Keeping the bathroom clean is a priority in any home. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to keep the grout as clean as the tile.
A great way to clean bathroom and shower grout is using hydrogen peroxide. Put the peroxide in a spray bottle and spray it on the grout at full strength. Scrub with a soft bristle brush and rinse with fresh water.
You may find that cleaning grout is something that needs to be done more frequently than cleaning the surrounding area. Grout tends to be porous and it can collect dirt and even cleaner as we clean the tile.
Cleaning the grout regularly helps to keep it bright but there are still going to be times when it is necessary to take things further. Over time, the grout is going to get dingy and it may get stained in some cases.
You should also recognize that hydrogen peroxide is only one of the many different ways to clean grout. It is effective, but sometimes you need to take things to the next level by using a commercial product.
What Can You Use To Clean Shower/Bathroom Grout?
As far as the timing on cleaning grout, you should have a routine of cleaning it at least once every month. It is going to take more time to clean the grout than it does the tile, but a little scrubbing and some cleaner go a long way.
You should also be alert to any stains that begin to appear on the grout, even if it isn’t time to clean them. Those stains will soak into the grout and set and once that happens, it is almost impossible to get them out. Clean the area as you see a need.
It isn’t just the visible signs of dirt that make us want to clean the grout in our shower and other areas of the bathroom. There may be a more insidious reason why the tile grout needs to be cleaned.
Since grout is more porous than tile, various microbes and dirt may be hiding out and could even make you sick. Even if you clean your tile regularly, those microbes can make their way into the grout and they are difficult to remove.
That is why we sometimes recommend that you skip the natural cleaning methods and go with a commercial cleaner. This can help to keep the grout as clean as possible and can also kill a lot of those microbes that make you sick.
As we will discuss, you could also use tools that will help to keep the grout clean and bright. This includes power tools, such as a steam mop or even a steam cleaner. In either case, the steam will help to get the grout looking bright again.
For general cleaning, we recommend a soft bristle brush. For more serious cleaning, we recommend a grout brush.
If you are going to use a grout brush, you need to be prepared for the fact that you will likely damage the grout on the surface. In fact, that is the entire purpose of the grout brush, to remove the upper surface of the grout.
There are also some brushes that are made specifically for grout that can be attached to your drill. These will obviously damage the grout but sometimes, it’s the only way to get it really clean.
If you use a hard-bristle grout brush or a drill attachment, you should have extra grout on hand because you will likely need to use it. If you don’t want to damage your grout, you will have to scrub harder with a soft bristle brush.
As far as safety is concerned, there is an important factor that most people tend to overlook. Grout is sometimes cement-based and if that is the case, it will contain silica.
If you are dry scrubbing grout and creating any type of dust, you need to wear a respirator. Silica dust has very tiny particles that get down into your lungs and once they are in your lungs, they will not come out.
Finally, avoid cleaners that have a lot of acidity. They may clean the grout temporarily but they will also eat away at it and it will be porous and more susceptible to staining. This would include citrus cleaners and vinegar.
Let’s take a look at some of the cleaners that you may be able to use on grout as well as some that are better avoided.
*This article and its contents are owned by Wabi Sabi Group and was first published on 06/07/2022.
Can You Use Baking Soda To Clean Shower Grout?
Baking soda is often heralded as being one of the best natural cleaners. Is it good for use on grout?
You can make a paste out of baking soda and water and scrub it in the grout with a soft bristle brush. The slightly abrasive effect of baking soda will help to clean the top layer of the grout and get it bright-looking again.
Although baking soda and vinegar are sometimes used together, you would not want to use too much vinegar on the grout. It could cause it to be porous and then it will be more susceptible to dirt and staining.
From time to time, however, you may want to take the step of mixing vinegar and baking soda. On occasion, it can work wonders and the effervescent fizz and release of carbon dioxide make it a very powerful cleaner.
Can You Use Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner To Clean Bathroom Grout?
Some people use any cleaner they have available, including toilet bowl cleaner. It may be good in the bowl but is it good on the grout?
Toilet bowl cleaner is a caustic cleaning solution that has no place in cleaning grout. Grout is already porous and it will soak up the cleaning solution and using it may even discolor the grout. Don’t damage your grout even further by using a toilet bowl cleaner.
There may even be times when you see stains near the toilet and they are directly related to toilet bowl cleaner. Little splashes and splatters of toilet bowl cleaner on the grout can cause it to discolor and corrode.
Can You Use Bleach To Clean Shower Grout?
Bleach is a very powerful cleaner but is it one you should use on grout?
You can clean the grout in your shower and throughout the bathroom using bleach. Ordinary household bleach is the only type of cleaner you really need for that purpose but you need to be cautious when using it. Bleach can be toxic, so protect yourself.
Bleach has a cleaning action. It also has the additional benefit of killing many of the microbes that could make you sick. Unfortunately, it can also make you sick directly.
Exposure to bleach can cause a wide variety of issues, such as skin irritation, eye irritation, and lung irritation. If you have asthma, it is better to avoid the bleach and use another cleaning product.
One other warning is that bleach can be powerful but it can also be toxic or even deadly when mixed with the wrong cleaning solution. If you’re going to use bleach, use it on its own. It is better to never mix bleach with any other cleaner.
Can You Use Vinegar To Clean Bathroom Grout?
Vinegar is often considered to be a household cleaner that is used on almost any surface. Is grout somewhere that it should be used?
Vinegar is slightly acidic so using it full strength on grout can have a bad impact on the surface. Eventually, it can wear away at the grout which makes it easier for stains to set in. If you use vinegar on occasion or mix it with water, it should work fine but it is better to use a pH-neutral cleaner on grout.
One way that vinegar is sometimes used on grout is to mix it with baking soda and add in a little dish cleaner. The mixture will fizz and the acidity of the vinegar along with the slight abrasiveness of the baking soda makes it a good cleaner for the surface.
As long as you don’t use vinegar too often, you can use it on occasion and it works well.
*This article and its contents are owned by Wabi Sabi Group and was first published on 06/07/2022.
This content is owned by Wabi Sabi Group and was first published on Jun 7, 2022..
Can You Use Peroxide To Clean Shower Grout?
Is hydrogen peroxide a good cleaner for grout? Read on before you try it.
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the best choices for cleaning grout. Not only can it clean the grout visibly, but it also digs in to kill the microbes that may be accumulating in the area and making you sick. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide directly on the grout. Put it in a spray bottle and mix it with water.
After you spray a hydrogen peroxide solution on grout, you can allow it to sit on the area for up to an hour. This lets the hydrogen peroxide do its work.
Make sure that you rinse the area thoroughly so the hydrogen peroxide does not eventually eat into the grout and cause it to be more porous. A little rinse and a wipe down with a clean cloth will work wonders.
Can You Use Oxiclean To Clean Bathroom Grout?
We sometimes recommend commercial products to clean grout and other surfaces. Is Oxiclean a good choice?
Oxiclean can be used for cleaning grout and it is a safe choice. Since it is considered to be an ecologically friendly solution, you can use it without worrying about the damage you are causing or your carbon footprint.
Oxiclean is different from bleach, although they are sometimes considered to be very similar to each other. Bleach can harm the grout but it will remove many stains. Oxiclean cleans and sanitizes but it doesn’t have a harmful effect on the surface.
Can You Use Steam To Clean Shower Grout?
Aside from cleaners, you may sometimes consider the use of steam for cleaning shower grout. Is it a good choice?
If you really want to dig in and clean grout without a whole lot of elbow grease, you can use a steam cleaner. The steam cleaner will force the steam and hot water into the area directly, loosening the dirt and washing it away. You may find that much of the grout has been effectively cleaned when a steam cleaner is used.
Although a steam cleaner may be one way to clean the grout, it is not necessarily one that I would use every day. It is typically best when used on a periodic basis, perhaps once every quarter.
The steam will clean the surface of the grout and it will even work its way down into the grout slightly to clean it on a deeper level. When used too frequently, it can eventually loosen the grout.
Can You Use Borax To Clean Bathroom Grout?
Have you considered using Borax for cleaning bathroom grout?
Borax can be used to clean grout effectively. It is a natural product that is similar to the baking soda you may use for the same purpose. Not only does it clean the grout on the surface, but it also deodorizes and can even wash away many of the microbes that could be making you sick.
Can You Use Bar Keepers Friend To Clean Shower Grout?
Should you skip the Bar Keepers Friend when cleaning your shower grout? Read this before trying.
Barkeepers Friend is a commercial product that can really make your grout look great again. It has an abrasive action that cleans deeper than baking soda. Wet the area before applying Barkeepers Friend and then scrub the grout lines with a soft-bristled brush.
Can You Use Tide To Clean Shower Grout?
We trust Tide to get our clothes clean but what about our shower grout?
If you really want to deep clean your shower grout, use some Tide along with water in bleach. Apply it to the area by spraying it on the surface and then scrub with a soft-bristled scrub brush. You will be amazed at how much better your grout looks.
How To Clean Shower/Bathroom Grout Properly
If you are looking for the ultimate method of cleaning your shower and bathroom grout, there is one thing you should not overlook. It’s natural, and it works well.
You can use baking soda and vinegar on occasion and scrub it with a soft bristle brush. The acidity in the vinegar will help to clean the surface and the abrasive nature of baking soda makes it an effective cleaner.
Although you may use vinegar on occasion, it should not be used too often. Vinegar can break down grout because it is acidic and make it more susceptible to stains. It’s a good option when stains are already in place.
If you want to take things to the next level, you should try a commercial product. Those products are designed specifically for that purpose and can clean and disinfect without damaging the grout.
When you have grout with stains that have already set in, you may need to use some steam cleaning action. A steam cleaner will force the hot water into the grout, washing away the surface and all the dirt it contains.
*This article and its contents are owned by Wabi Sabi Group and was first published on 06/07/2022.
Most steam cleaners that are used for cleaning grout are under pressure. It could damage and loosen the grout if it already is experiencing problems. At the same time, however, if you really want to get the grout clean, a steam cleaner should not be left off the table.
Sometimes, you may want to use a steam cleaner after the grout has already been cleaned and scrubbed. This serves a dual purpose.
This article was first published on Jun 7, 2022 by Wabi Sabi Group..
Not only are you cleaning it with a cleaner that will loosen and remove much of the dirt, but you are also using the steam cleaner to rinse away the chemical and leave the grout both clean and sterile.
Finally, you may have times when the grout is so stained and dirty that you don’t have any other choice than to scrub away the top layer. There are grout brushes that are hard bristled and will serve that very purpose.
Some grout brushes are manual and you will have to scrub by hand. Others can be attached to a drill and they will chew through the grout very quickly. Use the drill scrub brushes with caution or you will have to regrout everything.
If you are going to use a grout brush, you can sometimes clean the surface but in most cases, you will cause more damage.
In almost any type of cleaning scenario, you would rinse the grout after you use a cleanser and scrub the area. Rinsing the cleaner away helps to stop the effect it may be having on the grout that can sometimes go beyond cleaning and cause damage.
If you really want to get your shower grout looking its best, use some hydrogen peroxide. Put it in a spray bottle, either full-strength or diluted with water, and spray it on the surface. Use a soft-bristled scrub brush to scrub in the hydrogen peroxide and then rinse it away. Much of the dirt will also rinse away with it.
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WabiSabi Group is the owner of this article and was published on Jun 7, 2022 and last modified on .