How to Keep Your White Grout Clean: 7 Tips to Follow
With the right basic maintenance, you’ll never have to look at grubby grout again
White grout starts fresh and crisp, but without proper cleaning and upkeep, it can turn a stunning tiled bathroom floor or wall into an eyesore. Keep reading to learn how different substances and products affect grout color, plus seven tips to keep white grout clean and looking pristine.
1. Start With the Right Grout
Different types of grout have distinct properties that make them a better fit for certain areas of the home. Those properties also make them more or less likely to yellow or stain with time and use.
Epoxy grout is non-porous, resisting water and staining better than most cement grouts. However, epoxy grout can yellow over time or darken in high-wear areas, which is especially noticeable with white grout. This type of grout is also more expensive than cement grout, adding to tile installation costs.
Cement grout, on the other hand, has a porous surface that’s more readily permeated by water or stains. However, it can still be used in wet areas or places like the kitchen that see a lot of spills if it’s properly sealed after curing and regularly sealed every few years thereafter. You can also add a mix-in sealant to the grout mixture so you don’t have to use a secondary sealer after it's cured. However, you’ll still need to reseal the grout every few months or years, depending on how often you clean the grout and what it’s cleaned with.
Chemicals break down the seal on cement grout, allowing liquids and substances to penetrate its surface. When you start to see chipping off or dark discolorations in the grout, those are good indicators that you need to reseal, but not before giving the grout a good cleaning.
2. Choose the Right Cleaning Supplies
Unfortunately, many things can cause your lovely white grout to become discolored. More often than not, it’s your use of harsh, abrasive cleansers that turn white grout yellow. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to properly clean the grout in your tile floors.
Keeping the grout clean will require you to use the right cleaners. Try to avoid ingredients like bleach to prevent yellowing. Research the cleaners you’re using, and be sure you’re using ones that are safe for your specific material (tiles and counters) and grout. You can also try a diluted vinegar and water solution for a gentle clean.
Avoid Using Too Much Water
When cleaning your grout, keep an eye on how much water you’re using. Although it might not seem like a big deal to use a lot of water, too much of it can actually harm your grout. This is because, although your tiles are waterproof, your grout is porous. You can avoid issues like cracking and crumbling grout or loose tiles by using grout cleaner instead of water. If your cleaner requires you to dilute the solution with water, use precise measurements.
Always Use a Grout Brush
Nylon-bristle grout brushes help you easily clean narrow grout lines while keeping your grout intact. Using abrasive brushes, like wire brushes, can strip your sealant right off. If you fail to reseal the grout, you may notice problems down the road, like stains, mold, and mildew.
Getting a grout brush is a great idea if you have a lot of tiled surfaces in your home. You can get brushes with long handles for easier use, triangular-shaped brushes for efficient cleaning, or toothbrush-like ones for the smaller crevices.
Another thing to keep in mind: Be sure you’re using clean supplies. Rinse out your sponges, swap out your mop water often, and use a fresh rag every once in a while to prevent dirt buildup.
Note: If the discoloration is brown or black rather than yellow or pink, that could signify that you have a mold or mildew problem, which can be hazardous to your health. In that case, you’ll need to get a bit more aggressive, focusing on killing the organisms first before worrying about the grout color.
3. Sweep or Vacuum Floors Regularly
Dirt and dust have a better chance of penetrating grout the longer they sit on the grout’s surface. Over time, debris can work its way into the grout’s surface as you walk across a floor or brush against a wall. Regular sweeping and vacuuming removes grime, giving it less of a chance to work its way deeper into the grout and cause discoloration.
4. Test Your Water
If you’re still stumped as to why your grout is looking a little off, the answer may be a bit sneakier. If your water has high iron levels, this can lead to grout discoloration. You can perform a test of your water to narrow down this issue.
Luckily, installing a water filtration system can help lower the iron levels and keep your grout looking sparkling clean. These are often small enough to fit on your shower head, and you can have a local handyperson install one if you’re feeling wary about your DIY abilities.
5. Clean Up Any Spills Quickly
One of the basics of how to clean floor tile grout (or any tile grout) is to clean spills as soon as possible. The longer any liquids are in contact with grout, the better chance they have of seeping into the grout.
Spills are less of a threat to epoxy grout because it has a non-porous surface. It’s also resistant to chemical-related discoloration. However, you’ll have the best chance of keeping any type of grout bright white—and the surrounding tile looking its best—if you clean spills ASAP.
6. Use Sealant to Prevent Grout Discoloration
If your grout has so far maintained its pearly whiteness and you want to keep it that way, then you should consider applying a sealant. Sealants will help prevent your grout from deteriorating and will also protect against water damage. Sealants are a must for cement grouts, sanded or unsanded, because of their porous surface.
But even if your grout looks fresh and clean, it’s still a good idea to hire a local grout cleaning pro to give it a once-over before applying the sealant. This step will help kill any lurking mold or mildew and remove any deeper dirt or debris. Tile and grout cleaning costs about $300 to $500 per room (or $0.50 to $3 per square foot with a $100 to $200 minimum). Sealant application costs $150 to $250 for 160 square feet.
7. Clean Your Grout Regularly
Cleaning your grout regularly, which could be weekly or biweekly, prevents dirt, dust, or spills from penetrating the grout’s surface. You can use different materials, including common items from around your home or commercial cleaners.
1. Using Baking Soda
Baking soda has a natural, gentle grit that’s excellent at breaking up dirt and debris. Mix equal parts baking soda and water to create a paste that you apply directly to the grout using a clean toothbrush or grout brush. Gently scrub the grout to loosen dirt, then rinse it off with water.
2. Using Vinegar or Lemon Juice
Vinegar is another natural cleaner and offers disinfectant properties because it’s a relatively gentle acid. You can apply it directly to the grout lines or dilute it with water. Let it sit on the grout for 10 minutes before gently scrubbing the grout lines with a clean toothbrush or grout brush. Finally, use a wet, clean sponge to rinse away any grime left behind.
Some people use vinegar as their first cleaner before applying baking soda, but you can also apply vinegar after scrubbing with baking soda for a deeper clean. Additionally, you can use lemon juice in the exact same way as vinegar—let it soak in for a few minutes, wipe it away, then rinse. Lemon juice’s acidity makes it a particularly strong stain fighter.
3. Using a Grout Cleaner
Commercial grout cleaners are another cleaning option. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully and make sure the cleaner is designed for the grout type you have. Always wear protective gloves when using commercial products.
4. Using Chlorine Bleach
If all of your other cleaning endeavors fail, you can use chlorine bleach or a commercial cleaner with chlorine bleach. But use them sparingly. While it’s effective at removing stains and restoring a bright white appearance, chlorine bleach can erode the grout, and if it’s applied after vinegar, the combination can release chlorine gas. Leave chlorine bleach as a last resort, or call in a nearby tile cleaning pro to tackle tough stains that don’t respond to your best cleaning efforts.
What If Your Grout Is Already Yellow?
If you have pretty significant discoloration and cleaning hasn’t given you the results you want, then you might consider staining your grout. This will only work for unsealed grout because the stain won’t stick to sealed grout.
If you’re unsure whether your grout is sealed, spray it with water. Water will bead on seal grout, but unsealed grout will absorb it.
Staining can be an ideal way to restore your grout to its original color; just be sure to test out the stain on an inconspicuous surface first to ensure it gives you the look you want. Be sure to clean the grout thoroughly and let it dry before applying the stain and avoid getting it on the surrounding tile.
Frequently Asked Questions
For grout on your floors, you can keep it clean by mopping and sweeping regularly, placing floor mats or rugs in high-traffic areas (or areas more prone to spills, like the kitchen), and removing your shoes before coming into the house. For grout on wall tile, make sure you’re cleaning regularly with baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, or a store-bought cleaner. Consider sealing your grout, too.
White grout is more difficult to keep clean than darker colors, like gray or black, because even small stains show more prominently. However, white grout isn’t difficult to clean if you stick to a regular maintenance schedule and know what cleaners to use. Hiring a pro to seal your grout is the best way to keep it looking its best for a long time.
Preventative measures can help you keep your white grout clean and bright. When you’re cleaning grout, make sure all your tools are clean, too. Don’t use a dirty brush, dirty sponge, or dirty water. Some minerals in water can also cause yellowing of grout, so test your water to see what’s in it and invest in a water filtration system, if needed.