How to Keep Grout Clean and Stain-Free?

Grout is porous and more likely to accumulate stains than tiles. Dirt, grime, debris, and other stains can create messy-looking grout, which in turn makes messy-looking tile floors.

Dirty grout can make your tiled surfaces look awful and dirty, regardless of the type of grout. To clean and maintain the charm, you need to have handy tips. Here are some tips on how to keep grout clean and stain-free.

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Four Ways To Keep Grout Clean and Stain-Free

1. Maintain Routine Cleanliness

The most important tip, and the seemingly simplest, to keeping grout clean and stain-free is a routine cleaning regime. This way, dirt and grime won’t accumulate and discolor the grout. You can use simple techniques for your routine cleaning.

You can remove loose material from the tiled area by sweeping or vacuuming. Next, for stains, combine warm water and mild dish soap, (or equal parts vinegar and warm water for a vinegar solution) to make a basic cleaning solution. Gently scrub the grout lines with a soft-bristle brush dipped in the solution. You may also use a spray bottle to effectively tackle stains on grout. Dry the area completely after rinsing it with fresh, clean water.

We recommend this mop bucket for your at-home cleaning of tile and grout. It holds enough water to clean the floor and the spinner ensures you aren’t oversoaking the floor either!

2. Use Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide 

Another way to keep grout clean is regular scrubbing with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach and disinfectant, while baking soda is a great natural cleaner and deodorizer. Combine hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to create a thick paste that can be used to clean grout. This solution would be like using a bleach pen, so we recommend testing this baking soda solution on a small, inconspicuous grout line first to ensure it doesn’t cause any discoloration.

Apply the paste to the grout lines, then let it sit for 15 minutes. Next, give the grout a gentle circular scrub with a soft brush or toothbrush. After giving the region a quick rinse, pat it dry. This easy-to-use yet efficient technique is a good preventative measure against tough stains. Again, since this does have similar properties to bleach, test this solution in an inconspicuous area first to ensure you will maintain the original grout color.

3. Steam Clean 

If the basic method doesn’t do the task, the most effective method comes to the rescue. Steam cleaning is the most effective cleaning technique when it comes to handling tile surfaces and dirty grout. Professional tile and grout steam cleaning is a deep cleaning method safe for cementitious grout, epoxy grout, natural stone surfaces, ceramic tile floors, and more.

Investing in professional tile and grout cleaning at least once every 9 to 12 months will help restore the original color of the grout by washing away stubborn stains and surface dirt.

Steam cleaners make the surface cleaner than any other method employed. Cleaning experts have the methods, tools, and cleaning products necessary to properly tackle even the most discolored grout. This is one of the most important regular maintenance things you can do to keep your grout clean and stain-free.

The JP Carpet Cleaning Expert Floor Care Method to Clean and Stain-Free Grout

Not all services are made equal, however. At JP Carpet Cleaning Expert Floor Care, our tile and grout cleaning in Chatsworth, Van Nuys, West Hollywood, and everywhere in between, follows a simple, yet effective, process. We begin by pretreating the floors. The type of cleaner we use is free of harsh cleaners or abrasive products, and is environmentally friendly, while still tough on stains. Then, we help to loosen the grime on the grout using specialty grout brushes and a side-by-side cleaning machine. Finally, the steam cleaning happens. This is the proper cleaning method for all types of tiles.

4. Keep Rooms Well-Ventilated

This last tip seems like a no-brainer but is often overlooked. One of the best ways to maintain clean and stain-free grout is ventilation. This is especially important when you consider areas that are frequently exposed to water, like shower tiles.

It may not appear as such initially, but water damage is one of the main reasons mildew and mold form inside shower enclosures. When water is allowed to be stagnant or steam fills the space without a way to escape, this humid environment becomes the perfect breeding ground for mold. Hence, keeping these spaces well-ventilated is an easy way to stop some of the mildew growth in its path.

When there is sufficient ventilation, the water on the grout can dry out fast, and the chances of mold decrease. This way, the chances of mold formation and staining are reduced, and grout can stay stain-free.

Additionally, especially in showers with porous tiles, it’s important to wipe down the walls and glass after every use. This will reduce the buildup of calcium deposits from the hard California water. Using a squeegee is easy and gives you a quick way to clean up some of the excess water without too much elbow grease.

Some Other Precautions To Take For Healthy And Clean Grouts 

Apart from these methods, you should ensure you are cleaning and maintaining tiles and grout regularly. However, you should also consider some precautions to better maintain healthy and clean grout and tiles.

• Apply a grout sealer to protect the grout from absorbing stains and dirt. A grout sealer acts as a barrier, making it easier to clean spills and preventing future stains.
  • There are two types of grout sealers available: penetrating and topical sealers.
    • Penetrating sealers soak into the tile and grout lines, protecting them from the inside out, without changing the color or appearance of the tile.
    • Topical sealers are applied on top of the tile and act as a surface barrier against spills and staining. This is particularly popular for porous tiles like Clay Saltillo Tile.
• Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners on your tiled surfaces, as they can damage the grout. Instead, opt for mild cleaning solutions or natural alternatives.
• Use clean tools and change the mop water often. It will not allow accumulated dirt on the tools to transfer to grout.

Choose Professional Grout Cleaning Services

Following a regular cleaning routine, using some basic solutions to clean tile and grout when spills happen, and using natural air to dry the surface to prevent mold formation can help keep grout clean and stain-free.

However, there are sometimes when, even though precautions are taken, the spill or stain will set. Keeping your grout clean is a never-ending battle, and despite your best efforts at weekly cleaning, you’ll need some help from an outside source. It is always worth having your grout cleaned professionally.