Where Did Those Lines Come From? 3 Ways You Can Easily Clean Your Tile Grout

It can be visually pleasing to just take a closer look at the finer details the great indoors have to offer, like neatly arranged tiles reflecting the neatness of our homes. Bringing character to the floors as well as visually enhancing our walls, tiles bring an unassuming substance of style to our cosy interiors.

Pretty as they are, mould or bacteria may grow on the grout over time, leaving unsightly stains that taint the floors and walls. This could be due to a number of reasons, such as the weather conditions or even lack of maintenance indoors.

Let’s look at some simple ways we can clean the grout and keep those tiles shining!

How Often Should You Clean The Grout

Shower Grout & Kitchen Grout

It is best to regularly clean out the grout in the bathroom and kitchen as these areas are more prone to constant moisture and may lead to mildew and water damage. This is often caused from buildup of soap scum or hard water stains, with excessive moisture seeping through the grout into the walls.

Floor Tile Grout

In areas less prone to moisture, cleaning the tile grout once a month is ideal.

What To Use To Clean The Tile Grout

Vinegar

This versatile cleaning agent is an absolute life-saver when it comes to housekeeping. A simple vinegar based cleaning agent can also be easily made at home. 

Fill up a spray bottle with vinegar and water at a 1:1 ratio to form a mixture. Spray down your shower walls and tiles and carefully scrub them with an old toothbrush to remove any bacteria or grime. If there’s a lingering smell of vinegar after cleaning, simply wipe the grout with lemon juice or dish soap.

Baking Soda 

Another commonplace item used for home cleaning (and most delicious baked goods), baking soda can be mixed with water to create a paste for cleaning tile grout.

Mix the baking soda with water and carefully rub them onto the tile grout using an old toothbrush or cloth. You can also mix in some vinegar to create a thick, bubbly mixture for extra shine. 

Once you leave the mixture on the tile grout after a while, wipe them off with an old cloth and refresh with lemon juice mixture.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Naturally softens dirt and stains with a bonus of whitening functions, hydrogen peroxide makes a quick solution to cleaning tile grout. 

Create a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda at a 1:2 ratio and mix evenly. For targeting areas prone to grease, adding some dish soap would be ideal. Gently spray the mixture along the grout lines and leave it for 10-15 minutes. This allows the tile grout to fully absorb the mixture for a cleaner and shinier outcome.

After that, scrub the grout lines with an old toothbrush before rinsing it with warm water and a few drops of detergent on a sponge.

One of the best ways to preserve newly cleaned tile grouts is to apply a grout sealer to make sure your hard work isn’t wasted. Make sure to wait at least 24 hours after cleaning and that the tile grout is completely dry before sealing them.

This is especially recommended for newer tile grouts as they are more likely to collect grime on the surface.

Time To Change Your Tile Grout?

Perhaps, after bending over backwards to clean your tile grout with all the cleaning and polishing, you’ve decided that it may be time to regrout. 

Depending on your tile of choice or the ones you currently have, you can decide between sanded or unsanded grout for the makeover. A more straightforward solution would be to just paint the tile grout with a new coat of colour for a fresh look. 

Though maintaining the outlook of the finer areas at home can be quite taxing, it is just as visually pleasing to look at its refreshed state as good as new by following the right steps to keep them clean.

Go that extra mile for your tile, it will make it worth your while.