How to Clean Floor Tile Grout: A Complete Guide
Show your grout who’s boss
If you have tile floors or tiled backsplash in any room of your home, chances are you have grout lines susceptible to dirt, mold, and mildew. Though “deep clean days” aren’t everyone’s idea of fun, they’re necessary occasionally.
If left untreated, dirty grout lines can build up over time, leaving an unsightly and hard-to-clean mess. Luckily, we’ll show you how to clean floor tile grout so you can restore your tile to its original shine.
What Kind of Floor Tile Grout Do I Have?
To determine how to clean the grout in your home, it’s helpful to know which of the four main types of grout you have.
Sanded: Sanded grout is one of two types of cement grout—the other being unsanded grout. The sand added to this grout makes it stronger, which is why sanded grout works well in grout joints larger than ⅛-inch wide. You should seal sanded grout upon application as it’s known to attract dirt and be absorbent.
Unsanded: This is essentially a cement grout with no sand—made of water, cement, and non-sand particles. This grout type is ideal for grout joints less than ⅛-inch wide. However, it can become weak and shrink due to the lack of abrasive particles, which can lead to exposed grout lines.
Epoxy: Among the different grout variations, epoxy grout is a fan favorite due to its durability and less porous composition, making it more stain-resistant. It’s made with epoxy resin, and its strength makes it ideal for high-traffic areas, such as hallways, kitchens, and bathrooms. Epoxy grout tends to maintain its color, and it doesn’t need a grout sealer.
Furan: This type of grout is highly resistant to wear and tear, along with high temperatures and strong chemicals. Furan grout is more expensive than epoxy and cementitious grouts and takes longer to install, but it’s used in industrial and residential settings.
How Much Does it Cost to Clean Floor Tile Grout?
The cost of supplies to clean floor tile grout on your own ranges from $30 to $36.
How to Prep for Cleaning Grout
There are a handful of things you need to do and gather before you start cleaning your tile and grout.
Determine What Kind of Grout You Have
To find out what kind of grout you have, start by touching it. It’s unsanded if it’s rough and hard. If it’s smooth and hard, it’s sanded.
If it’s smooth but not quite hard, you could be dealing with either epoxy or furan. Try poking it with a sharp knife, and if it gives, it’s one of those two options. Fortunately, they can be cleaned in roughly the same way.
Gather the Necessary Tools and Supplies
For this project, you’ll need the following supplies:
Cleaning solution
Grout sealer (referenced below)
Mop
Scrub brush or toothbrush
Goggles
Gloves
Sponges (optional)
Microfiber cloths (optional)
Broom or vacuum
You can choose to make your own cleaning solution, or purchase a commercial cleaning solution that suits your set-up. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s designed for the type of grout you have, and you apply it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Sweep and Vacuum the Area
Use a broom or a vacuum to remove any debris, dirt, or dust before you clean floor tile grout.
7 Ways to Clean Floor Grout
Tired of looking at the dirty grout in your home? Below are seven different ways to clean floor tile grout (and wall grout). An added bonus–you may already have some of the items needed.
For best results, use a grout brush. But, in a pinch, you can use a toothbrush. Grout brushes are made of nylon and are very stiff, so they work best for getting the grime out.
If you’re cleaning unsealed cement-based grout, work quickly because the grout is porous and the moisture or product will seep inside the floor tile.
Regardless of the method you choose, allow the grout to fully dry for at least 24 hours and then reseal it using grout sealer. This will keep your grout from having mold or mildew issues and make it easier to clean in the future. Any cement-based grout should be resealed at least once a year. You can learn how to seal grout or hire a pro to do it for you.
And before you get started with any of these options, thoroughly clean your floor to remove any debris, dirt, and/or dust.
Warm Water and a Brush
This option works best if you’re regularly cleaning your grout. All you have to do is grab a bucket and fill it with warm water.
Focus on cleaning small sections of grout at a time. Simply pour some warm water onto the surface, and follow up with your brush. Scrub thoroughly until you remove all the dirt and grime. Rinse with water and dry.
Warm Water and Vinegar
Since vinegar is acidic, you only want to use this method if your grout is sealed.
Fill a spray bottle with a 1:1 warm water and white vinegar mixture. Spray it on the grout, let it sit for 5 minutes, and have at it with your grout brush.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
You can use this process to clean sealed grout only; avoid it on unsealed grout.
Place ¼-cup of baking soda in a bowl, and slowly add water until it forms a paste. Apply the paste to the grout lines. Next, take a 1:1 mixture of water and vinegar and spray it onto the baking soda paste.
After the solution fizzes, grab your grout brush and scrub it until it’s clean. Then, rinse with water and dry.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Set aside at least one hour for this method. on’t worry, though, it’s one hour of waiting, not cleaning.
Fill a spray bottle with a 1:1 mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide. Spray down the grout thoroughly and let it soak for one hour. After one hour, wash the area with water and wipe dry.
Commercial Grout Cleaner
Each commercial grout cleaner will come with its own set of instructions, so follow those for the best results. This could be a good solution if your grout is particularly dirty and hasn’t been cleaned in a long time.
Generally, you apply the solution onto the grout lines, wait for several minutes, and then scrub the area with a grout brush. Next, rinse with water and dry off.
Use gloves to protect your hands from the harsh chemicals. Avoid products with high acidic content, wax, and oil-based products.
Bleach
Be sure to use oxygen bleach to clean your grout rather than regular bleach. When regular bleach is used on grout, it’s likely to remove the coloring and leave a discolored mess.
Mix oxygen bleach powder and warm water to make the bleach solution. The dilution rate will depend on your product, so read the directions. Generally, you can expect to use about two tablespoons of bleach for two cups of water.
Apply the mixture to the grout lines and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Then scrub the area with a grout brush, rinse clean, and dry.
Steam Clean Grout
If you prefer to clean your grout by only using water and no products, you can grab a steam cleaner. In most instances, it’s best if you use distilled water to ensure a longer lifespan for your steamer. Use a small, soft-bristled brush attachment and start scrubbing your grout.
Steam clean small areas at a time. Once you finish one area, wipe it dry with a cloth, rinse it with water, and dry it again.
How to Clean Floor Grout Based on Type
Since grout is made from different materials, there isn’t a universal cleaning technique. Though each option has a different set of needs, most can be cared for in similar ways.
Sanded Grout
Use a scrub brush to coat grout lines with a cleaning solution. Make sure to coat evenly to ensure the results are evenly colored.
Let soak for 15 to 30 minutes.
Scrub to remove dirt, rinse with water, and mop. Use your usual floor cleaner to remove residue and clean up your tile. Let it dry completely.
Unsanded Grout
Coat grout in an alkaline cleaning solution with either a scrub brush or a spray bottle.
Let it soak for 15 to 30 minutes.
Scrub to remove dirt, rinse with water, mop, and let dry.
Epoxy Grout
Make a cleaning solution of equal parts bleach and water to remove blemishes from white or clear epoxy grout. If you’re trying to preserve the color of your epoxy grout, opt for one of the gentler solutions recommended above.
If you’re using a bleach and water mixture, apply to the grout with a mop or spray bottle (wearing protective goggles as necessary). Otherwise, apply other cleaning solutions with a scrub brush.
Let the solution soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
Rinse the area completely and let dry. Because epoxy isn’t as durable as cement-based grouts, excessive scrubbing can damage it. Instead, all it needs is a quick rinse after soaking in the cleaning solution.
Furan Grout
Coat grout in a non-bleach-based cleaning solution with a spray bottle, scrub brush, or mop (depending on tile type).
Let the solution soak in for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing.
Scrub to remove dirt, mop, and let dry.
3 Tips for Maintaining Floor Tile Grout
Now that your grout is clean and stain-free, here are tips to keep your grout bright and white:
1. Regularly Clean Floors With Rubbing Alcohol
To prevent future build-up of dirt and mold, and to make for easier cleanup, regularly clean your grout and tiles by applying a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a cloth or towel and wipe them down. The alcohol will kill any bacteria and work to keep your grout and tiles looking fresh and new.
2. Cover High-Traffic Areas With Rugs
Without proper protection, grout in high-traffic areas will stain more quickly. Cover up these zones with area rugs to ensure they don’t get dirty as quickly. Plus, area rugs are a great way to add a pop of color to your room.
3. Vacuum and Sweep Often
The more time debris, dirt and dust linger on the floor, the more likely it is to be stepped on and pushed into the grout. Sweep and vacuum throughout the week to prevent this from happening. In fact, you should add these tasks to your house cleaning checklist.
DIY Grout Cleaning vs. Hiring a Pro
Cleaning grout is a fairly simple DIY project that costs $30 to $36 for supplies. But if you're busy or want to spend less time scrubbing your floors, you can hire a local house cleaner. Most house cleaning pros charge $30 to $50 per hour.
You may also opt to hire a pro to take care of everything for you, in which case you can expect to pay tile and grout cleaning costs of $280 to $670.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many different ways to clean tile grout, but you may wonder—can you skip the scrubbing? If you have a big tiled space to clean, manually scrubbing each grout line could be a big job.
The answer is that it depends. Some methods listed in this guide might work for your grout without scrubbing. But usually, this will only apply if your grout is well-maintained and only needs a light cleaning.
For a scrub-free job, try steam cleaning, oxygen bleach, or the baking soda and vinegar methods.
White vinegar will damage tile grout if the grout is not sealed or needs resealing. If that’s the case, the vinegar will wear away the grout over time.
If your floor tile grout is cracked, unsealed, or has small holes, then it’s time to regrout your tile flooring. Your grout is more prone to staining when it’s worn down, so consider regrouting when it shows signs of wear.