionals with. 

In this article, we will go through all the reasons why you may need to have your tile and grout professionally cleaned. Topics include longer floor life, safety, looks, and cleanliness. We will offer some tips you can use between professional cleanings to make sure your tile floor looks amazing at all times. After reading you will know a lot about your tile floor and you will be able to make the best decisions for your floor.

Extend the Life of the Floor

Keeping your tile floor clean will help it last longer. When dirt and grime build up on the tiles it can hurt the seal and start working its way through the tiles. Tile floors are very expensive and you should do anything you can to extend a tile floor’s lifespan. 

Not only is a tile floor expensive, but the work can take a long time because the materials need to be removed, thrown away, the subfloor may need to be repaired, the new tiles need to be reinstalled and then the grout needs time to cure. This can be a very lengthy process and the room will be out of commission for the duration.

Having professional cleaning can make tile floors last longer so that you will not have to go to all the trouble to install a new one. 

Safety

If you allow dirt, grease, and organic particles to build upon the tile and grout floor, they can become slippery and someone could fall and hurt themselves. When you keep a tile floor clean, it will have enough traction that it is not dangerous. 

It is really important to use tile and grout cleaners regularly so that you can keep yourself and anyone who walks on your floor safe. It is just not worth it to get behind on cleaning and possibly allow an accident to happen. A slippery tile floor can be really bad, so you need to keep maintaining your floor.

Appearance

Your tile floors should be something that you can show off to guests, but when they get dirty they will not make such a good impression on people. To keep your tile floors looking they are most impressive, you should hire a tile and grout cleaning service to help you maintain the beauty of your floors.

Cleaning a floor with a mop will help to clean the tiles, but it can actually make the grout dirty because the dirty mop water will seep into the grout. Professional cleaners are able to make the grout look the way it should and they can do it easier than you can. 

Sanitation

Tile floors are typically located in the bathroom and kitchen. In these wet environments, it is extremely easy for bacteria and fungi to thrive and cause you problems. Bacteria and fungi can make you sick and cause bad odors. 

If you want your home to be free of harmful bacteria and fungi, make sure to do a regular cleaning of your tile floors. Once bacteria and fungi start to colonize a floor, it can be tricky to totally eradicate them and you could be looking at a major problem. They can so easily hide in little corners and crevices that total eradication is hard, and then they just come back soon after you clean.

Cleaning Tile

The process of cleaning tile is pretty straightforward and you can use a standard tile cleaner to get the job done. The problem with cleaning tiles is that when you mop the tiles, the dirty water from the mop bucket can actually stain the grout in between the tiles and make them look bad or damage them.

A professional tile and grout cleaning service will know exactly the right techniques to get the tile floor clean and beautiful. Trying to clean a tile floor yourself can lead to bigger problems and it is good to have help with the task. You don’t want to waste all of your efforts if you don’t know what you are doing.

Cleaning Grout

The most delicate part of cleaning a tile floor is cleaning the grout. The first thing to do when cleaning grout is to understand how grout works. Grout is the glue that holds tiles together and fills gaps between the tiles. It is made of a mixture of water, cement, and sand. 

When you try to clean grout, you likely want to scrub it hard to try and get the stain off of it, unfortunately, this hard scrubbing can loosen the sand out of the grout and weaken it. A household grout cleaner will make grout look clean, but it can also weaken the grout.

It is important to be careful when cleaning grout because you really don’t want to damage it. It is literally the only thing keeping your subfloor safe from water damage. If water is able to get under the tiles, it can have no way to escape and can sit there and make everything worse.

If grout is damaged enough from repeatedly being cleaned improperly, tiles can break apart, and then you will have an expensive repair job on your hands, it could even mean redoing the entire floor. 

Why you should hire professional tile and grout cleaners

With everything that we have discussed in this article, you should see that tile floor cleaning is more delicate than it looks. You can get away with cleaning your floors on your own for a while, but eventually, you won’t be able to get it as clean as you want it without damaging the grout. 

A professional tile and grout cleaning service will have all of the right tools and products to get your tile floor looking almost new without damaging the grout. If you are not hiring professionals to clean your tile floors, you may not notice a problem that could be slowly getting worse and even could cause a total failure of the tile floor.

You can avail of our free estimate service to get an approximate house cleaning cost that matches your needs and budget. Call our office today or check us on Instagram!

Does Cleaning Grout with Baking Soda and Vinegar Really Work?

We know that photos can be an amazing source of design inspiration, so this article may contain affiliate links that will direct you to a particular decor item. Clicking on a link may result in a portion of proceeds being paid to www.decoist.com

Today we ask a question that many homeowners have pondered as they look down at a tile floor with unsightly grout: Will baking soda and vinegar really get the grout clean? Kate here, and I personally tried out this DIY cleaning technique in an attempt to avoid an expensive tile cleaning bill in the middle of the holidays. Did it work? In short, yes! And the process of cleaning grout with baking soda and vinegar was much better than I imagined. [photo by Kate Simmons]

Adventures in grout cleaning

Does the floor look as if the professionals cleaned it? No. And I know this because the last time Stanley Steemer came out to clean my carpet, they did a little demo to show me just what their steam cleaning technique could do for my grout. And it was pretty amazing! But it’s good to know that a DIY option exists, that it’s effective (AND budget-friendly), and that it leaves the floor looking pretty darn good overall!

Read on for all the details and don’t worry, we’ve conveniently linked the products you’ll need at the “DIY Steps” part of the page. Altogether, this cleaning project will cost you less than $20 and is likely even cheaper since you might have some of these items lying around your home!

The Big Idea

If you’re like me, you’ve been dreaming of clean grout for quite awhile. Perhaps you imagine about walking across your floor with bare feet and not a care in the world. [photo from Absolute Resurface]

Gleaming floor with clean grout

Or you’ve seen images on the websites of professional tile cleaning services and wondered if your grout could ever look this good. [photo via Seal Systems]

Grout cleaning and sealing can make a big difference

So you decide to take matters into your own hands, especially if you’re on the hunt for budget-friendly alternatives to professional cleaners. For some, the thought of scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush can be therapeutic. For others, it sounds like back-breaking work. I tend to enjoy physical labor, so taking a toothbrush to the grout intrigues me. Weird, I know! [photo from Town & Country Office Cleaning]

Cleaning tile grout with a toothbrush

Baking soda and vinegar are often used as home cleaning agents, especially since they’re affordable and non-toxic. Put them together, and you have a fizzy reaction that is particularly helpful when it comes to residue and dirt build-up. Continue reading for instructions on how to clean your grout with baking soda and vinegar.

The DIY Steps

So just how does this baking soda and vinegar method work? Below you will find a list of steps, complete with helpful tips. [all photos below by Kate Simmons]

Grout cleaning supplies

Step 1: Gather your supplies.

You will need baking soda, vinegar, a spray bottle, water, a measuring cup, a toothbrush, a small container, and some rags (or some paper towels). All in all, these products total less than $20 and it may be even less if you have leftover product hanging around your household!

Below we see a close-up of the grout in my powder room. Looks like it needs a little work, right?!

Dirty grout in need of cleaning

Step 2: Make a paste using baking soda and water. Apply the paste to the grout.

I actually used the toothbrush to stir the paste mixture and apply it to the grout. Looks messy, right? It was!

Make a baking soda paste

Step 3: Concoct a mixture of equal parts vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle. Spritz the mixture onto the baking soda paste.

And you’ll have a fizzy mix like the one below. It’s like a science experiment in your powder room!

Spray vinegar onto your paste

Step 4: Scrub the grout with a toothbrush.

Give the baking soda and vinegar a chance to fizz before you start scrubbing, and then work on that grout with determination. I thought it was fun to see the dirt scrub away with ease! Definitely a great activity for those who get satisfaction from eliminating dirt and grime!

Clean your grout with a toothbrush

Step 5: Wipe away the mess with a water-soaked rag.

Paper towels also work. I actually used a sponge and paper towels to wipe up the excess baking soda and vinegar, but if I’d had some old rags, I would have used them instead.

Clean grout

Step 6: Mop to give the floor a gleaming finish (optional).

While this step is optional, note that there will likely be some baking soda residue on your floor. You can wipe it all up by hand very diligently, or you can wipe it well enough, then finish off the space with a mopping session. The choice is yours!

Cleaning grout with baking soda and vinegar works!

Troubleshooting

Now that I’ve tried the process for myself, I want to share a little more about what you can expect when you clean your grout with baking soda and vinegar. Below we see my dirty bathroom floor, before the cleaning session. [all photos below (except for the last photo) by Kate Simmons]

Grout floor before shot

And here’s the after shot! I did not attempt to manipulate these photos, but I will note that there was more sunlight coming into the powder room when I took the photo below. With that said, you can still see that the grout is visibly cleaner after the scrubbing, with the dirt and grime gone. The bottom line: Cleaning grout with baking soda and vinegar really works.

A floor with clean grout

But it’s not a perfect process.  You can see in this next image that there are still stains in the grout that were not removed by the first scrubbing. Or a second more intense scrubbing of the area. But don’t lose heart! There are other things you can try, such as using hydrogen peroxide to clean the grout, or even getting a steam cleaning service to help with a particularly difficult section of the floor. I found this Bob Vila article to be helpful in terms of listing different cleaning options.

Some staining remained on the floor

Also note that cleaning floor grout with baking soda and vinegar is messy and a bit tedious at times. But it’s totally doable. I would suggest breaking up the task into parts. For example, I tackled the powder room today, but there is still the kitchen, the master bath, the hallway and the laundry room flooring to clean. To save myself from sore muscles and frustration, I plan on breaking up the process into one or two rooms per day, as I have time (rather than tackling everything at once).

Floor after shot

The bottom line: using baking soda and vinegar to clean floor grout is great if you don’t mind manual labor, you’re on a budget, and you have the time to break up the process into steps. It’s also a great way to spot clean or to clean in between visits from the professionals. If manual labor makes your skin crawl, or if you need to clean the floor of your entire house quickly, you might consider getting a professional out to steam clean the grout in order to avoid burnout!

Adventures in grout cleaning

Since the floor of my bathroom isn’t that cute, I’ll leave you with a gorgeous photo from Boyer Building Corporation. Because what’s more inspiring than a crisp powder room with a beautiful, clean floor?!

Dream bathroom with clean grout

Wishing you well on your home cleaning endeavors! If you try this method at home and have additional tips to share, leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!

How to clean the seams between the tiles on the floor and what to clean from dirt

Ceramic tiles have been used as a facing material for rooms since the time of the Persian Empire. Attractive appearance, durability, ease of maintenance of cleanliness of ceramic surfaces – this is not a complete list of the advantages of the material. However, time is inexorable and gradually dark stains of pollution appear in the sparkling beauty of the coating of walls, floors, and sometimes ceilings. Sometimes cleaning the seams between the tiles on the floor is not only difficult, but almost impossible. But only until a suitable remedy is found that allows you to scrub and wash even old dirt and grease, making the tile shine. It can be either a universal homemade recipe from the time of “our grandmothers” or a modern, innovative cleaning agent.

• 1 Causes of pollution and changes in the color of tile joints
• 2 How to clean the seams between the tiles on the floor
• 3 Methods of cleaning
  • 3.1 Manual Mechanical Cleaning
  • 3.2 Household Chemistry
  • 3.3 steam cleaner (steam generator)

  9000 9000 4 National methods 4 Folk methods , methods, recipes

  • 4. 1 Mixture #1 (lemon juice, soda, vinegar)
  • 4.2 Mixture #2 (bleach, soda)
  • 4.3 Mixture #3 (baking soda, mustard, lemon, soda, tooth powder)
  • 4.4 Ammonia solution (ammonia)
• 5 Radical methods
• 6 Useful information
• 7 Protecting joints from contamination

Causes of soiling and discolouration of tile joints

The only known way to keep ceramic tiles and grouts perfectly clean is not to use rooms where they are used as a finish. In all other cases, the operation of coatings and exposure to aggressive environments cause their natural aging and contamination.

Tiles in the hallway are affected by all types of dirt and soil: clay, sand, black soil, brought into the room with shoes. Not a single seam will last!

In showers and bathrooms, an atmosphere saturated with water vapor and lack of ventilation contribute to the accelerated development of fungal, mold and other microorganisms, which, having settled in tile joints, lead to their blackening, and the use of modern cosmetic and hygiene products no less successfully contributes to the accumulation of dirt .

Tiles on floors and walls in the working area of ​​the kitchen are contaminated with fats, oils, food waste. In the kitchen, the most difficult thing is to wash the seams between the tiles on the floor.

The beginning of the accumulation of mud deposits in the seams can be laid even when laying tiles, when the technology of tiling was not observed, namely:

• no mold and fungus primer;
• the grout was not coated with a protective compound;
• grouting without pre-cleaning of glue;
• violation of the laying process;
• residual adhesive mixture in the seams.

No less important are some operational aspects, or rather the absence of a number of factors:

• ventilation;
• heating;
• timely care.

All three indicators must be present without fail. In the case of the last point regarding timely care, one should take into account the fact that the initial pollution is an excellent environment for the development of fungi and mold.

Important! The effort spent on cleaning tile joints after they are dirty always exceeds the cost of maintaining cleanliness. Good ventilation of the premises, a sufficient level of heat (heating), regular maintenance of ceramic surfaces using special “cosmetics” for tiles and joints will preserve their original freshness and beauty.

How to clean the joints between tiles on the floor

If, with all efforts, it was not possible to save the grout between the tiles, and its original color has changed beyond recognition, you will have to renew the tile using different means.

Slight grease stains, smudges from the use of detergents, light limescale, darkening of the grout color are easily removed with degreasers – CIF, Silit, Fairy. The presence of signs of mold, the appearance of fungus will require the use of liquids, which include chlorine. A good result will provide Domestos or Whiteness. The method of their application is simple: apply to the surface of the seam and rinse with water after 5 minutes. The best results for all types of dirt are given by products specially designed for cleaning tile joints. Available ones include BOZO, Ultra-Stripper, Sif and their analogues.

Small stain removed with waterproof dye marker. The agent is powerless against mold. Another way to get rid of simple dirt is a melamine sponge. Despite the high cost, its use justifies itself. In addition, it allows you to clean any light surfaces, including household appliances, easily removing stains. The main thing is to wash off its remnants well, as it crumbles. It also does not hurt to rub the surface well to a shine, since not a single divorce will decorate it, and after the sponge there are many stains.

Rather than washing the tiles on the floor with ordinary water, and then suffering because of their unsightly appearance, it is better to immediately take care of their beauty using professional cosmetics.

Cleaning methods

Tiles and tile joints can be cleaned not only with different means, but also in different ways, depending on the degree and type of pollution. It is important to know not only how to wash the tiles on the floor so that there are no stains, but also how to get rid of grease, dirt and tile adhesive.

Manual mechanical cleaning

Simple, effective, but time-consuming method. Allows to remove pollution of tile seams by mechanical processing. Depending on the degree and depth of damage to the seam with dirt, it is used in the following cases:

• For light soiling, a variety of abrasive pastes and powders.
• In more difficult cases, fine grit sandpaper.
• Another option is a kitchen scraper.
• A semi-circular chisel of small diameter has proven itself well.

Manual mechanical cleaning should be used carefully. The main thing is not to overdo it and not erase the grout completely, because then it will have to be completely changed. Otherwise, this is better than cleaning the tiles on the floor from stubborn dirt, you can quickly and efficiently.

Household chemicals

The achievements of modern chemistry are enormous, and if the use of the means listed above did not give results, this does not mean that the situation has reached a dead end. Household chemical stores offer a wide range of tile cleaners.

The choice is up to the user, who can make it based on the degree and nature of the contamination.

Selection guide:

• We recommend the use of bleach and chlorine products in the bathroom. They remove fungus and mold to the middle stage of neglect.
• Alkaline preparations will be needed in the kitchen. Available in spray and liquid form. For seams, you can use oxygen bleach, which is recommended to be diluted 1 to 2. Special markers also work well with this task.

Steam cleaner (steam generator)

Modern technologies make their own adjustments in the technology of cleaning ceramic surfaces. The use of a device that generates high-pressure steam for processing joints between ceramic tiles will allow you to easily cope with all types of pollution, get rid of bacteria, kill fungus and destroy mold.

A pleasant feature of its use is the absence of dried mud smudges and stains, maintaining the integrity and structure of the grout. With a steam cleaner, you don’t have to worry about how to remove old adhesive from ceramic tiles.

Folk methods, ways, recipes

The experience of grandmothers, friends and neighbors, accumulated over decades of persistent struggle with dirt in tile joints, often helps out in difficult times. We offer a list of the most popular and effective recipes with which the question of how to clean ceramic tiles from tile adhesive, grease, dirt, stains will be removed along with dirt.

Blend #1 (lemon juice, baking soda, vinegar)

Cooking sequence:

1. Pour 1.5 liters of boiled water (20°C) into a container.
2. Add the juice of half a small lemon, half a cup of baking soda, a quarter cup of vinegar (9%).
3. Stir with caution, since as a result of the combination of the components, a violent reaction is observed, accompanied by the release of foam.
4. The agent is applied to the contaminated surface of the seams by rubbing.
5. Work with a hard-sided dish sponge or an old toothbrush.
6. After 20-25 minutes, the solution is washed off with water and wiped with a rag.
7. Evaluation of the result, which will then depend on the degree of contamination.

Recommendation: Lemon juice can be replaced with citric acid (crystals).

Important! You can only work with rubber gloves!

Blend #2 (bleach, soda)

Only suitable for cleaning joints with white grout! Contains chlorine, so it is only allowed to work with rubber gloves and a respirator (gauze bandage).

To prepare the solution, it is recommended to use whiteness household bleach and ordinary baking soda.

Cooking method:

1. Focusing on the total area of ​​​​the seams to be cleaned, pour bleach into the container for preparing the mixture and, gradually stirring, add soda until the mixture acquires the density of sour cream.
2. Apply the finished mixture to the seams with a spatula and leave to dry completely.
3. Use a kitchen sponge or brush to wash off the residue of the mixture and clean the seams.
4. The agent perfectly copes with mold and clarification of seams.

Mix #3 (Baking Soda, Mustard, Lemon, Baking Soda, Tooth Powder)

For 1 liter of water you will need the following ingredients:

• Mustard (powder) – 1 tbsp.
• Lemon juice – from 1/3 of the fruit.
• Baking soda – 0.5 cup.
• Tooth powder (paste) – 1 tsp.

Combine all components in a container and mix thoroughly. The resulting mixture rubs the contaminated seams (a sponge is used). Leave for half an hour, then wash off with warm water.

Ammonia solution (ammonia)

The simplest and most effective fresh mould. It is also a good antimicrobial agent. We prepare a solution of 2 liters of water and a tablespoon of ammonia. It is sprayed with a sprayer over the entire surface of the tiles and joints. After 20-25 minutes, the tile is wiped from the remnants of the mixture and dirt.

Radical methods

In particularly difficult cases, when the damage to tile joints by mold or fungus has gone so far that neither professional nor folk remedies help, there are only two options left:

1. Completely remove old tiles, treat surfaces with antifungal agents and lay new tiles in compliance with all technologies;
2. Remove all grout from infected joints, treat with anti-fungal agent, grout the joints with fresh grout, cover with a protective layer to prevent re-infection.

Both in the first and in the second case, it makes sense to use the services of professional tilers. Pleasure is not cheap, but the result is guaranteed. The main thing is to control the removal of the adhesive, so that later you do not suffer how to remove the old tile adhesive from the tile.

If this is not possible, and only the second option is available for independent execution, we recommend that you consider the following tips:

• Use a scraper, paint knife, chisel or power tool – drill, screwdriver, electric chisel, grinder.
• Safety first! Work with power tools should only be in protective goggles and a mask.
• A mild vinegar solution is suitable for softening grout.

Useful information

Performing tile grouting work and choosing the right products to achieve the best results requires knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of each type of tile.

• Do not use products containing acids on glazed tiles. The icing will fade and lose its luster.
• Do not use strong acids or alkalis to clean glass mosaics and tiles.
• Matt tiles without glaze after cleaning the joints need to be rinsed and applied a layer of protective mastic.
• Epoxy-based grouts have increased strength and resistance to mold and mildew, which justifies their use for grouting tile joints on floors.

In order not to wonder how to clean the grouts quickly or how to remove the adhesive from the tiles, it is better to do it right away. Not a single remedy will give an instant desired result.

Seam protection against soiling

Having determined the degree of pollution, having chosen a cleaning agent suitable for solving the problem, having successfully applied it, you should perform some more actions aimed at maintaining the achieved result. To preserve the appearance of grouting tiles and extend its service life, protective solutions are used, for example, Atlas Dolphin or similar. The application of such coatings in the future greatly facilitates the care of the surface and protects the grout. Working with protective fluids requires care and precision. Do not allow the solution to get on the tile. To apply protection, use a thin brush. The application of a protective coating does not eliminate the need for regular care, and the use of professional care products will prolong the “youth” of the grout for many years.

The use of all the above methods and means of cleaning seams does not require special training and high qualifications. All that is required is patience, calmness and accuracy. Do-it-yourself work will not only save a tangible part of the home budget, but also give self-confidence.

How to clean the joints between tiles on the floor – the best ways

Facing bases with decorative ceramics has long ceased to be something exotic, but at the same time, due to the many advantages of tiles, it has not lost popularity. Modern technologies cause the emergence of new types of ceramic tiles with improved characteristics, however, the method of arranging a decorative coating from them remains unchanged – the ordered laying of sheets on the adhesive composition, followed by the arrangement of the joints of adjacent elements.

Tile joints, arranged with a fixed width or with a system variation of this parameter, are rubbed after installation of the tiles – they are filled to the full depth with special hardening compounds, and the overall impression of the decoration of the room depends, among other things, on the aesthetics of such joint design.

Contents

• Cleaning of floor ceramic joints
• Steam cleaning of joints
• Cleaning of tile joints with special compounds
• Cleaning floor grout with household chemicals
• Refreshing floor joints using handicraft methods
• Mechanical methods for refreshing floor tile joints
• Conclusion

outer surface. This difference is most relevant for floor cladding exposed to aggressive factors – moisture, dirt, abrasion especially strongly. Since it is absurd to change a ceramic floor due to contamination or worn grout, let’s look at how to effectively clean tile joints using available products, depending on the type of problem.

Cleaning of floor ceramic joints

Reactive resin compounds with zero permeability are rarely used for grouting tiles. In most cases, cement-based compounds are used, which, after curing, form a less smooth surface and have a certain porosity, which contributes to surface contamination with subsequent penetration of dirt inside. Therefore, we will consider methods for cleaning joints filled with cement adhesive mixtures.

Floors in public buildings with high traffic are subject to high abrasive load, so they are faced with tiles made of hard types of natural stone (granite, marble), often dark in color with joints of a minimum width. As a rule, such joints are filled with grout mixtures of also dark tones, so that the natural stone cladding looks monolithic. The seams of such a finish, even covered with street dirt, do not stand out against the general background and do not require thorough cleaning. But in some cases, for example, after painting work indoors or accidentally spilled paint, even these interfaces need to be thoroughly cleaned.

As for the floor cladding of cultural buildings, offices, housing, especially sanitary and hygienic rooms (bathrooms, showers, baths), in order to increase aesthetics and make it easier to control their cleanliness, tiles for decoration are chosen from materials of bright, light colors . The seams of such ceramics are rubbed with white or bright colored compounds that stand out against the general background and are additional design elements. Such joints especially need periodic thorough cleaning of dirt and grease.

Steam Cleaning Joints

This technology is recent and is suitable for removing fresh surface dirt, including fungus. With the help of a special device – a steamer, which looks like a floor polisher, ceramics are exposed to steam without an accentuated effect on the seams with simultaneous mechanized removal of softened layers of dirt. For domestic use, it is hardly advisable to buy this unit, but in firms specializing in consumer services to the population, the use of such equipment is cost-effective.

Cleaning of tile joints with special compounds

If the contamination of the grout is not caused by some specific influence such as spilled paint, then the joints can be cleaned with a product specially designed for this purpose with the certainty of achieving a positive result.

Of the special products for cleaning tiles on walls and floors, M ellerud F ugen 9 stands out.0262 R einiger is a composition for domestic use made in Germany.

The instruction on the package contains all the necessary information on the use of the product and compliance with safety precautions, so the consumer only has to follow it to achieve the result.

VALO Clean is an equally effective product from a Russian manufacturer for cleaning tile joints with smooth and rough surfaces, successfully coping even with persistent old dirt. Recommended for indoor use, regardless of their purpose – residential, catering, medical facilities, etc.

Do not confuse VALO Clean for cleaning joints with similarly named products for other purposes (removing grout, washing sanitary ware, etc.) – the bottle clearly indicates the area of ​​application.

G rout from the Canadian company EcoMist is an absolutely non-toxic composition based on plant ingredients (grain, potato and tree sap) for surface cleaning of tile joints with restoration of the original color without bleaching, removes old mold and dirt stains .

The use of Grout does not require the use of personal protective equipment (gloves, mask, goggles).

Cleaning floor grout with household chemicals

In many cases, it is possible to successfully clean ceramic joints without the use of special products, using household cleaners and detergents.

If the grout is white, the task is simplified – to restore its whiteness, the bleach in the composition of the detergent is not only not terrible, but even desirable. But to refresh the colored grout, you can use only household chemicals without chlorine-containing components.

Do not use detergents with a high concentration of alkali or acids (Sanfor, Sanoks, Sarma, Dosia) to clean the grout of glass mosaic floors – such compounds can dull the glass or distort its color.

The method of application of each type of household composition is described on its packaging, and from an improvised tool for applying, cleaning and flushing solutions are used, regardless of the chosen agent, are used:

• Old toothbrush or hard clothes brush.
• Patch of penofol or wool cloth.
• Foam rubber or clean rags.
• Clean water bucket.

Refreshing floor joints using homemade methods

Without special or universal cleaners/detergents on hand, tile joints can be successfully cleaned with compounds prepared from food and household ingredients.

To restore the whiteness of the joints between tiles on the bathroom or kitchen floor, you need to use baking soda, lemon juice and 9-percentage vinegar in a volume ratio of 0. 5: 0.33: 0.25 – a mixture of juice and vinegar is slowly poured into soda while stirring. The resulting composition is diluted with one and a half liters of water, after which the solution is ready for use – it is applied to the grout and rubbed into it with a toothbrush. After half an hour, the bleached joints are washed with clean water.

Successfully removes most contaminants with a 1:15 aqueous solution of ammonia. The finished product is applied to the seams, and after 15-20 minutes the dirt is washed off with warm water using dense foam rubber.

A good effect when bleaching floor joints is the use of a solution of hydrogen peroxide, which is applied to the joints with a brush or a piece of foam rubber, and washed off with clean water after a quarter of an hour. But this method, as well as using lemon juice or soda, is unsuitable for the restoration of colored seams.

To get a better idea of ​​traditional ways of restoring the color of floor ceramic grout, watch this video:

How to clean the seams quickly and effectively: kitchen, bathroom, toilet

, only awarded Kramic tile always looks neat and pleasing to the eye. Ceramic is a popular, durable and time-tested solution for cladding kitchens, bathrooms and toilets. But over time, the seams lose their presentable appearance, become covered with dirt. And here the question arises before the housewives: how to clean the seams between the tiles easily and quickly?

There are a lot of ways – from folk recipes to professional chemistry and even complete removal of stitches.

The choice of a specific method depends on the state of the space between the tiles: if it’s just dirt, you can get by with folk methods, and if it’s mold, it’s better to use household chemicals.

Contents

• Causes of pollution
• Why are pollution dangerous?
• Cleaning products
  • Household chemicals
  • Folk recipes
• Preparation for procedures

,

• Ways to clean the seams
  • with steam
• Destroy the mold and fungus
• Remove other pollution
• How to remove grout?
• Prevention
  • General advice
• Tile features
• Conclusion

Causes of soiling

Of course, floor tiles get dirty most often and quickly for obvious reasons. But even with seemingly obvious reasons, it is worth understanding in order to prevent the loss of a presentable appearance of seams in the future.

Common causes of grout contamination:

• ingress of dust and particles of finishing materials during repairs;
• poor rinsing of seams during cleaning – detergents or just dirty water may remain;
• water penetration, which creates an excellent environment for the reproduction of fungus;
• natural deposition of dust in the toilet or grease in the kitchen;
• irregular room cleaning.

It is worth noting that the grout may darken on its own, even if cleaned regularly. This comes from old age, for example, if the tile has not been changed for more than 10 years. In this case, it is better to renew the grout than to clean it.

Why are pollution dangerous?

Ordinary compressed dust can hardly harm a person, except that it will cause an allergic reaction, cough, or just an unjustified feeling of beauty.

The real danger is mold, which loves to settle in damp places, which include the bathroom and kitchen.

Mold can cause:

• poisoning of the body;
• diseases of the respiratory system – asthma, pharyngitis, bronchitis, rhinitis;
• dermatitis;
• diseases of the circulatory and nervous system;
• suppression of immune mechanisms.

When mold is first detected, it must be dealt with immediately, as its spores may already be on a toothbrush, towel or washcloth.

Cleaning products

Dirt and emerging fungus can be removed even by folk recipes, but professional ones are often used. The choice of a particular agent is influenced by the nature, degree and prescription of pollution. May require:

• some rags or sponges;
• hard old toothbrush;
• pure water;
• detergents;
• protective equipment.

But the choice of detergents is quite large.

Household chemicals

Household chemicals have long saved the time and effort of housewives, making it easier to clean the house. Various manufacturers have come up with a variety of means to pollute the inter-tile space. You can find sprays, and even special markers.

The following brands are worth looking at:

• Melleurd;
• Litonet;
• Unicum;
• Pemolux;
• Silit;
• Cif;
• Amway;
• Domestos.

These are the most effective yet gentle products.

Tile grout stains can also be treated with the now popular melamine sponge: it works like a pencil eraser, but gloves must be worn, as the product is aggressive and can cause irritation.

But serious substances containing chlorine should be treated with caution, especially if the grout has a color, and not just white. Chlorine is an aggressive component that can bleach the seam at the application site.

Typically, household chemicals are used after folk recipes have been tried, but the desired result is not achieved, that is, with severe pollution.

If it is important to get an instant result quickly, then you can use a special marker that will paint over dirty tile joints, but will not get rid of dirt.

This solution is suitable for a temporary option when you need to depict the illusion of beauty and purity. Sometimes markers have an antifungal protective impregnation, which will still play a little in favor of the grout. This grout care product has several other advantages:

• is safe for humans, as it does not contain harmful substances;
• seams become shiny and beautiful;
• The composition of the marker is waterproof, so mold cannot grow there (but it can spread).

It is also easy to use, but the effect does not last long: a maximum of one year.

Folk recipes

Experienced housewives like to resort to folk recipes, because they are:

• not so aggressive,
• their components are often at hand at home;
• are cheaper.

There are several proven and effective ways to clean grout between tiles.

Recipe 1. Take one and a half liters of clean warm water and add:

• one glass of baking soda;
• ¼ cup vinegar 9%;
• 1/3 cup lemon juice;
• 1/3 cup ammonia.

Stir well, dab a sponge in it and apply to the joints. Rub if necessary.

Recipe 2. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Take a liter of water and add 100 grams of bleach, mix thoroughly.
2. Apply to soiling and leave for 10 minutes.
3. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a dry cloth.

The mixture is rather aggressive, so it is better to work with it in well ventilated areas.

Recipe 3. Add equal parts to water:

• baking soda;
• mustard;
• citric acid;
• tooth powder;
• ammonia.

Apply the resulting mixture to the tile joints, leave for half an hour, then rinse.

Recipe 4. Sometimes it seems that Coca-Cola can replace all household chemicals in the house. Yes, and with problematic seams between tiles, it will also help. The convenience of this recipe is that only one ingredient is required – in fact, Coca-or Pepsi-Cola itself. Soak a rag or sponge in soda and apply to the seams, leave for 30 minutes, and then rinse and dry.

The rest of the soda can clean the toilet or descale the kettle – anything is better than drinking it.

Any of the above recipes require gloves, as chemical burns or allergic reactions may occur. If the mixture does get on the skin, then this place must be thoroughly rinsed with running water.

Preparing for procedures

Preparing for cleaning is a very important step that should not be skipped, because the result also depends on it. The essence of preparation is to eliminate unnecessary items from the room and acquire the necessary tools.

1. Remove any unnecessary items that may interfere with cleaning, such as hooks, shelves, bottles of shampoo and other personal care products.
2. Remove all textiles as they can absorb unpleasant odors from cleaning agents.
3. Assess if a sink or toilet needs to be removed. Do this if necessary.
4. Prepare gloves, goggles, respirator and seam cleaner.
5. Remove greasy stains from tiles and grouts and remove easily removable dirt.

This little guide will help you check if everything is done correctly and if you can start cleaning activities.

Ways to clean the joints

How they should be cleaned depends on the room where the joints are dirty. For example:

• in the bathroom – humidity is often high here, so mold and fungus form. Their spores are able to penetrate into the deepest layers, which only professional deep penetration tools can handle. Be sure to pay attention to the presence of antifungal components in the composition. Folk recipes, and even more so ordinary soap, are powerless here;

• in the toilet – the seams in such rooms most often suffer only from particles of dust and dirt, so removing them is quite easy. You can manage with ordinary soap and folk recipes, or you can resort to household chemicals. In the latter option, it is worth making sure that the composition contains antibacterial components;

• in the kitchen – high humidity is also often maintained here, but the main problem is still fat. Splashes from cooking or washing dishes quickly contaminate the inter-tile space and are quite difficult to clean. For the kitchen, both folk recipes and professional products with a large amount of surfactants that can break down fats are suitable.

Regardless of the room, remember to protect your hands and respiratory tract.

Steam cleaning

Helps restore walls to their original cleanliness and household steam cleaner. This is a special device that releases hot steam under pressure. Steam easily removes old stains, kills pathogenic bacteria and even destroys mold spores that have penetrated the grout.

For high-quality cleaning, you should give preference only to those devices that can warm up to a temperature of at least +175 degrees.

It is worth paying attention to the packaging – a brush attachment will be very useful: the steam will become more concentrated, so the efficiency will increase.

After steam treatment, the seams should be washed with ordinary water at room temperature and additionally treated with special antifungal agents. The processing itself is quite easy: you just need to bring the included steam generator closer to the seams between the tiles and slowly move it. If stains remain, they are removed with a rag or an old toothbrush.

Destroy mold and fungus

Removing mold is a complex process that even professional tools can not always cope with. It is important to catch the origin of the fungus at the very beginning – then the chance of defeating it is high, but in other cases it may be necessary to completely remove the grout. This is a rather labor-intensive process, for which a specialist is usually hired – he will do everything correctly, quickly and accurately with his experienced hands.

After the grout has been removed, it is necessary to carefully treat all seams, gaps and joints with a special antifungal agent. After the interstitial space dries, the procedure is repeated. After applying a new grout.

There are a few rules to get things right.

1. Carefully read the instructions for the cleaning agent – sometimes the curing time on the seams is different and not all products require reapplication.
2. Rag with which the surface has been treated, burned or discarded.
3. If you have a building dryer, it is better to use it to dry the joints. Can be replaced with a regular household option. At the time of processing, the room should not be humid.

There are also folk recipes for getting rid of mold in tile joints.

Recipe 1. You will need one liter of water and 10 grams of copper sulfate. The ingredients are mixed and applied to the surface to be treated. It is better to climb into the seams with a hard brush or an old toothbrush. If there are a lot of black spots of mold, then you can repeat the treatment 2-3 times. After drying, the surface is washed with water, dried, and the room is ventilated.

Recipe 2. Chlorine bleach required. Working with it is much faster than in the previous version, since the exposure time is reduced to several minutes. For such simplicity, you will have to pay a strong smell, therefore, after processing, the room must be ventilated.

There are also industrial products that will help fight mold. There are a great many of them on the market, you can focus on the following manufacturers:

• Cilit;
• Unicum;
• Savo;
• Sun Clean;
• Neomid;
• Bugs;
• Ceserit.

All these products contain special substances that have a detrimental effect on fungus and mold spores.

Remove other contaminants

There are other contaminants that can be classified.

Nicotine	If there is a lot of smoking in the room, then over time a yellowish or brownish coating appears on the seams. This problem is easily solved with acetone, gasoline, white spirit and other organic solvents. If the situation is not running, you can get by with vinegar and lemon juice.
Rust	Rust on the grout only appears when there are pipes nearby. The best option to get rid of such a scourge would be ordinary household chemicals marked “From rust”, for example, Sanoks. Alternatively, you can use a melamine sponge.
Old stains	Old, yellowed or cracked grout is best disposed of immediately and replaced with a new one. But you can try to revive it with folk or industrial means, or simply paint it over with a special marker. But the result of such cleaning with a renovator will last for a maximum of a year, then you will have to repeat the procedure. But such a pencil is a great way to briefly refresh and update the appearance of the seams.

With regular cleaning of the joints, the grout will not deteriorate, even if the room is often smoked, there is a pipe nearby or it just turned 10 years old. The main rule in caring for seams is regularity.

It would seem that white seams are the most difficult to clean. In fact, this is not the case, since any bleach will cope with this. And colored grouts cannot afford such a product, as they will significantly lose their brightness. That is why there are usually no difficulties with how to whiten the seams. The main thing is to be careful and not go on the tile.

How to remove grout?

Even if professional products helped only for a short time, this means that mold and fungus spores have penetrated deeply. To get rid of them, you have to remove the grout completely. If there is no desire to hire a specialist for this, then you can do it mechanically with your own hands. But there is one secret that will make this process of updating the grout easier.

If you mix vinegar with water in a ratio of 1:1 and apply the resulting solution to the joints, the composition will soften and the grout will be easier to remove.

This is done with the abrasive side of a regular dish sponge. If the tile has a relief surface, then it is better to use the soft side of the sponge so as not to damage the tile.

Coarse tools can also be used:

• spatula;
• screwdriver;
• knife;
• folded sandpaper;
• chisel.

But they must be used very carefully so as not to damage the tile with a sharp end.

Prevention

Prevention is much easier than cure. That is why it is worth knowing the measures that will help to avoid mold on the seams between the tiles.

The main cause of the fungus is high humidity, so all measures are aimed at maintaining a normal atmosphere in the room:

remove condensate and find out the causes of its occurrence;

dry clothes not in the bathroom, but on the balcony;

keep ventilation in good condition;

if necessary, use a fan with extraction function;

keep the washing machine clean and dry;

if there is a shower cabin, open the doors after use;

carry out regular cleaning;

• Periodically inspect the premises for early detection of mold;
• frequent ventilation.

These steps will help maintain a healthy indoor climate that will minimize the chance of mold.

General recommendations

Keeping the humidity at the right level is very important, but there are other steps that will help prevent the tile grout from getting dirty quickly:

treatment with special agents that prevent the penetration of mold spores into the deep layers of the seams;

treatment of tile joints with special impregnation immediately after grouting;

Small tiles can be omitted at the renovation stage, which will reduce the number of joints that need to be cleaned.

Here a new difficulty may arise with which impregnation is better to choose. It is not worth being original in this matter, but it is best to choose an impregnation of the same brand as the grout: in this case, the funds will work in synergy.

Tile Features

If every tile could be cleaned with the same grout cleaner, it would be too easy. There are a number of restrictions for each type.

Glossy and glazed finish	Do not use acids, as this will cause the tiles to tarnish
Matte tiles	It is important to wash them thoroughly after the procedure, and then cover them with a special protective mastic
Mosaic and glass tiles 0 concentrated products (both alkaline and acidic)

And it is forbidden to use highly abrasive materials on any tile, as this will cause microcracks and surface scratches in which bacteria will feel great.

Conclusion

It is important to take a responsible approach to the choice of the grout itself, so that it would be easier to care for it later. The last word in the world of materials for joints is epoxy grout. It costs more than usual, and only a professional can handle the application, but its appearance will remain for a longer period, and care will be much easier.

HOW TO CLEAN GROUND TILE QUICKLY? TOP 10 ways to clean tile joints (1 hour). EXPERIMENT

Watch this video on YouTube

HOW TO CLEAN GROUND TILE QUICKLY? TOP 10 ways to clean tile joints (2 hours). EXPERIMENT

Watch this video on YouTube

If such a nuisance as the contamination of tile joints has already arisen, then it is better to start with folk methods for removing stains. If they are powerless, then turn to household chemicals. Do not forget about the steam generator, which is generally useful in the household, including cleaning plumbing.

But the best solution is a simple prevention of serious contamination. In this case, you don’t have to puzzle over how to wash the seams between the tiles on the floor, backsplash and in the bathroom, and a presentable appearance will remain for a long time.

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How to clean the seams between the tiles on the floor – how to wash the grout from dirt?

Contents

• 5 ways to clean grout lines in the kitchen
• 1 way – using industrial cleaners
• 2 way – steam cleaning
• 3 way – cleaning with bleach
• 4 way – using improvised products
• method – mechanical cleaning
• Mechanical method
• Warrofider
• Folk methods of cleaning seams
  • Soda and vinegar
  • ammoniating alcohol
  • Soda, lemon
  • soda and “White”
  • Toothpaste, mustard, lemon juice
  • Coca Coca Coca -Cola, Pepsi
• Household chemicals for cleaning tiles in the bathroom
• How to clean the tiles on the floor from ingrained dirt?
  • Share on social media networks:
• Basic rules for tile care
• How to clean floor tiles?
• How to clean ceramic tiles from grease and dirt?
  • Vinegar
  • Citric acid
  • Bleach
  • Washing powder
  • Ammonium chloride
  • Kerosene
  • Helpful hints:
• How to clean the dirt on the joints?
• Useful tips:
• How to get rid of fungus and mold?
  • Seam repair
• How to clean floor tiles after renovation?
• Video
  • Featured Posts

5 Ways to Clean Kitchen Tile Joints

Tiled walls look flawless right after renovation. However, over time, you have to look for ways to clean the seams between the tiles in the kitchen. The cracks get clogged with dirt and spoil the appearance of the room. It is not always possible to wash them with ordinary detergents. In a room with high humidity, the integrity of resistant grouts and sealants is gradually destroyed by the action of bacteria and molds that can penetrate deep into the structure of the material. If grime is difficult to remove from grout joints, more aggressive grout cleaners should be used.

1 way – use industrial cleaners

It is best to use specially formulated grout cleaners.

Ultra Stripper is a concentrated product. It successfully cleans mosaics, porcelain, granite, cement and ceramics from stubborn dirt. Diluted with water before using Ultra Stripper. The concentration of the solution depends on the amount of contaminants.

BOZO disinfectant is used to clean tiles and tile joints. Due to its viscous consistency, the product evenly covers the porous surface of the gaps. It effectively removes stubborn grease, salt, soot and rust. After treatment with BOZO, the unpleasant odor disappears.

The tile grout concentrate HG will help clean the grout very quickly. Before using it, clean the joints with dishwashing detergent and dry their surface. The drug is applied with a brush and washed off after 10-15 minutes. The seams literally turn white before our eyes.

For light soiling it is better to use Atlas Delfin tile and grout impregnation. It is desirable to apply it immediately after repair to prevent the appearance of contamination. Atlas Delfin protects the porous surface of the mortar, preventing it from accumulating impurities. Impregnate is resistant to cleaning agents and makes kitchen tiles shine.

Light dirt can be easily removed with Mr. Muscle Expert for the kitchen. It will remove burnt fat, stains of sauces and burnt milk on tile joints. The spray has an antibacterial effect.

Pemolux cleaning powder gives good results. It is applied to a small brush and rubbed on the cement. It is convenient to handle the seams with an ordinary toothbrush (preferably a children’s or electric one). The disadvantage of the product is the presence of abrasive elements (ground marble) in its composition. There is a high risk of surface damage to adjoining slabs.

The whitening pencil Snowball will quickly and easily restore the whiteness of tile joints. It is enough to draw a line over the seams with a pencil so that they look like new again. The components that make up the product penetrate deeply into the cement, destroying molds and bacteria.

2nd method – steam cleaning

You can restore the original cleanliness of the walls with the help of a steam cleaner. A steam cleaner is a device that releases hot steam under high pressure. A jet of steam easily removes old stains, destroys pathogens and mold spores that have penetrated the cement.

To clean tile joints, you must purchase a steam cleaner that can be heated to a temperature of at least +175*C. It is better to use the device together with a brush attachment. Steam will come out through it more concentrated, so the effect of steam on the surface of the seams will be higher.

After cleaning the joints with steam, wash off the contamination with water at room temperature. You can additionally treat the surface with antifungal disinfectants.

3rd way – cleaning with bleaches

You can clean recently darkened joints in the kitchen with chlorine bleaches (Whiteness, Cif Ultra White, Domestos). These tools will help destroy the colonies of fungi and bacteria on the upper layers of the material.

Bleach is applied to the soiled surface with a brush and left for 10 to 15 minutes. After that, the product is applied again and washed off with plenty of water. Bleach is difficult to completely wash out of a porous surface.

You can enhance the effect of chlorine-containing products with baking soda. A thick paste is prepared from baking soda and bleach (reminiscent of toothpaste in consistency). It is applied with a spatula to the seams and left to dry completely. The composition is washed off with water and a brush.

Care must be taken that the seam is completely covered with the compound, otherwise dark spots will remain on it.

This method is suitable for cleaning joints covered with white grout. It is not recommended to use bleach on colored surfaces, even if the shade of the putty is very light. The colored surface after the application of bleach will lose its color uniformity and will look untidy.

If you have to work on a large area, you must close the doors in the kitchen and open the windows, otherwise the pungent smell will spread throughout the apartment; work should be done with gloves and a mask.

Method 4 – use of improvised means

Laundry soap is a good prophylactic against fungi. Fungal microorganisms die in an alkaline environment. Soap should be regularly cleaned the surface until mold appears on it. Laundry soap will help get rid of the mold that has recently appeared on the seams. Only laundry soap in the form of a brown bar has antifungal properties.

Clean the grout between tiles on the floor with baking soda. Moisten the floor and generously sprinkle the gaps with soda powder. When it gets wet, every centimeter of the surface between the plates is thoroughly wiped with a toothbrush. Particular attention should be paid to places with black spots and dots.

Clean the seams with a solution prepared from:

• 1 tbsp. vinegar;
• 1 tsp. baking soda;
• 1 tbsp ammonia;
• 2 glasses of water.

First, dissolve baking soda in water, then slowly add vinegar and ammonia to the solution. The product is applied with a brush to the seams for 10 minutes, then washed off. The composition actively foams and “explodes” pollution from the inside, allowing them to be easily washed off. The solution, along with the dirt, is washed off with water.

A similar result is observed after applying a soda solution with the addition of vinegar and citric acid. 200 g of baking soda are dissolved in 2 liters of water, then 100 ml of lemon juice and 50 ml of vinegar are added. Instead of lemon juice, you can use citric acid. It is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:2. The composition is applied to the joints and washed off after 15 minutes with water.

To remove dirt from the tile gaps, they are sprayed with vinegar solution from a spray bottle. To prepare the solution, water and vinegar are taken in equal parts. The joints covered with mortar are cleaned with a stiff brush (not metal).

Well dissolves greasy and burnt spots hydrogen peroxide diluted in water (it is mixed with water in a ratio of 1:2).

When choosing how to wash dirt, you need to consider the type of tile. The glazed surface may become dull after treatment with products containing acids.

5 way – mechanical cleaning

How to clean the joints between the tiles in the kitchen without resorting to chemicals? Mechanical cleaning of the joints between tiles is the most radical way to solve the problem. This is hard and painstaking work that is done only by hand. The use of electrical appliances (drill with a nozzle or a grinder) is not recommended. They can damage the tiles.

To clean stubborn grime, use:

• spatula;
• screwdriver;
• semi-circular chisel or sandpaper.

The grout can be cut off with a metal tube cut at an angle and sharpened.

But it is better to purchase a special scraper for cleaning tile joints and removing old grout. It is a handle to which a wide diamond-coated blade is attached. Blade thickness is 1 – 1.5 mm. It allows you to clean even very thin gaps between tiles. If the joints are wide, you can use models with multiple blades or remove layers of grout with one blade, positioning it at an angle.

The tool handle is at a 45 degree angle to the work surface. Therefore, during long, painstaking work, the hand does not get tired. By pressing the tool, you can cut off the grout layer from the seam along its entire length with one movement.

If the fungus has recently appeared on the surface of the grout, only the top layer of material can be removed. If the cement has darkened for a long time, you need to cut off the layers located below the darkened ones. Fungal spores can be found in deep layers of the material. You cannot detect them with the naked eye. Remaining in the grout, fungi will continue to destroy it.

In the course of their life, fungal microorganisms emit volatile organic compounds that can cause various diseases, so you need to clean off the affected layers of building material with gloves and a mask.

In some cases the entire grout must be removed. After removing the affected material, the joint is dried with a hairdryer. You can install a heater with a heating coil nearby, or a fan heater. Such devices quickly lower the humidity of the air.

The dried surface is treated with special fungicides. Instead, you can use a special primer that prevents the occurrence of biocorrosion, colonization of molds and bacteria (Ceresit CT99). After applying it, a new grout is applied, to which a little antifungal primer should be added.

Knowing how to clean the joints in the bathroom, kitchen between tiles, you will put the walls in order and get rid of harmful microorganisms. For minor contamination, use a paste and solutions made from soda, vinegar, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, lemon and mustard, and treat walls with a pronounced moldy coating with concentrated Bozo and Atlas Dolphin protective agent to prevent wall contamination and the development of pathogens .

Over time, the joints between tiles lose their attractiveness, because the grout used as a putty has a rough surface, in the “pores” of which dirt clogs. In addition, the processing of seams is a painstaking task, and housewives cannot regularly maintain their cleanliness, which leads to darkening of the grout. Knowing how to clean bathroom grout between tiles will allow you to renovate bathroom, kitchen or hallway walls or floors with affordable tools with a minimum of effort.

Mechanical method

The mechanical method is the cheapest and most painstaking.

Cleaning soap solution

This is a good way to remove old stains. The principle of treatment is rubbing the tile joint with a brush dipped in soapy water:

1. Prepare soapy water by dissolving ½ bar of laundry soap, a little powder or dish detergent in it.
2. Wet the wall liberally with a sponge.
3. Scour each joint vigorously with a toothbrush.

This way you can easily clean the tile joints in the kitchen, bathroom from fungus, mold and dirt. But if the grout has darkened, it will not work to bleach it mechanically. In this case, use folk remedies.

Steam cleaner

Many housewives have already acquired a steam cleaner, since this equipment simplifies cleaning of the whole house and does not require detergents.

Home Steam Cleaner

To clean a dirty tiled wall from grease, pathogens, blackening and stains, it is necessary to bring the switched on steam generator close to the tile and slowly pour steam over it, even into hard-to-reach places. Next, you need to wipe off minor dirt with a rag or a toothbrush with detergent (places with pronounced stains).

Note! The steam cleaner triples the speed of cleaning at home and simplifies it. With this device, you can regularly process walls, floors and prevent the appearance of persistent dirt, fungus, mold.

Traditional joint cleaning methods

Traditional joint cleaning methods have several advantages – they are cheap, highly effective and always available. Vinegar, soda, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and other products available in the kitchen and bathroom will help wash the seams between the tiles in the kitchen, corridor and bathroom.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Wash grout with baking soda and vinegar by making 2 different solutions.

Cleaning with baking soda and vinegar

The method does not damage multi-colored tones, but negatively affects marble and lime material.

For unnatural grout, use the following algorithm:

1. Make a thick paste with water and soda.
2. Apply slurry to all joints.
3. Mix 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water, pour the solution into the spray bottle.
4. Spray the seams treated with soda.

A violent reaction will begin between these two components, which will remove contaminants from the “porous” structure of the grout. At the end of the process, rub the seams with a brush to remove the remnants of black, yellow plaque and dirt.

Hydrogen peroxide and soda
Knowing how to whiten the seams from yellowness, you can return them to their original appearance. Soda in combination with hydrogen also causes a reaction and qualitatively whitens things, walls, disinfects and eliminates musty smells, tobacco smoke. Mix the ingredients until a thick slurry is obtained and apply to the grout for 25 minutes. At the end of this period, rub the seams with a brush and rinse off the product.

Note! Don’t let the cleaner dry on the wall or the dirt will reabsorb into the grout. Use the recipe on white grout only!

Ammonia

Ammonia can be combined with other ingredients or used alone: ​​

1. Pour the ammonia into a small container.
2. Soak a toothbrush in the product and rub the tile joints.
3. Let it soak into the grout for 20-30 minutes.
4. Brush again and rinse.

Recipe suitable for grout of any color. Can be used to clean seams treated with natural materials.

Soda, lemon, vinegar

A “trio” of improvised components works well in everyday life: vinegar, lemon and soda.

A mixture of lemon, vinegar and soda

The first 2 ingredients are acids, and soda is alkali. Cooking paste:

1. Mix pure lemon juice or replace it with a concentrated solution of citric acid (25 g of citric acid per 1 liter of water).
2. Pour 3-4 tbsp. l. soda, add a little solution (until a slurry is formed).
3. The resulting cleaner is rubbed into the seams with a toothbrush.
4. We wash the product after 30-40 minutes with a regular cloth.

Note! When working with any recipe, use protective gloves so as not to provoke the appearance of microtrauma on the skin.

Soda and “Whiteness”

If you bought an apartment with yellowed or blackened natural tiles, don’t despair, it can still be saved!

1. Prepare the gruel as described above by mixing the ingredients.
2. Rub into grout.
3. Leave on for 30-60 minutes.
4. Flush.

It is easy to clean the seams white in this way, because “Whiteness” removes even the most complex contaminants (plaque, rust near the pipes in the toilet and eliminates the smell of nicotine).

How the described ingredients cope with tile dirt, see the video:

Monitor the condition of tiles and joints regularly. Once a week, use special products to clean the tile from dirt, and you will extend the life of the floor decorative coating for many years, and at the same time protect the house from fungus and mold.

how to clean with folk or chemical means

Contents

• What types of grout are there?
• How can tile joints be cleaned with household chemicals?
• How easy is it to clean the seams with folk remedies?
• Cleaning the joints with steam
• Removing dirt from the joints between tiles mechanically
• How easy it is to clean the joints between the tiles in the bathroom: video
• Cleaning the joints between the tiles: photo after laying the tiles, the seams between it begin to gradually become dirty. The reason is not only the accumulation of dust, but also the increased humidity of the room. As a result, dangerous fungus and mold appear on the seams. This not only spoils the aesthetic appearance of the bathroom, but, worst of all, it has a very negative effect on human health. That is why today we will talk about how to clean the seams between the tiles in your bathroom, and what tools are suitable for this purpose. We will reveal to you a few secrets for removing fungus on tile joints that will allow you to do it at home.

  What types of grout are available?

  There are three main types of tile grout:

  • Portland cement;
  • epoxy resin;
  • furan resin.

  Irregular cleaning of tile joints leads to the development of fungus and bacteria

  The first of these is the most popular. It contains color pigments, cement and a moisture-retaining mixture. It is quite easy to overwrite and carry out processing with a variety of finishes.

  Unfortunately, none of these types of grout can guarantee the absence of fungus.

  How can tile joints be cleaned with household chemicals?

  As soon as you notice the appearance of mold or fungus on the seams of the tiles, do not delay, immediately start cleaning them. The longer they are there, the deeper they will eat into the solution and, as a result, are more difficult to remove.

  Many people use various household chemicals to clean the joints. The least toxic and most tested of all is oxygen bleach.

  If you want to use chemicals, you can buy special products from the store to remove dirt and fungus

  It is mixed with water (1:1) and then sprayed or wiped over all soiled seams. Depending on the degree of soiling, bleach should be left on the seams for 30-60 minutes. Oxygen ions penetrate deep into the solution, breaking down dirt and fungus into molecules. Next, it remains only to scrape off the dirt from the seams and wipe the surface dry.

  You can also use bleach or other cleaners sold in many home improvement stores.

  Handle chemicals very carefully. Use hand gloves for their use and rinse thoroughly from the seams with water after processing.

  A special marker can be used to disinfect mold. It simply perfectly destroys bacteria dangerous to our body and perfectly masks the seams.

  How easy is it to clean the seams with folk remedies?

  Now we will tell you how to clean the seams between the tiles in the bathroom, using exclusively folk remedies for this.

  1. To make a homemade grout cleaner, you will need to combine 7 cups of water, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup baking soda, and 1/4 cup vinegar. Use this bleach very carefully. Be sure to open the window so that fresh air can freely enter the bathroom, put on gloves and wash all the seams with this solution using an old toothbrush or sponge. Leave the applied mixture on the tile joints for 10 minutes, and then simply rinse it off with water.

     Safe and easy to use folk remedies for cleaning tile joints

  2. Another great folk remedy is a solution made from lemon juice, soda, mustard and ordinary toothpaste. Sometimes ammonia is also added to it.
  3. To disinfect dangerous mold, use a mixture of a tablespoon of ammonia, 2/3 cup water, a teaspoon of any softener, and a tablespoon of vinegar.

  Attention! Never use soapy solutions to disinfect the fungus, as they can only aggravate the situation.

  Cleaning grouts with steam

  How do you clean grouts between tiles in a bathroom with ordinary steam? Yes, very easy!

  Using a steam cleaner for this purpose is one of the most effective methods. Under the influence of high temperatures and water vapor pressure, all the dirt from the seams is instantly brought out. You just have to wipe it off the already cleaned surface. It is also worth noting that this is the most environmentally friendly and safe way.

  Using the steam cleaner

  We remove dirt from the joints between tiles mechanically

  If you have paid attention to the problem in time, and the dirt has not yet penetrated deeply into the surface, then you can use the usual mechanical cleaning of the joints.