How to Clean Floor Tile Grout Like a Pro

Tiles are an appealing and durable type of flooring, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens. Thanks to their timeless style and easy-clean surface, tiles are a popular choice in all kinds of homes and businesses, but unfortunately, the grout that lies between them can become dirty and discoloured over time.

Cleaning tile and grout floors is a necessary part of maintenance, but often, people find this task more difficult to master than other types of cleaning, such as Carpet Cleaning. If you’ve scrubbed the grout between your tiles and struggled to get it looking spotless, our expert cleaning team is here to help. Read on for our essential guide on how to clean floor tile grout like a pro.

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Why Is Grout So Difficult to Clean?

So, what is grout, and why does it seem to cling to dirt? Grout is a mixture of sand and water — a porous material that makes it easy for liquids to pass through and dirt to collect over time. Although it looks great when new, unfortunately, it’s easy for grout to become dirty and discoloured, especially if you’ve had your tiles for a while. Although removing this dirt can be difficult, it’s certainly not impossible — with the right method and a bit of elbow grease, you can get your clean floor tile grout looking as good as new.

Why Does Grout Stain?

Grout is naturally porous, which means it absorbs moisture and dirt. In high-traffic areas, this leads to visible stains from footwear, cooking spills, soap scum, and even mould. The longer these contaminants sit in the grout, the harder they become to remove. That’s why regular cleaning is essential to maintain its appearance.

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Which Cleaner Is the Best?

If you’re cleaning floor tile grout at home, you don’t need to rely on harsh chemical grout cleaners to do a good job. The most effective and simple way to clean your grout is using distilled white vinegar mixed with water. If the grout is heavily stained and requires lightening, you may decide to first apply bicarbonate of soda paste before you begin cleaning.

If cleaning with distilled vinegar, it’s essential to first determine whether your grout is sealed. Although vinegar is perfectly safe to clean with, it can penetrate unsealed grout and corrode the material over time, causing it to eventually wear down. Grout that has been sufficiently sealed will be protected against corrosion — you can check if your grout needs sealing by pouring a few drops of water on it and seeing whether it darkens in colour. If there is no change, you’re good to go.

Cleaning Grout with a Grout Cleaner

For tougher stains on areas with years of buildup, a commercial group cleaner such as Grout-EEZ or The Pink Stuff can work wonders. These products are designed to break down grime and restore the grout’s original colour. Always follow the instructions and test a small area first.

DIY Grout Cleaner Options

A homemade grout cleaner made from baking soda and vinegar remains a top choice. For an extra boost, you can add lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide. These natural solutions are budget-friendly and effective for routine cleaning.

At MCS Cleaning, we offer an optional sealing service as part of our expert Tile and Grout Cleaning. Not only will your tiles look spotless, but sealing will make future cleaning easier. Get a free quote today!

Clean Floor Tile Grout Like the Professionals: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to get cleaning? Here’s how to clean tile floors and grout at home:

What You’ll Need

• Stiff-bristled brush
• Spray bottle
• Distilled white vinegar
• Bicarbonate of soda
• Water

The Process

Mix the bicarbonate of soda and water to make a paste. Apply this solution directly to discoloured grout using either a stiff-bristled brush or your fingers. If you’re using your hands, make sure you’re wearing household cleaning gloves to avoid irritation. Let the paste sit on the grout for at least 15 minutes.

• Step Two

Fill a spray bottle with a secondary solution, equal parts water and vinegar. Apply this solution on top of the paste — you’ll notice that it starts bubbling and forming a thick mixture.

• Step Three

Once the bubbling has subsided, take your brush and scrub the grout. You’ll need to scrub hard to achieve the desired results, particularly if the grout was heavily stained before you started the process.

• Step Four

Rinse well with water. You may use a mop to do this, but only use water and ensure it’s changed frequently to achieve a clean finish. Using soap can leave suds between your tiles, which may get trapped in the grout and attract further dirt.

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What If My Grout Is Still Dirty?

If the above method for cleaning floor tile grout doesn’t work, it may be that the grout between your tiles has become too heavily soiled over time. A professional cleaning company may be able to help in such cases, but if you need a quick DIY fix, you might have to resort to another method.

Fine-grit sandpaper can be used as a last resort to get rid of stubborn stains, but you will have to re-seal the grout afterwards, as sanding will remove any existing sealer. Sandpaper is best used on spot stains and wouldn’t work if you needed to treat the whole floor.

Cleaning Grout Using Bleach

Bleach is a powerful last-resort option for mould and mildew stains. However, it should only be used on white grout as it can cause discolouration. Always ventilate the area, wear gloves, and dilute the bleach before applying it with a sponge.

If you feel like you’ve tried everything, another option would be to re-grout the tiles and start anew. If you need to do this, your first step would be to use a grout removal tool or rotary grout tool to remove stained areas. Next, you should scrub the joints clean of dust and dirt before applying fresh grout and wiping the tile surfaces clean of all residue. Forty-eight hours later, you can apply a sealer to provide resistance against water and future stains.

Re-grouting isn’t a complex task, but it is messy and time-consuming, so it’s not for everyone. Keeping the grout between your tiles clean is a much simpler way of ensuring the longevity of your floors.

How to Clean Mould off Grout

Mould loves damp, dark places, making grout in bathrooms especially vulnerable. To clean mould off the grout, mix one part hydrogen peroxide with two parts water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution generously, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then scrub and rinse thoroughly. For stubborn mould, repeat the process or switch to an anti-mould cleaner.

Do Steam Mops Clean Grout?

Yes, but with limitations. Steam mops can lift surface-level grime from grout, especially if used regularly. However, they’re not as effective on heavily stained or old grout unless paired with scrubbing. A dedicated grout steam cleaner or professional service will yield better results for deeper cleaning.

How Often Should You Clean Grout?

For best results, lightly clean the grout once a week and perform a deeper clean every three to six months. High-traffic areas may need more frequent attention, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms where spills and moisture are common. Regular upkeep helps preserve the look and longevity of your grout.

How to Stop It from Staining

The best way to prevent grout from staining is to seal it. Grout sealant acts as a barrier, preventing moisture, dirt, and bacteria from soaking in. Make sure to re-seal the grout once a year or after deep cleaning. Keeping floors dry and wiping up spills immediately also goes a long way.

Epoxy vs. Traditional

Epoxy grout is a non-porous, stain-resistant alternative to cement-based grout. It doesn’t require sealing and resists water, mould, and most chemicals. While more expensive and trickier to apply, it’s ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, and high-moisture areas where durability is key.

Grout Pen for Quick Touch-Ups

A grout pen can be a handy way to brighten grout lines without deep scrubbing. These pens apply a coloured solution that sits on top of the grout, refreshing its appearance. This is a cosmetic fix, not a substitute for proper cleaning or sealing.

Save Yourself the Hard Work by Hiring an Expert Floor Tile Grout Cleaner

Cleaning floor tile grout at home is possible, and you can achieve great results with the method outlined above. However, this process can be pretty difficult and time-consuming, requiring a lot of elbow grease and patience. If you’d rather save time and effort, hiring a professional cleaning company may be the best option.

How Do Professionals Clean Grout?

Trusting a professional floor tile grout cleaner gives you peace of mind. It ensures the best possible results and no risk of damage to your floors.

At MCS Cleaning, we’ve developed a safe, non-caustic solution and a thorough five-step process to clean tiles and grout, making short work of this task. Here’s how we do it:

1. Pre-Inspection and Area Preparation

Our expert technicians will inspect the space and note any challenging areas so we can come up with a bespoke solution for each section of your floor. We’ll then prepare the areas surrounding the tile, ensuring that all movable furniture is out of the way and that we don’t disturb any carpeted or hardwood flooring.

2. Dry Soil Removal

Our professional cleaning team will then thoroughly vacuum the area, removing any dry soil.

3. Pre-Spray

Using high-tech cleaning equipment, we spray a cleaning agent over the entire surface of your tile. As part of our commitment to the planet, we use the highest quality, non-toxic cleaning products available.

4. Hot Water Deep Clean

At this stage, we use a state-of-the-art self-contained pressure cleaning system to clean the entire floor thoroughly. This professional-grade cleaning equipment also uses a rinse solution to clean, sanitise, and balance the pH of your floor tiles.

5. Optional Sealing/Finishing

As mentioned above, our experienced cleaning teams can also apply a sealer to the grout and tile surface, protecting your floor and making it easier to scrub between deep cleans.