Cleaning Old Tile Grout

An old toothbrush makes a great tool to scrub the tile grout effectively.

Cleaning old tile grout.

Rather than using a toothbrush. Spray with equal parts vinegar and warm water for several minutes. Pour a small amount of water directly onto the tile floor to rinse the solution off the grout. This will change your life.

Rinse the grout with warm or hot water to remove all of the solution. Because grout is porous grime picked up by the cleaning solution often tends to re lodge within the grout pores. Use caution as wet tiled floors can be very slippery. The solution should sit for ten minutes or so to get deeply into stains to loosen them.

For heavier dirt and mild stains turn. However if you notice mold or mildew on your grout you will need to deal with that first. Wipe away with a clean rag. These can found at most grocery and department stores.

Go easy though grout is less durable than the tile it s holding together and harsh cleaners like bleach can erode it. Spray a generous amount of the all purpose cleaner the tile walls and floor of the shower to clean grout between floor tiles as well as the tiles themselves. To overcome this the council recommends using a shop vacuum to whisk up the. This can be done with a bleach solution composed of three fourths of a cup of bleach added to two gallons of water.

Tom s homemade solution for cleaning grout included concentrated dish soap baking soda and white vinegar. If you have a steam cleaner on hand that s especially effective says melissa maker author of clean my space apply steam directly to the grout then use your brush to scrub in a circular motion. Deep stains may call for replacing the grout altogether. Start by spraying the grout with hot water and scrubbing with a stiff bristle brush or a grout brush to lift any dirt or grime on the surface.