How to Keep Grout Clean: Best Practices

Tiles make an excellent style choice for any home. From a modern kitchen to a luxurious bathroom, quality tiles create an unmatched aesthetic. Plus, they are easy to clean and maintain.

The downside to incorporating tiles into your home’s interior is the potential for stains. Although many homeowners love the beautiful look of light-colored tile, the coloring also makes the tile and its grout more prone to becoming stained. Knowing how to keep grout clean is the best way to keep tiles looking their best.

Many homes have tile in the kitchen and bathroom, which means tile and grout are likely to see water daily. Without proper maintenance, frequent contact with water can lead to mildew, stains, and tile damage.

The best way to protect the beautiful look of your tile and prevent damage is to clean your tile floors regularly. Steam Smart Pro’s tile and grout cleaning service can help you restore the look of your tile while reducing mildew and water stains. Follow this guide to learn more about keeping your grout and tile clean.

Daily Maintenance

Taking a few minutes out of your day to quickly wipe down your tiles can help keep them looking new and prevent damage. 

First, find a good sponge or squeegee. This is especially helpful if you have tiles in your shower. Every time you shower, water and soap scum collect on the tiles, which can lead to stubborn stains and dirty grout.

Using a sponge to wipe down the tiles after you shower is a quick and effective way to minimize scum and keep your tiles clean.

Weekly Cleaning

Like many other areas of your home, your tile needs a deep cleaning weekly. You can use several store-bought cleaners to clean tile and grout. However, mixing baking soda and water is a time-tested home cleaning solution.

When making the baking soda and water solution, combine the two ingredients just enough to create a paste. You can use hydrogen peroxide instead of water with baking soda for more stubborn stains. 

Once you have your cleaning paste ready, use a grout brush or toothbrush to scrub the cleaner into the tile and grout. Rinse with clean water and repeat as necessary. 

Many homeowners use a vinegar solution to spray in the shower before cleaning. Vinegar is an effective home cleaning agent; however, be sure to thoroughly rinse it out of your shower before using a hydrogen peroxide cleaner.

Spot Cleaning for Deep Grout Stains

Sometimes a busy schedule can make it hard to thoroughly clean your tiles every week. Whether you've skipped a few cleanings or have stubborn grout, deep stains can set in. 

Deep tile and grout stains are challenging to get out, even with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. When you need a deeper clean, bleach is the way to go. 

Be careful when using bleach because it can easily stain your clothes, cleaning cloths, and shower curtains. Using a bleach pen is one way to eliminate splashing and focus on a specific area. 

It is essential to remember that bleach is a potent cleaning agent. A little bit can go a long way, so try to clean the grout using small amounts of bleach. 

Grout Renewal

Sometimes even a deep bleach cleaning isn’t enough to renew your tile. As grout ages, it becomes more difficult to clean and more prone to damage. When your cleaning products seem useless, it's time to consider grout renewal. 

Several products at your local grocery store can help you renew your grout and tile. A common grout renewal technique is to repaint the tile with a solution that protects against stains and grime. This is easy to do and can help you extend the life of your tile and grout with minimal staining. 

Another way to renew your grout and tile is to replace them. A grout change is ideal for various issues: 

• Cracked or flaky tiles
• Broken tiles
• Missing tiles
• Stubborn stains that don’t come out

Changing out the grout renews your bathroom or kitchen and can create a new, sophisticated look. Many homeowners change their tiles along with the grout to create a new aesthetic and extend the life of the grout. Although this can be a home DIY project, hiring a professional is the best way to ensure a quality job and long-lasting results. 

How to Protect Grout

Knowing how to keep grout clean also means knowing how to protect it. One way to prevent grout stains is to use a sealer. Sealers keep grout clean by repelling stains from dirty water or other spills. 

Sealers work by creating a protective layer on the grout to prevent dirt penetration. There are two basic types of sealers for grout and tile. 

1. Hydrophobic sealer: resists water and other liquid spills that could stain grout
2. Oleophobic sealer: resistant to oils 

When using a sealer to protect your grout, it is important to remember that it will require reapplication. Depending on the brand and type of sealer you go with, it could need a reapplication every six to 18 months. If you want a sealer but don’t want to worry about reapplying, professionally applied sealers have an extended life span with minimal maintenance requirements. 

Professional Tile and Grout Cleaning

One of the easiest ways to protect and maintain your grout is to schedule a regular professional cleaning.

The experts at Steam Smart Pro in Tucson, AZ, understand how stubborn tile and grout stains tend to be. With years of experience and state-of-the-art cleaning tools, we can restore tile and grout with the most stubborn stains. 

Our time-tested professional grout cleaning process is one of the most effective ways to clean and renew your tile.

Whether you have kitchen tile or need to deep clean your shower, our experts know how to keep grout clean and revive tile. Call Steam Smart Pro in Tucson, AZ, at (520) 462-1183 to schedule a cleaning today.

Author Bio:

Eric Bullard

The owner of Steam Smart Pro in Tucson, AZ, brings over 20 years of invaluable experience in the field of carpet, tile, and air duct cleaning. With a strong dedication to quality and a deep understanding of effective cleaning techniques, Eric consistently delivers outstanding results to his satisfied residential and commercial clients.