How To Get Grout Clean

Grout is one of those areas that seems to attract dirt and mould; this is due to the environment where most tiles are, in a high moisture room, like the bathroom or kitchen. The way to prevent the build-up of dirt is to keep the tiles around the grout and the grout itself clean. This is often an impossible task with families and the best solution is to have a cleaning regime that allows you to focus on the small areas that often causes the most problems.

How To Clean Grout

There are plenty of products on the market that claim to clean this difficult area; however, I dislike the high price tags of these products as well as the harsh chemicals they contain. I want to clean my home and not feel that I am standing in a public swimming pool with the high bleach fumes that always seem to go with these places.

One thing I have learnt about bleach is that it doesn’t penetrate into the grout at all so the mould is only being killed on the surface, which means that it can and will grow back. By scrubbing the affected area might improve the deep down cleaning but you have to do it in a chemical environment and any splashes onto your clothes with bleach will ruin the item.

I clean the tiles and the grout regularly to ensure there isn’t a build-up of dirt, but for the pictures I have left one section free from cleaning for about 3 weeks to allow the dirt and grime to build up.

I wipe down the tiles and the grout with a white vinegar and water solution, and it does work wonders with the power to shine!

I use an old toothbrush to clean the grout, the toothbrush, before heading to the cleaning supplies, I clean the toothbrush first and I do this by putting it in a jug of boiling water for about five minutes, then it is ready for work.

I use a bicarbonate of soda or baking soda, mixed with a dash of washing liquid and a dash of water. I want a thick paste. I just work this into the grout and it takes the dirt off beautifully. You will need to wipe this down afterwards, as there will be some residue on the grout and the surrounding tiles.

I put the cloths I use in the wash, they just go through the washing machine when there is enough for a load, normally just once a week, the toothbrush gets another boiling bath, leave to air dry to avoid bacteria growth and put away for another cleaning session.

Other Cleaning Options

Another great cleaner is a steam cleaner, this doesn’t use harsh chemicals and some even come with scrubbing attachments. The reason I don’t use it to clean my bathroom tiles is purely because the cable is too short and I find it difficult to get into the small areas to get them really clean. It is a similar story in the kitchen and I find great pleasure in cleaning with the bicarbonate of soda and the white vinegar solution, I just feel it works great.

Therefore, it is possible to keep your grout clean by using bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar; it will remove the grime and mould and allow your bathroom or your kitchen grout to look clean and fresh.