How to Clean Your Grout Lines and Keep Them Looking Great

In general, tiles are easy to clean and maintain. You can’t say the same for tile grout, however. Grout lines attract dirt and grime, which is a problem because grout lines are porous. It’s important to deal with dirty grout as soon as possible because this problem can make your tiles look unappealing.

Handyman Connection of Lincoln explains how to deal with this problem:

• Step One – Gather the things you need for this project: a mixing bowl, a grout brush or old toothbrush, grout cleaner, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, water, and a wet cloth. You also need to prepare your work area by wiping down the tile with your wet cloth. Your goal is to remove any visible dust, grime or dirt and to clean any stains.

• Step Two – Now you need to mix the cleaning solution. The solution you will use to clean the grout lines depends on the status of your grout. For general grout cleaning, you need to mix one-part water with two-parts baking soda. For coarse or fragile tiles, you have to mix one-part hydrogen peroxide with two-parts baking soda. Discolored or stained grout calls for a mixture of one-part vinegar and two-parts baking soda.

• Step Three – Next, clean the grout lines by applying your cleaning solution using your grout brush or old toothbrush. If you are using a solution with vinegar, spread a bit of the cleaning solution to a small area to see if the vinegar will stain the tile. After dabbing your homemade solution to the grout lines, let it sit for a few minutes. After waiting, scrub the grout and rinse the grout lines with water, then apply grout sealer.

As long as you spray your clean grout lines with vinegar and wipe it down at least once a week, your grout lines will continue looking great. You can also use a grout sealer 10-14 days after the grout cures to prevent dirt and grime from collecting in your grout lines.

If you plan on starting this home maintenance task, why not begin another project at the same time? Handyman Connection of Lincoln offers a wide range of home improvement services to our customers. Contact us to learn more about grout cleaning. You can also ask for a free estimate.