Why is it so Important to Clean Grout?

Regular grout cleaning keeps grime, germs and bacteria out of your home. It also protects against discoloration, and keeps tiles from getting broken down by mildew, mold and moisture. It is important to know how to clean grout. Even though their are many ways of cleaning grout, the easiest way to clean, kill germs and get rid of stains is with a steam cleaner.

Best Way to Clean – Steam Grout Cleaners

Saves you a lot of time- fastest way to clean tile grout in your home.
Great for deep grout cleaning which helps to get rid of grout discoloration without having to use bleach or cleaning chemicals.
Easiest way to clean tile grout. Most of the time, the grout stains and discoloration come right out which means you don’t have to spend as much time on your hands and knees scrubbing the grout lines.


Safe for home use, Safe for children, pets, and the environment, because it uses hot water for cleaning and not hazardous cleaning chemicals.

Below are some of the top rated steam grout cleaners

Best Budget Steamer Under $99 Wagner 915 1,500-Watt On-Demand Power Steamer and Cleaner
This steamer is one of the best selling economy steamers on the market. It is versatile and can be used for cleaning tile and grout, as well as walls,kitchen, bathrooms and floors. This unit comes with a lot of attachments. We sell a lot of these each month. “This truly is a great investment, fun to use with FANTASTIC results.” Read customer reviews

Best Floor and Carpet Steamer under $149

Hoover SteamVac Carpet Cleaner with Clean Surge, F5914-900

This is an upright floor cleaner that cleans carpets and different types of floors. This unit has over 2,200 reviews and most are 5 star ratings! This is one of the best carpet and floor cleaners and is isn’t very expensive either. People buying this product say they are very happy with it and would recommend it to others. Read over 2200 reviews

McCulloch MC-1275 Heavy-Duty Steam Cleaner
Here is what customers are saying about it. “Cleans surfaces without using chemicals, melts away grease from any painted or chromed surface, Makes vinyl flooring look almost new,
-Cleans the porcelain on the sink & toilet without leaving any film, chemical scent, or residue whatsoever”.
- Saves you money on a lot of the household chemicals. Read what customers are saying about it!.

SteamFast SF-226 Handheld Steam Cleaner

Here is what customers are saying about it. “I had seen this product advertised and was skeptical; however, I was pleasantly surprised. The SteamFast SF-226 Handheld Steam Cleaner did an exceptional job. Following the use of the steamer, I was able to wipe down all surfaces in the kitchen. It worked great on the grout, stove-top, kitchen tile, floor tile, refrigerator, and woodwork. I highly recommend this little work horse!” .

You can also try a grout pen or grout paint to help fix discoloration. Keeping your tile grout clean is an excellent way to allow your tiled areas to look their best and last for longer.

This sites teaches you how to clean grout in your bathroom,  kitchens and floors. In order for grout cleaning to be done effectively, you need to have the right grout cleaning tools.  These tools include having the right grout cleaners, grout brushes, and grout steam cleaners in order to ensure that your job is done right.  For tough grout cleaning jobs, you may even need to use grout steam cleaners or commercial tile cleaners to save you time and backbreaking labor.  We have several top sellers listed on this site.

Most people that clean their own grout find that is isn’t too bad. Always be sure to disinfect as you clean, especially in bathrooms and kitchens. When scrubbing tiled floors, it may be necessary to use knee pads or a kneeling pad. On average, tile grout cleaning takes about 15 minutes per room. When mold or mildew has set in, it could take a lot longer.

When using mold and mildew disinfectants, be sure to leave them on for the allotted time mentioned on the tile cleaner label. If you need to repair or replace cracked tiles or missing grout, you may need to call a tile expert to help you. They can also steam clean the grout and then seal it for you as well. Steam cleaning grout often helps to remove ground in dirt and light the color of the grout. In some cases, bleach containing tile cleaners will also be needed. A grout sealer will work to protect the tile and grout for 3-5 years, and in some cases much longer.

Choosing the right tile grout cleaner is important. Typically, you want to use a tile grout cleaner that is just strong enough to get the job done, but not strong enough to damage the grout over time.

Different Types of Organic Grout Cleaner

Ever wondered how to clean grout? When using grout cleaners, it is a good idea to try milder products first, only using the harsher ones if the first do not get the grout completely clean. Harsh chemicals can damage grout and tiles with repeated use. Clean grout with the first group and move on to the next ones as necessary. Whichever cleaner you are using, always try cleaning a small area initially to make sure it does not discolor or damage the grout or tile.

Mild Grout Cleaners:

These are all gentle cleaners that are okay to use even on unsealed grout.

Vinegar: Used for daily cleaning and as general purpose cleaner or a disinfectant.  During the two years I professionally cleaned bathrooms for a living, we would quite often use vinegar as a mild cleaner.  Because vinegar is a very mild cleaner, it should also be interspersed in using another stronger grout cleaner in order to yield the best results.  Vinegar can be diluted with equal parts water or applied full-strength. Put vinegar or a vinegar-water solution into a spray bottle and spray the grout. For disinfecting, let it sit for 10 minutes. Scrub with a medium-weight, non-metal brush. The bristles should be stiff, but not too hard – you don’t want to damage the grout or tiles. Scrub in circles rather than straight lines for a more thorough cleaning. Rinse with a mop or wet sponge, then dry with a towel.

Baking soda: When made into a paste with a little water or vinegar, baking soda is a terrific grout cleaner. Just dab it on, scrub in circles, rinse and dry. For better cleaning, try leaving the paste on for a few minutes before scrubbing. You can also make a paste with 1/3 each of baking soda, salt and vinegar. The addition of salt helps the cleaner get into all the little crevices and spots that may be in the grout. Be sure to rinse and dry when you are done.

Lemon juice: Grout can discolor and stain with time, and those areas often need extra attention. Lemon juice does a great job removing many grout stains and discolorations. Apply the lemon juice to the affected area, let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then wipe it off with a damp sponge. If staining remains, try cleaning it or try the lemon juice again before using a harsher product.

Milder Chemical Cleaners:

All of these contain some chemicals but are not as harsh as the next group. When working with any of these products, be sure to keep the area well-ventilated, wear gloves and follow the directions on the bottle.

Bleach: Dilute the bleach with water – 1 part bleach to 3 parts water – before cleaning with it. Bleach is especially good for removing mold and mildew. It kills the mold and disinfects it too. It also removes stains and discolorations from white grout. Do not use beach on colored grout – it will discolor the grout. Be careful when using bleach and any other cleaners, especially those containing ammonia.

General Household Cleaners: Basic household cleaners that you typically use can be effective cleaners. Many contain bleach, providing the benefits of bleach with another clean without mixing them. When using a powder-based product, make sure it is non-abrasive and will not damage the grout or scratch the tile. Use as with other products, making sure to rinse extra well.

Harsher Chemical Cleaners:

These are best to use when other products have not worked. They are good for infrequent, heavy-duty cleaning when it is needed. Always read all directions carefully before you start, keep the room well-ventilated and use gloves and protective eyewear when cleaning with any of these products.

Commercial Grout Cleaners: These are designed specifically for cleaning grout and can be purchased at stores that sell household cleaners. Pick products that are designed for what you need – general cleaning, disinfecting, removing stains and discolorations, getting rid of mold and mildew, etc. Products that are pH-balanced will be the gentlest and best for tile and grout cleaning. Others can erode the grout with frequent use. Avoid colored cleaners on white grout as they can discolor the grout. Carefully follow all the directions on the container. Generally, they are applied and allowed to remain on the grout for a few minutes before cleaning and then rinsing.

Professional Grout Cleaners: Designed to provide the most heavy-duty cleaning available, these products contain the harshest chemicals. You can find them at hardware or janitor supply stores. Be careful using and storing these cleaners. Before using these strong chemicals, you may want to consider renting a steam cleaner like the professionals use to see if it can get the grout cleaning done without the use of strong chemicals.

For those readers inclined towards environmentally friendlier measures, we have several articles on different types of grout cleaner.Recent article:  How to Clean Grout or Grout Cleaning Basics

Top of the Line Ladybug XL Vapor Steam Cleaner Commercial Grade

This machine is the most powerful one. Even though it is expensive, it is one of the best steam cleaners you can buy. It will outlast and out preform all other steamers. It is commercial grade and comes with a great warranty. It has a high volume capacity and gets excellent reviews. It is great for cleaning tiles and grout, but is also cleans carpets, upholstery, walls and floors of all types. Buy this grout steamer now and never have to worry about scrubbing tile grout again!

Learn more about cleaning grout

When you clean your own tiles, you quickly realize that cleaning grout between tiles is very important to maintaining your grout. If you clean your tiles, but neglect to clean your grout, you will start to notice that the grout becomes discolored. This discoloration can be the accumulation of dirt and grime, which will eventually cause mold, bacteria, and mildew to grow in the tile. Most of the time, when people talk about cleaning the tile, they are often referring primarily to cleaning the grout layer in between their tiles. Many tile cleaners are designed specifically for this purpose, in order to get rid of the gunky buildup that is in the grout between the tiles.

Cleaning Grout Between Tiles to Get Rid of Grout Stains

If you find that cleaning grout between tiles is difficult, you probably need to take more time to get rid of the grout stains, because most likely, you have not cleaned your tile and grout for a long time. Possibly the easiest way to get rid of grout stains is to just use a bleach pen. This pen has a tip or an end that allows you to color the stained areas. The bleach will eat its way through the discoloration and restore your grout back to its original color. Just be careful when using bleach on grout. Do not allow it to sit there for too long, and do not use it on colored grout. Always follow the directions on the label to make sure you are using it the right way.

Another good option for you is to buy a steam cleaner, or else have your grout professionally cleaned. It will probably cost you less to buy a steam cleaner than it will to hire a professional, and when you’re done with the cleaning job, you will own a steam cleaner that you can use for several different cleaning purposes around your house.

The Damage Can Become Permanent

Cleaning grout between tiles on a regular basis is the best way to prevent permanent damage. If you don’t clean the grout for a long time, the damage caused by the stains as well as the build-up of mold and mildew, can become permanent. The result is that they will eat through the grout and once grout starts to fall out, then your tiles will fall out as well, which means they will all have to be replaced. On top of that, once you get cracks in your tile grout, you can also get water damage behind or underneath your tiles. Water damage can become severe very quickly, and soon you will not only have to replace the tiles, but you may also have to replace the walls or the flooring.

If you have any more questions about cleaning grout or tiles, please feel free to search for answers on this site. If you can’t find your questions answered, be sure to leave us a comment and we will try to answer your question as soon as possible.

Tired of cleaning grout and tile? Learn more about How To Make Grout Cleaning Easy And Fun. You may also be interested in different Tile And Grout Cleaning Tools.

How to Clean Floor Tile Grout

It is a good idea to learn how to clean tile floor grout. Cleaning floor grout you can make your grout look nicer and last much longer. The first step to cleaning your tile floor, is to make a grout cleaner. If you are looking for an easy way to do this which does not cost a lot of money, I recommend that you make a cleaning solution out of common household cleaning materials. You should make a paste out of vinegar and baking soda. You can also add some salt to it if you want it to be a little bit more grainy. Take a grout brush, and scrub the paste into the grout tiles. After a few minutes of scrubbing around the tiles, you can check to see if the grout is clean by rinsing off a small section of it with water. If it needs to be scrubbed for longer, keep scrubbing. Most of the time, you will be able to clean your entire bathroom floor in about 20-30 minutes. If you do not get everything  out on your first try, you can clean it again, just allow the vinegar and baking soda solution to sit on the tile grout.

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As it sits there, it will pull out more dirt and grime that is trapped down inside of the tile. If it starts to dry, you can add a little bit more water to the paste that you already have down, scrub it one more time, and then dry it off completely with a towel or a mop.

Here are some more tips on how to clean floor grout and make grout cleaning more enjoyable:

One, you can use a thin pole brush, and scrub the tile crevices from a standing position. This is especially useful if you have bad knees. As you scrub the grout and tile, make sure that you are scrubbing in the same direction as the grout to maximize your effort.

Two, you can pre-treat the floor with a solution of vinegar and water before you add the grout paste. This is a good way to start loosening up the grime, dirt, and bacteria that may be trapped in the grout.

Three, it’s also a good idea to use a tube of grout sealant after you are done cleaning. Then you do not have to clean your grout as often. The sealant will protect the grout for two or three years and keep it looking new. In the long run, this will save you a lot of time. It is important you put on two coats of sealants.

Four, you can also use kneepads, if you think that this will help you clean the floors.

Five, if you have a hard time with chemicals, make sure that your bathroom is well ventilated as you clean it. If you are unable to use chemicals at all, you can still try using a steam cleaner. Most steam cleaners are fairly effective at cleaning floor tile, and they do not use any chemicals to clean with.

Six, learning how to clean floor grout is important. But if you have not cleaned your child grout in a long time, do not be surprised if it takes you more time and determination to remove the stain from the grout. The important thing to remember is that most stains will come out with a little bit of time and a little bit of scrubbing. If you get tired of scrubbing, just allow the cleaning solution to sit on the tile grout for a few hours and they should help to lighten up and remove the stain.

Seven, the easiest way to clean floor tile grout is to maintain it clean by using a solution of vinegar mixed with water.  This is a lot less abrasive than a bleach water cleaner. If you spray this on your floors once a week, it should keep you from having to do any heavy duty cleaning for quite a while. The vinegar is a disinfectant, and also a cleaner. It should keep mold and mildew from developing on the tile and grout surfaces when it is used regularly. Some people recommend using a Clorox bleach pen to clean the grout with, you can try this out if you like. Personally I think that bleach is a little bit too strong, and that vinegar works just fine.

For suggested readings, please also check out our article, “Tile & Grout Cleaning Do’s & Dont’s” , or you may also read our post on “Eight Tips To Tile & Grout Cleaning”