DIY: How to Clean Your Grout

 Many people love having tile installed in their home for the ease of cleaning it offers.  But, with tile comes grout and grout can really show dirt over time.  Whether it is on your floor, as back splash in your kitchen or used in your bathroom, grout needs to be cleaned over time to look its best instead of dirty and discolored.  There are products available for purchase that can clean grout but it is actually quite easy to make a cleaning solution right in your home with ingredients you likely already have.  Unfortunately, no one has invented a solution that does not require some scrubbing so you will have to put in a little elbow grease but with a home solution the dirt should come off easily. Cleaning your grout can be accomplished using simple ingredients right from your own cupboard.  The basic recipe to clean your grout is to mix equal parts white vinegar and water.  Fill a spray bottle with the solution and spray on the grout lines.  Allow the solution to sit for about 10 minutes and then, with a sturdy-bristled brush, scrub away the dirt.  That is the basic solution for cleaning grout but, unfortunately, some stains and dirt are a bit more stubborn. If you are still finding some trouble spots that need a bit of extra attention, there are some other options to use.  Try making a paste of baking soda and water and scrub the paste into the grout and then spray the grout lines with your solution.  The combination of vinegar and baking soda will create a foam so give it a minute or two to foam up and work its magic.  Then, scrub away the mess!  If you are still finding stubborn stains, try scrubbing with hydrogen peroxide and for the worst of the worst stains try oxygen bleach (for example: oxiclean) or chlorine bleach.  These should only be used for the worst situations but can prove quite effective towards those stubborn spots.  Once clean, rinse thoroughly with warm water so that the dirt does not settle right back into the grout lines again. Now that you have beautiful clean grout, the last thing you want to do is spill on it and make a mess again so soon after cleaning it.  While spills and messes are inevitable, you can avoid having to constantly clean your grout lines by sealing them.  Tile and grout sealer is available at most hardware stores and can easily be applied to the newly cleaned grout.  Once the grout is sealed, you can keep up with your regular tile cleaning routine and should see a vast improvement in the appearance of your grout.  Now you can sit back and enjoy the beautiful appearance of your tile and grout and can easily treat dirt and stains regularly with common household items.]]>