By Annamarie Mastrangelo
Just Floored
Annamarie Mastrangelo.
Having tile in your home can create a beautiful overall ambiance. Tile is durable, attractive and easy to clean.
But cleaning grout is not so simple. Due to its light colors and porous composition grout, is inevitably prone to staining. Types of stains vary from room to room. If your mudroom is tiled, dirt and grime are the usual culprits. In the kitchen, spills are the main cause. And in the bathroom, mold and mildew tend to form.
While these inevitabilities may feel intimidating, there are numerous ways to ensure your grout is cleaned and restored using common household products. When beginning to clean, it is always best to start with the mildest cleaning product possible. For eliminating dirt, begin with using warm water and a stiff-bristled brush to scrub the grout. If you don’t have a brush for this purpose lying around, most home centers and hardware stores carry different options that are specifically designed for the purpose of cleaning grout.
For heavier dirt and mild stains, vinegar can be the solution. Spray the grout with equal parts warm water and vinegar, let it sit for five to seven minutes, and get to scrubbing! If vinegar is not powerful enough, baking soda paste can rid grout of its stains and dirt. Start by covering the grout lines with a paste of baking soda and water, then proceed to spray the vinegar solution. Once the mixture ceases foaming, scrub with a brush and rinse with plain water.
Moderate stains require a bit more elbow grease and a stronger chemical. Hydrogen peroxide is available in most drug stores and can be applied straight to the grout. For a stronger effect you can also apply baking soda paste with the hydrogen peroxide.
When it comes to tougher stains and very grimy grout, oxygen bleach can be used. This cleaning product is mostly sold in powdered form. Some of the best-selling brands are OxiClean, Clorox OxiMagic, and Biokleen Oxygen Beach Plus. Regardless of which product you may choose, make sure the area you are preparing to clean is well-ventilated, and follow the directions exactly. Always rinse off the cleaning products with clean water so that the dirt does not resettle into the grout lines.
In extreme cases, chlorine bleach can be used sparingly on grout. When all else fails, a helpful product to use is Clorox Clean-Up spray. Before the application, it is crucial to make sure all prior attempts with cleaning agents are thoroughly washed off. In particular, it’s essential to rinse off any vinegar before applying chlorine bleach. Even small traces of vinegar mixed with bleach will emit a highly toxic chlorine gas into the surrounding air. This option should be a last resort, and definitely not used often. Long-term use of caustic cleaners will erode grout, so make sure to only use it when absolutely necessary.
For the worst grout stains, a steam cleaner can be an effective tool in attempting to thoroughly clean the surface. Not only are they extremely effective, but they are also an environmentally friendly method of cleaning grout. They also are useful for many hard surfaces in your household. Some brands for residential cleaning are Bissell, Oreck, and Hoover.
To maintain cleanliness and avoid having to use bleach, try to spray your grout with vinegar and wipe it down once a week. You can also wipe it down with alcohol in order to keep mold and mildew at bay. Just a few sprays and wipes a week can save you quite a bit of time and effort cleaning, as well as preserve your home’s appearance.
Annamarie Mastrangelo is the founder/owner of A.A.I. Flooring Specialist. She can be reached at amoreinteriorsllc@gmail.com.