Cleaning brick and tile grout is often overlooked until it gets out of hand, and you have to endure back-bearing labor. But is there no other way to get your grout clean and shiny? Luckily, there is, and it can boost your home’s aesthetic appeal.
Stick around, and learn the ins and outs of grout cleaning from TLC Cleaning. But if you want to get them spotless with zero effort, contact us, and we’ll do the job for you!
How to Clean Brick and Tile Grout
Here are seven easy steps in cleaning brick and tile grout efficiently:
1. Gather Your Supplies
Before the actual cleaning occurs, you should first start by getting the following tools:
- A Specifically Developed Detergent: A detergent designed for brick and tile will make your job significantly easier and keep your tiles safe.
- Specifically Designed Cleaning Pads: The pads’ coarseness differs, allowing you to clean non-scratch surfaces gently and scrub difficult grout lines confidently.
But what if you don’t want to purchase any cleaning products? In that case, you can use the following supplies and ingredients to reduce your home expenses. To start with, the needed tools are:
- A damp cloth or sponge
- A brush with moderately stiff plastic bristles or an old toothbrush
- A mixing bowl
- Rubber gloves
As for the materials, you’ll want these for the cleaning solution:
- Powdered oxygen bleach
- Chlorine cleaner
- Alkaline cleaner
- Grout sealer (optional)
2. Clean the Grout Area
Wipe the tiles or bricks with a damp cloth. Get rid of any dust, dirt, or general grime on them, and loosen any buildup or stains. With the grout area clean, you can move on to the grout lines themselves.
3. Prepare the Cleaner
If you’re using a ready-made one, continue to the next step. If not, you can make a solution with an alkaline cleaner, oxygen bleach, or else.
Firstly, you can add water to an alkaline cleaner (according to the label instructions). That’s because alkaline cleaners are recommended by the Council of North America (TCNA) for removing grout stains.
Or you can mix two parts powdered oxygen bleach with one part water to create a paste. But ensure you’re using rubber gloves when using that solution. And a third option is to mix two parts baking soda with one part vinegar.
4. Apply the Cleaner
Use a sponge to apply a generous amount of the alkaline or oxygen bleach cleaner on grout lines. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes if it’s the former mix and 5 to 10 minutes if it’s the latter.
As for baking soda and vinegar cleaner, you should apply it with a brush. First, test the solution on a hidden area by applying a small amount to ensure that it won’t leave stains on your tiles. Then, you can apply it to all the grout lines.
5. Scrub the Grout Lines
Use the brush to scrub the grout lines aggressively until you remove the mold stains. But if you don’t want your arms to get sour, you can also use an old electric toothbrush to do the scrubbing.
While scrubbing, you should start to see the grout’s original light color.
6. Rinse It Off
If you’ve used bleach, use a sponge (not a clean cloth) to remove any residue. Then, repeat as many times as needed to remove all the bleach.
After, rinse the grout lines with water to remove the alkaline, bleach, or baking soda and vinegar cleaner residue. And wipe it with a clean cloth. Then, let the grout air dry overnight or over 24 hours.
7. Seal the Grout
Apply the sealer using a sponge or brush. Give it about an hour before applying a second coat.
Then, drop a bit of water over the grout to test the seal. If the water collects into droplets, your seal is protective enough. If not, a third coat is in order.
Finally, don’t walk on the sealer for 24 to 48 hours. And refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for this.
Final Words
Cleaning your brick and tile grout doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore if you know what you’re doing and you do it regularly. Simply use an effective cleaner (whether it’s store-bought or homemade), and apply it as instructed.
This way, you’ll restore your grout lines to their former glory. And if you dream of walking into an immaculate house without taking the time or effort, TLC Cleaning is ready to help with top-notch residential cleaning services!
