How To Clean Bathroom Tile Grout

Cleaning bathroom tile grout can feel like an overwhelming task. It is most definitely not the most exciting way to spend time, but someone has to do it. Because of the position and light coloring of grout, it is very prone to staining.

Thankfully, grout is not something that needs to be scrubbed on a regular basis. Bathroom tile grout should be cleaned at least once a month to prevent buildup and discoloration. Mildew, soap, and mold are the natural enemies of bathroom tile grout.

You can say goodbye to mildew and other such buildups if you properly clean your bathroom tile grout.

Before You Start Cleaning Your Bathroom Tile Grout

Before cleaning your bathroom tile grout, it is important to choose a cleaning solution that is gentle. You do not have to have a strong cleaner that is overpowering in order to properly clean your bathroom tile grout. In fact, you can use a combination of vinegar and baking soda.

Before using any solution to clean your grout, you will need to run a test first to ensure the safety of your grout.

This can easily be accomplished by testing a small area of grout that is difficult to see. Behind counters or below sinks are great places to test cleaning solutions on your grout.

Make a Cleaning Paste with Baking Soda and Water

You will need to mix a small amount of baking soda with a small amount of water to make a somewhat thick paste. Use a solid bristled brush to apply the baking soda paste to the grout. Use the brush to scrub the grout until the desired level of cleanliness is achieved.

Once you have used the baking soda paste, you then need to mix half a spray bottle of water with vinegar.

Mix them together thoroughly and spray onto your grout. Use the bristled brush to scrub the water and vinegar solution into the grout. If your grout still appears discolored or dingy, you may want to consider using hydrogen peroxide to clean your grout.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean Bathroom Tile Grout

Cleaning your bathroom tile grout with peroxide is a great way to bring back the original white color of your grout. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the best ways to whiten just about anything.

It can be purchased at just about any local drug store at an extremely affordable price. Do not waste a bunch of money on chemicals to clean your bathroom tile grout when they are plenty of affordable options that do not contain harsh chemicals.

Some people prefer to use a combination of bleach and water to clean their grout. A mixture of bleach and water will effectively clean grout, but the odor can be overpowering.

Cleaning Colored Bathroom Tile Grout

If you have colored grout in your bathroom, you may find that it is harder to see the buildup of dirt, mildew, and mold. Cleaning colored bathroom tile grout is a bit trickier than cleaning white bathroom tile grout.

Cleaning colored grout can still be accomplished with a mixture of vinegar and water. In fact, vinegar and water is the safest thing to use to clean colored bathroom tile grout.

It is still safe to use a baking soda paste to scrub out hard to remove soap scum, but scrubbed too much can cause the color in your grout to fade. 

It is not recommended to use bleach on colored grout. Do not use hydrogen peroxide to clean colored grout. Hydrogen peroxide has the potential to wash out the color of your grout.

Cleaning Bathroom Tile Grout with Gentle Cleaners

When cleaning your bathroom tile grout, you should always try to use the gentlest form of cleaning solution.

Before you start scrubbing your grout with a hard-bristled brush or scouring it with bleach, you need to first try scrubbing with just a bristled brush and water. This is the best possible way to clean your grout without damaging its integrity. However, not all things can come clean that easily. Mildew and soap scum buildup can be difficult to remove.

A Toothbrush makes a Great Tool for Cleaning Bathroom Tile Grout

If water and scrubbing gently do not work, you should move on to a vinegar and water solution. Spray the solution on the grout and let it soak for a period of five minutes.

Once the five minutes is up, you should take a soft-bristled brush and use circular motions to remove stuck-on dirt. A toothbrush is a great cleaning tool for bathroom tile grout. It can fit in small spaces and is gentle enough that it will not damage your grout.

Avoid Using Products High in Harsh Chemicals

There are a lot of cleaning products out there that are specifically designed to clean bathroom tile grout. These products should be used as sparingly as possible. While these cleaning products may be targeted at cleaning grout, they can also contain harsh chemicals that can damage your grout.

These products can vary in price and effectiveness. It is highly recommended that you try softer cleaning solutions such as vinegar and water or baking soda. These cleaning options work just as well as cleaners designed to clean grout specifically.

Treat Bathroom Tile Grout with Care

Bathroom tile grout should be treated with care. Do not brush too hard when you are cleaning your bathroom tile grout.

Brushing too hard can ruin your grout. When using vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to clean bathroom tile grout, spray the area well and let it stand for about five to ten minutes. By letting the grout soak in the cleaner of your choice, you may not have to scrub as much.

Final Word

Learning how to clean bathroom tile grout is easy. You just need to be careful of what kind of cleaner that you use. Do not spend a lot of money on bathroom tile grout cleaner when you can use more affordable and safer options like vinegar or baking soda.

Resources

Wikipedia, Apartment Therapy, TheSpruce, and Practically Functional