The Best Ways to Clean Grout Lines between Your Floor Tiles

• Scrub a paste of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap into the grout with a grout brush. Let the paste sit for 10–15 minutes before wiping it with a damp cloth.
• Try applying a baking soda paste to the grout and spraying it with distilled white vinegar. Wait until the mixture stops bubbling to rinse it off the tiles.
• Let a mixture of oxygenated bleach and warm water soak into the grout for 15 minutes. Scrub away dirt with a grout brush before rinsing off the cleaner.

Hydrogen Peroxide, Baking Soda, and Dish Soap

Mix baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap into a thick paste. Combine ½ cup (136 g) of baking soda, ⁄4 c (59 ml) of hydrogen peroxide, and 1 tsp (4.9 ml) of dish soap in a small bowl. Keep stirring the mixture until it forms a thick paste that’s easy to apply to the grout between your floor tiles. Hydrogen peroxide paste works on any type of grout whether it’s sealed or unsealed. Baking soda acts as a natural abrasive to scrub away stains and build-up while the hydrogen peroxide helps cut through discoloration. The added dish soap helps loosen dirt and remove grease.

Apply the paste with a nylon-bristled brush. Either use a toothbrush or a specialized grout scrub brush. Dip the brush bristles into the hydrogen peroxide paste, and apply it to the grout lines between all of your tiles. Clean the grout with the paste by gently scrubbing the surface to lift up some of the dirt and grime on the surface. Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda may cause discoloration on colored grout. Test the solution in an inconspicuous spot before using it to clean your entire floor.

Let the hydrogen peroxide mixture sit on the grout for 10–15 minutes. Leave the paste on the grout so it has time to soak in. As the peroxide sits, it will form a bubbling reaction with the baking soda to break apart stains that are trapped deeper in the grout.

Rinse the grout with warm or hot water to remove all of the solution. Pour a small amount of water directly onto the tile floor to rinse the entire floor thoroughly. Alternatively, wet a clean towel or sponge with water and wipe it over the surface to lift up the residual cleaner. Be careful when you’re walking across your floor because wet tiles can be very slippery.

Use a rag to wipe along the grout lines and remove leftover residue or dirt. Take a clean, dry cloth and gently scrub between the tiles to clean out the remaining paste. Either stand on the towel and slide your feet along the grout lines, or work on your hands and knees to scrub the floor by hand. As a section of the towel gets dirty, fold it over and use a clean section so you don’t spread the dirt back onto your floor.

Mop the floor with clean water. Wet a mop with fresh water without any added soap or cleaners. Wring out the mop before using it to wipe your tile floor and lift up any residue you may have missed. Rinse your mop frequently and wet it again with clean water so you don’t spread the dirt back over the grout. When you’re finished, just let your floor dry completely.

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Apply a paste of baking soda and water between your tiles. Mix 2 parts of baking soda to 1 part water in a small bowl to make a thick paste. Scoop the paste onto a small spoon or an old toothbrush and apply it directly onto the grout lines on your floor. Baking soda works for all types and colors of grout, regardless of whether or not it’s sealed or unsealed. Baking soda is a mild abrasive that could irritate your skin while you’re cleaning. Wear rubber gloves while you’re working with it.

Spray the baking soda paste with a vinegar solution. Combine equal parts of distilled white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle, and shake it up until it’s thoroughly mixed. Then, spray the vinegar solution directly onto the baking soda paste so it’s thoroughly coated. The paste will immediately start bubbling once you apply the vinegar spray, which lets you know that the cleaner has started working. Avoid using vinegar on natural stone tiles or unsealed grout since it could leave marks or damage on the surface. Just use the baking soda by itself instead.

Wait for the vinegar solution to stop bubbling. Cleaning with baking soda and vinegar causes a bubbling chemical reaction that helps loosen up dirt and stains deep within the grout. Keep your eyes on the cleaning solution until it stops bubbling completely, which should only last for a few minutes.

Scrub the grout lines with a stiff-bristled brush. Run the bristles of a scrub brush made for cleaning grout or a toothbrush along each grout line. Work the paste deeper into the grout to help lift up any stains or dirt that remain. Pay close attention to grout in the corners and along the edges of your room since these areas are commonly forgotten about.

Mop the floor with clean water. Dip a mop into a bucket of plain water, and wipe it across your floor tiles to remove any residue that’s still left over. Rinse your mop and change the water often during the rinsing process so you don’t spread dirt back over your floor. Be sure to rinse off all the areas where you applied baking soda and vinegar so it doesn’t continue soaking into the grout. Leaving vinegar and baking soda on your grout or tiles could eventually cause it to eat through the material and cause damage.

Oxygenated Bleach

Dissolve 2 tbsp (35 g) of oxygenated bleach in 2 c (470 ml) of warm water. Use the warmest water from your tap to activate the oxygenated bleach. Use a spoon to mix the solution thoroughly to ensure that the oxygen bleach is fully dissolved. Oxygen bleach may cause fading or marks on colored grout, but it’s gentle enough for all types of grout or tile.

Test a small, hidden section of the grout before cleaning the entire floor. Some tiles or grouts may be bleached or discolored by oxygenated bleach. Apply a small amount of the oxygenated bleach solution to an unnoticeable section of the grout to test for colorfastness. Let it sit for about 5–10 minutes before wiping it up and checking the coloration. If the oxygenated bleach does cause discoloration, then try one of the other cleaning solutions.

Apply the oxygenated bleach to the grout and leave it for 15 minutes. Clean your floor in small sections so you avoid completely covering your floor. Scoop the oxygenated bleach solution out with a spoon and spread it evenly over the grout lines between your floor tiles. Make sure to pour enough to fully cover the grout lines. Let the solution sit on the grout for about 15 minutes so it has a chance to lift up deep-set stains. Alternatively, sprinkle the oxygen bleach powder along the grout lines on your floor and use a spray bottle to apply the water.

Scrub the oxygenated bleach into the grout with a nylon bristle brush. After the oxygenated bleach has time to sit on the grout, scrub back and forth along the grout lines with the brush. Be sure to pay extra attention in the corners and around the edges of the floor because dirt and grime tend to be worse there.

Brush on unmixed oxygenated bleach powder for added cleaning power. If you find a stubborn stain that won’t come up on its own, dip the brush into clean water. Then, dab the bristles into the oxygenated bleach powder. Scrub the oxygenated bleach directly onto the grout to help clean them even more. Pour a small amount of the powder into a separate container to avoid mixing water into your main container of oxygen bleach powder.

Rinse and dry the floor. Pour clean water directly on the tile or wet it with a clean mop to rinse away the residual oxygenated bleach mixture. After that, wipe your floor dry with a towel so dirt and grime don’t leave behind any marks.

Commercial Grout Cleaners

Apply your commercial grout cleaner directly to the grout lines. Some good grout cleaners include Grout-eez, Zep, or Goo Gone. Follow the product’s instructions listed on the package when you apply it. Typically, you’ll spray or pour the grout cleaner directly onto the grout lines until they’re thoroughly coated. In a pinch, try using toilet bowl cleaner on your grout since it’s easy to apply and has stain-fighting chemicals. If you have really stubborn stains on white grout, then try chlorine bleach. Just be sure to keep your room well-ventilated and don’t mix bleach with any other cleaners since it could create toxic fumes.

Let the cleaner sit on your grout for 5–10 minutes. Leave the cleaner on your grout for the amount of time listed on the packaging, which is usually about 5–10 minutes. That way, the cleaner has time to soak in between the tiles and loosen the residue that’s trapped in the grout lines.

Scrub the grout lines with a stiff-bristled brush. Use a stiff-bristled toothbrush or a grout brush to work the cleaner even deeper into the grout. Apply gentle pressure to remove all of the surface dirt and grime. Keep scrubbing until you don’t see any more residue come up. Avoid using steel wool or an abrasive cleaner since you could remove some of the grout by accident.

Rinse your grout with a damp cloth or sponge. Wet a cloth or soft sponge with clean water and run it over the grout you just cleaned. Be sure to pick up any residual cleaner or dirt so it doesn’t soak back into the grout lines between your tiles. Once you wipe up your floors, your grout will look spic and span.

Steam Cleaner

Sweep your tiles to remove surface dirt. Use a broom to clean your entire floor, and collect all of the debris into a dustpan. That way, it’s easier for the cleaner to reach the grout without spreading any dirt back over your tiles.

Fill the steam cleaner’s reservoir with distilled water. Check the manufacturer’s instructions on your steam cleaner to find where the clean water reservoir is located. Pour in distilled water up to the max fill line. Avoid adding any additional chemicals or soaps to the steam cleaner water reservoir since they may make the machine work less effectively. Steam-cleaning removes all grout sealant, so it works best if your grout is already unsealed. Avoid using tap water since it can cause hard water buildup inside of your steamer. Visit your local home improvement store to see if they offer steam cleaner rentals. That way, you can save a little money instead of buying a steam cleaner.

Turn the steam cleaner on and allow it to heat up. Flip on the power switch on your steam cleaner and let it sit for about 5–10 minutes until it heats up. Many steam cleaners have an indicator light that turns on when it’s ready to use, but check the instruction manual for your model to determine how long to wait before cleaning your floor.

Steam-clean the grout lines using a narrow attachment brush. Secure a narrow brush attachment to the end of your steam cleaner so the bristles fit in between the tiles. Pull the cleaner’s trigger and gently scrub the brush back and forth over the grout lines. The steam will penetrate the grout and bring all the dirt and grime to the surface. Start at one side of the room and work your way to the other end in small sections so cleaning is easier to manage.

Use a towel or mop to wipe up the excess moisture after cleaning. Be careful as the floor may be slippery after the steam condenses into water. Run a dry mop or towel over the section of floor you just steam-cleaned to lift up the dirty water and residue. Continue drying off your floor so the dirt doesn’t soak back into the grout again.