Let’s take a look at the best methods to clean grout and extend the life of your tiles quite significantly.

Tiles are normally just things that are beautiful, durable and, in most cases, very easy to clean. Grout on the other hand, is totally different from tile cleaning. Due to the fact that it normally has coloring that is light and also a composition best described as porous, these grouts are prone to getting stains on them. In an entryway that is tiled or a mudroom, grime and dirt are very often the things responsible for making the grout dirty. In areas such as the kitchen, the blame will be placed on the spills that take place in this part of the house. While when we consider the bathroom, it is the mold and mildew that homeowners have to be wary of. It is then very lucky for homeowners that it is possible to clean and to also restore your grout. And it is even more important to note that it can be achieved with the help of just household products and also just a bit of elbow grease.

Before you start the process of cleaning though, remember that it is always the best idea to start off with a cleaning solution that is the mildest available. If you are in doubt as to whether your solution is of the right potency, you may want to test it in a hidden spot. This could, for example, be under an appliance within the kitchen or maybe behind the toilet in the washroom.

How Do You Clean Grout?

In the following passages we will talk about different types of cleaning methods which will go up in terms of the potency of the solution that is being recommended.

1. Make use of plain warm water and a stiff-bristled brush.

If for whatever reason, you do not have a brush that is particularly required for this job, you can get one in most of the home centers and hardware stores. These stores carry a wide variety of options that are specifically tailored for the sole purpose of cleaning grout. All you need to do here, is to simply spray water that is warm on to the lines of grout and then proceed to scrubbing in a circular motion. You should then let it dry.

2. Spray equal parts vinegar and warm water for several minutes.

If warm water alone does not do the trick, then you can try warm water with equal amounts of vinegar. Vinegar is available in most households as it can be seen as a trusty old standby for many purposes within the home. What you need to do here is to fill a spray bottle with equal parts of vinegar and water. Proceed to spraying this on to the grout and let it stay there for a period of about five minutes. After the 5 minutes is over, proceed to scrubbing with a brush that is stiff.

3. Apply a baking soda paste and then spray with vinegar.

To bring in a lot more cleaning power into your arsenal of grout cleaning solutions, try covering the grout line with a paste that is made out of baking soda and water. After you have done this, use the vinegar solution that we talked about earlier and spray it on the grouts. After the mixture of chemicals stops foaming, you should scrub with a brush and then rinse with just simple plain water.

4. Try some hydrogen peroxide.

If the stains that you are dealing with are of a more moderate nature (more difficult to remove than what we have discussed so far), then you may want to try out hydrogen peroxide. This is available in almost all drug stores. You can apply this product straight on to the grout or you can also make a paste with baking soda and then apply it.

5. Oxygen bleach for up to 15 minutes.

For stains that are even stronger and are really grimy in nature, you should try to use oxygen bleach in order to clean the grouts. One thing to note here is that this solution is normally found in powdered form. Some of the most well known brands that make this product include Clorox, OxiMagic and Biokleen. Whatever product it is that you choose for the purposes of cleaning grout, make sure that when you are doing it, the area is properly ventilated and make sure you read the instructions that came with the product. It is normally recommended to let the oxygen bleach solution to work for about 10 to 15 minutes before you proceed to rinsing. Make sure that when you rinse, you are doing so with water that is clean. This will make sure that dirt does not resettle into the grout lines.

6. Commercial products.

If you get one of the best cleaning products for grout that is available in the market, then you could make very quick work of removing the mold and mildew and also to restore the bright grout lines which are white. These things normally work in one of two ways: you either have to spray the product and then wipe, or you will have to scour with a brush. The products that are spray-on claim to be able to work without scrubbing. This can save a lot of time and energy. However, they may also contain chemicals that are much more harsh. You should know that scouring with a brush and cleaner as well is actually a bit of work. But the fact that you need to know more is that this method can be particularly effective on floors and grout that is very heavily soiled. Make sure, as we have said before, that you read the instructions provided with the product and especially make sure that you go through the safety precautions.