Mildest grout cleaner:

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

Vinegar: Used for daily cleaning and as a disinfectant, vinegar can be diluted with equal parts water or applied full-strength. Put vinegar or 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 a 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 disinfectants 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 grout cleaners. Many contain bleach, providing the benefits of bleach with another cleaner 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, being 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 on the grout. 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 clean without the use of strong chemicals.

Cleaning Shower Tile and Grout. This is where I begin when cleaning my bathroom. As I have a small bathroom, cleaning my shower is about 1/3 of the work and gets me off to a great start. To get started, wet every thing down. It works great if you have a flexible shower head; if not just use a bucket, a large cup, or a spray bottle (just work fast). Using an organic paste, vinegar, or a store bought disinfectant, and a sponge, wipe tiles until they are smooth to the touch. Before you start there is probably a grimy texture from soap build up. Make sure you compare & the tiles are smooth so you know you have gotten it all.

Next you will work on the grout. Spray it with a grout cleaner or use an organic grout cleaning paste. A bristled scrub brush is what I like to use, but you can also use the abrasive side of a sponge or other soft scrubber. For hard to reach crevices, an old toothbrush is great, it works especially well around the fixtures in the shower & bath. If you have some really small crevices that not even a toothbrush can reach, a great tool to use is a butter knife with a cloth on top, or a toothpick.

You can quickly finish off the rest of the bathroom with a vinegar solution (one to one vinegar to water). First, clean the metal fixtures in the bath & shower. Glass surfaces should cleaned next, you can use a store bought glass cleaner or the vinegar solution. Next quickly wipe down the sink, floor & toilet in that order (with a quick swish of the toilet brush for inside – don’t forget to spray off the toilet brush with your vinegar solution to disinfect when your through). And finish off with ½ cup of bleach or vinegar down the sink to break up any hair or other dirt blocking that is inevitably in the drain.