Tips for cleaning tile grout in your bathroom and kitchen

Tile floors are often used because they contribute to a vintage style bathroom or kitchen and are extremely moisture resistant, making the cleaning process simple and easy. However, the grout that’s in between tiles can tend to accumulate dirt and debris over time, which takes away from the overall look of your tile. For a sparkling clean floor, here are some tips to keep in mind when tending to tile grout:

Start off with a simple solution
If the grout on your tile needs a simple light cleaning, use a stiff-bristled brush and plain warm water and scrub grout lines in a circular motion. A mild detergent will also work for this purpose. Just make sure to rinse off the solution with warm water before letting it dry.

Wipe it down once a week
Instead of waiting for your grout to develop stains and discoloration over time, regularly wipe it down with vinegar about once a week. This helps keep mold and mildew at bay and maintains that pure white color in your grout.

Specially treat colored grout
Not all grout is white, so if you’re trying to remove stains from colored grout, be careful not to use certain bleaching agents like chlorine, which can cause even more discoloration. In this situation, you would want to reach for oxygenated bleach, which doesn’t contain any corrosive chemicals and is safe to use on your colored grout.

Consider replacing grout
If your grout has been deeply stained, you may want to think about just replacing it altogether. You can remove the grout yourself and clean the tile with a strong bleach solution. Then, apply new grout and seal it using a sealant from your local home improvement store. This will take up less time than trying to scrub out a tough stain with a brush.