Does Your Grout Need Some Love?

This week we’re getting into the nitty gritty of keeping your grout gorgeous. We're so happy you are here! Although it feels like summer outside here in Wisconsin, fall is just around the corner! Stores are stocked full of pumpkin spice everything and the color orange is inescapable. We love all things fall here at Clean Freak Weekly HQ and nothing says cozy like a sparkling clean home.

Before we jump into grout cleaning, we wanted to share a fun and upbeat cleaning video I found this week. Charlie is an up-and-coming clean freak with a sparkling future ahead of him! Check out his oven cleaning skills HERE on TikTok. This video made both my Dad and I smile. We know how awesome it is to find the right product or tool to help get the job done right!

5 Tips For Clean Grout!✨

Ah Grout, we love it, it’s the glue that holds well… your tile together. One thing we don’t love however is how it needs more than a quick mop to stay clean. Grout is one of those things you shouldn’t notice in someone's home, when you do, discoloration sticks out like a sore thumb.

Why is it so challenging to keep grout clean? First of all, when we are cleaning our tile we tend to push all the dirt and grime from the smooth tile surface into the valley of the grout. Valley of the Grout! Sounds like a great band name! Because grout can be porous it harbors and absorbs some of our worst spills and messes. Over time all of this gunk can build up making grout even more difficult to clean. In bathrooms, we commonly see makeup, self-tanners, hairspray, and nasty biologicals (the nice way to say urine and feces). In kitchens, it is very common to see food grease buildup and residue from food spills.

So here are 5 tips to make your grout cleaning easier!

1. Always sweep and/or vacuum the area you're planning to clean first. This way you aren’t pushing around wet dust bunnies and wet hair across the floor when you are wiping the tile. It is easier to remove dust and dirt dry rather than creating a bigger mess when it is wet!

2. Choose a brush that is firm but not too abrasive. Here's one we like to use. While you can get a little more aggressive when scrubbing grout, if your brush is too firm it could scratch the surface of the tile. Again, be especially careful with scrubbing on or near natural stone. A narrow brush designed for grout cleaning can be a great option to minimize the possibility of scratching the delicate tile. Another option we love is drill brushes. They can really speed up the cleaning process.

3. Use the right cleaning solution. When it comes to picking the right solution it depends on how dirty the grout is. Check out our list of go-to cleaners below for a variety of situations.

4. Always test a small area before cleaning the entire floor. Is the cleaning product or cleaning brush too aggressive? Is it working? Is it scratching or etching the surface of the tile? Cleaning grout is hard work! Making sure your cleaner is doing its job and you're not going to cause damage will save time and prevent possible issues.

5. Seal the grout! It is recommended to seal many grout types after they are thoroughly cleaned. Here is the one we like to use. It helps the grout stay cleaner longer and easier to clean in the future. Before sealing, make sure the area is dry and free from dust, fuzz, hair and other debris. We typically recommend waiting 24 to 48 hours after cleaning before you apply the seal. This way you can be sure the grout is good and dry and you are not sealing in excess moisture. You can apply the grout sealer to the grout lines with a foam sponge, brush, or small roller. Wipe excess sealer from the tile to prevent residue from accumulating on the tile surface.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sealing Grout

How many coats should I apply? After the first coat dries, test a small area with drops of water. The water should bead up into droplets. If not, you may want to consider another coat of sealer.

How long does the sealer last? Usually, that depends on the amount of traffic that your tile floor is seeing. In most homes cleaning and sealing once a year is standard. Be aware that the sealer can wear off more rapidly in high-traffic areas. If you have 4 kids, 3 dogs, 2 cats, 1 turtle, and a parakeet you may want to consider sealing the grout twice a year. If you have a low-traffic home, we recommend a thorough cleaning and sealing every other year.

Notes: Epoxy grout typically does not need to be sealed.

Our Go-To Grout Cleaners

• Really Dirty (Where you can't even tell the original color of the grout): We suggest a hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mix (Mix equal parts of baking soda and 3% hydrogen peroxide into a loose paste) or the Zep Grout Cleaner and Brightener. These work great at bringing new life to super dirty grout.

• Just a Freshen Up: A great DIY we like to use is vinegar, water, and dawn. ( Mix 1 Cup of cleaning vinegar, 1 cup of water and a few drops of Dawn dish soap in a spray bottle)

• All Natural: A steamer is a great option if you want to go the no-chemical route. It uses pressurized steam to blast away the dirt and grime.

• Grease (not the movie): If you have a lot of grease residue, we like to use a degreaser. The Dawn Pro Degreaser does a great job breaking up the oils and grime.

• Grout with Natural Stone: Use extra care and caution. The Natural Stone Institute suggests cleaning with a neutral cleaner, stone soap, or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water.

Here is a list of all the products and tools we like to use for tile and grout cleaning

When to Call a Professional?

If the grout and tile are heavily soiled with grime and grease buildup you may want to call a professional cleaner. They have specially designed tools and products that most home consumers do not have. Also, if crawling around on your hands and knees scrubbing for the better part of a day is not particularly appealing to you, calling in the pros can make your life much easier!

Words of Caution:

Depending on what we have spilled on our tile floor over time, some things can end up dyeing or discoloring the grout itself. Some discolorations can be permanent.

Sometimes while cleaning the grout you can release a muddy-looking slurry. Be careful when wiping this because there could be abrasive material in the slurry that could scratch the surface of the tile. (This is especially true on natural stone tile.)

Using toilet bowl cleaners has become a hack for cleaning grout. We don't like to recommend this for several reasons- Acidic and Alkaline toilet bowl cleaners can etch certain tiles, especially natural stone. Many toilet bowl cleaners are colored with dyes that can end up discoloring your grout permanently. Also, if you have carpet nearby, the toilet bowl cleaner can remove color and permanently damage your carpet in areas where it comes in contact with the toilet bowl cleaner.

Clean Freak Of The Week

Are YOU the next Clean Freak of the Week?

Every week we will be selecting one member from the Clean Freak Weekly to receive an exciting and fun cleaning gift!

This week we are giving away a brand new Ryobi Cordless Power Scrubber

What do you need to do to qualify?

Just sign up for the Clean Freak Weekly and you are in the running! (Currently only available to US residents but will be expanding soon!)

Check your inbox each week to see if you are the next Clean Freak of the Week!

Thanks so much for joining us for this week's Clean Freak Weekly!

Brandon & James

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