You have probably mopped and wiped your tile surfaces regularly, but the grout lines don’t seem to get as clean as the tile itself. In fact, you may have noticed that the grout lines between your tiles become dirtier over time than they were when the tile was first installed, even after regular cleaning.
Why is it that you can’t seem to get your grout lines as clean as the tile?
Unfortunately, when it comes to cleaning tile and grout, one cleaning solution doesn’t fit all. The all-purpose cleaning solution you use to clean and sanitize the tile may not be the right choice for cleaning the grout. What you’ll end up with is clean tile floors surrounded by dark, funky-looking grout around each tile, making your flooring or backsplash look unkempt.
Keep reading to learn some tips from the pros about how you can clean the grout surrounding your tile so it looks like new.
Bathroom Wall Tile
One of the ickiest places to clean tile in your home will likely be the bathroom tile wall. This area is filled with soap scum, dirt, bacteria, germs, and other disgusting items hiding in between the tiles. Not only is this a dirty area to clean, but it can also be tricky to clean, depending on your bathtub or shower’s configuration.
You may have to roll up your sleeves and get your knees dirty as you spend some time cleaning the dirt that has collected in the grout in this room. Although it will be time-consuming, you’ll love the results once you’re done. Here is the best way to approach cleaning a wall of tile in your bathroom.
How to Clean
● Baking soda
● Peroxide
● Mild dish soap
● Grout brush
● Small bucket
Mix together ¾ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of peroxide, and one tablespoon of mild dish soap in the small bucket to form a paste. Once the mixture has sat for about 5 minutes, start applying it onto the tile grout in small sections using the grout brush. After it is applied, lightly scrub the sections with the grout brush.
Another option is to use a motorized, scrubbing brush to speed up the process and cover more area as you clean. Let the mixture sit on the grout for about 10 minutes, then rinse it away with warm water. Repeat the rinse if necessary, until all the soapy mix is gone. Continue to work in sections.
Floor Tile
Another tricky place to clean tile is on your floor. It will take more than dragging a mop across your tile floors to get the grout clean. How do you know your floor tile grout needs much more TLC? Take a look around the tile itself to see what color the grout is.
Chances are, you may have dark-colored grout in certain areas and a few patches of grout that are still the original color. If there’s a dark shade on the grout, it’s probably not the original color. You likely have plenty of dirt and grime trapped in the grout. Here’s how to tackle floor tile grout.
How to Clean
● Baking soda
● Vinegar
● Mild dish soap
● Water
● Grout brush
● Small bucket
● Melamine resin foam
Start by pouring the vinegar along the grout lines. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare a mix of ¾ cup of baking soda, one teaspoon of mild dish soap, and ½ cup of water. Pour the mixture over the vinegar and use the grout brush to gently scrub the grout.
Finish by wiping the mixture away with a damp melamine resin foam sponge. Rinse the sponge and repeat until the mix is removed from the floor and grout.
Kitchen Backsplash
One more place you’ll likely find dirty tile grout is between the tiles of your kitchen backsplash. This grout may be filled with grease, spaghetti splatter, cake batter, moisture, and an assortment of other food that may have collected there. As with bathroom and floor tile grout, you must clean the grout here to ensure that your kitchen looks pristine. Here’s how to do it.
How to Clean
● Spray bottle
● Baking soda
● Peroxide
● Dish soap
● Water
● Small bucket
● Grout brush
● Clear plastic
● Melamine resin foam
Spread clear plastic over your sink or stove area to prevent the mix from getting all over these surfaces. Mix ¾ cup of baking soda and ¼ cup of peroxide together in a small bucket until a paste forms. Also, mix one teaspoon of dish soap and fill the spray bottle with water.
Take the spray bottle and spray the soapy solution into the grooves of the grout. Follow up by spreading the paste onto the grout using the grout brush. Allow the soapy solution and the paste to sit for about 10 minutes. Then rinse the area with a damp melamine resin foam sponge until the mixtures dissipate entirely. Repeat the rinse until the mixture is completely gone.
Brighton’s Stone & Tile Restoration Experts
Sometimes your grout problem may be too complicated for you to handle, especially if you have natural stone. Some of these ingredients may damage your natural tile stone. Therefore, it may be best to rely on the help of a stone floor and tile restoration company that can clean your natural stone grout without etching the stone.
Restore-A-Floor in Brighton is your trusted expert for stone and tile care. We specialize in cleaning, restoring, polishing, and sealing all types of stone floors, tile surfaces, walls, and countertops — and we also replace damaged or missing grout. Call today to bring your tile grout back to pristine condition. Free estimates, exceptional results!