Tips for Cleaning Tile Grout
So, you’ve tried machines and chemicals that practically require a HAZMAT suit to handle safely and you still can’t get the grout on your bathroom tile ceramic floor clean or those tricky decorative tiles. This is a common problem and, even for the tidiest of people, grout can be a real headache. Fortunately, you don’t have to use all those chemicals to get it clean.
Understanding Stains
The stains that collect in your grout discolor the grout and make it look much dirtier than it actually is. They can, however, be lifted out of the grout and you can have a clean bathroom tile ceramic floor again. You’ll need two ingredients: oxygen bleach and water. This bleach is available in any grocery store and doesn’t cost a thing compared to the expensive products out there.
Getting Started
Clean your tile floor before you get to the grout. This ensures that most of the dirt and grime are already dealt with and that you’re not just pushing it around instead of cleaning it up. You’ll mix the bleach with warm tap water. Make very certain that you’re not using a container that was used for other cleaning products. Mixing bleach and ammonia, a popular cleaning agent, creates a poisonous gas that can sear your lungs. Make sure that you ventilate the area, as well, to ensure that you don’t end up with fumes in the room.
Take the mixture and pour it into the grout. The next part is easy; you just let it sit for a while. Usually, 30 minutes is enough to make a noticeable difference. If the grout is dry before then, add a bit more to make sure that there’s enough to work on the stains.
Down to Business
Using latex or rubber gloves, scrub the grout with a non-abrasive scrubber. You can use an old toothbrush for this step. It ensures that it gets into the grout and removes the cleaning solution and the debris but it generally won’t be hard enough to cause any abrasive damage to the surrounding tiles. You’ll start to notice that the grout looks better right away. If it’s not quite as clean as you’d like, just add more solution and let it sit for a while. One of the advantages of this method is that a lot of the work is simply waiting. The bleach will destroy the stains for you and you’ll basically just clean the debris up after the fact.
You can use this solution to maintain your grout whenever you clean the floors. It’s very easy to make and very inexpensive and works great on tiny 2×2 tile or even stylized, irregular 3×6 tile. There are also machines and chemicals out there that can do the job, but they may require special handling or a lot of elbow grease.
One of the real advantages of ceramic tiles is that they are so easy to maintain.