The Best Way to Clean Grout: Your Down and Dirty Guide

You might not want to do it, but you should definitely know how: The best way to clean grout. If you have tile in your kitchen, bathroom, or any other part of your DFW home, you know it can get gunky.

You might not want to do it, but you should definitely know how: The best way to clean grout. If you have tile in your kitchen, bathroom, or any other part of your DFW home, you know it can get gunky. Keep things clean and healthy by following this guide for cleaning tile grout.

Start With the Basics

Before you get into the nitty gritty of getting that grout clean, begin by sweeping or dry mopping first. Then, grab a pair of gloves, a brush, and get ready to get hands-on.

Gather Your Cleaning Ingredients

You might be tempted to round up the hard stuff like ammonia, but you might not need it right away. You’re better of starting with baking soda and vinegar, which, when paired together, act like a cleaning volcano. Or, you can make your own homemade grout cleaner. Here’s how.

Scrub and Scrub Some More

Now it’s time to put some elbow grease into the cleaning process. Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to grout lines. Spray lightly with vinegar (you’ll see it fizz), and start scrubbing with your brush. If you have an old electric toothbrush hanging around, you’ll get double the cleaning power. Be careful not to scrub too hard, though, as you don’t want to damage the grout.

Bring on the Bleach … If Needed

Contrary to what you may have thought, the best way to clean grout doesn’t involve bleach. At least not right away. You should use bleach, however, for difficult stains or grout that’s particularly dirty. If it’s been years since you last spent time cleaning grout, it’s best to bring on the bleach.

Have Sandpaper on Standby

Another good tool to have on hand as you begin your grout-cleaning mission: sandpaper. It sounds harsh, but it can really do the trick at restoring your grout to its once-pristine condition. Sandpaper works wonders at removing surface stains from grout.

Give an Eraser a Try

As effective as sandpaper is, it sometimes doesn’t fully do the job. In this situation, grab a pencil eraser and use it to remove the stain from your tile grout. Scrub small portions of your tile at a time, then take a step back to view your progress and determine if you’ve missed any spots.

Cleaning grout requires some time and effort, but it’s worth it when your tile looks fresh and new again — whether it’s a kitchen backsplash or tile floor. You can keep things looking their best by applying a coat or two of grout sealer. Do you have other grout-cleaning tips? Share below!

Image Source: Flickr/Paul Monaco

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Audrey Sellers

Audrey Sellers is an award-winning, Dallas-based writer and editor with a background in marketing and promotions. She’s a former magazine editor turned blogger who’s a pro at crafting all kinds of engaging content: blog posts, case studies, feature stories, social media content, and more. When her fingers aren’t flying on her laptop, she’s busy not relaxing with her husband and two young kids.