UGH! Those Grout Lines on the Tile Floors!

Tile floors are great when it comes to cleaning up broken glass, food crumbs, spills, and pet accidents. A broom, dust pan or damp paper towel with cleaning solution or water and it is clean again. But those grout lines. Really! Those awful, nasty looking grout lines that absorb any and everything that lands on the floor.

Don’t despair; you can clean those grout lines easier than you think with a few simple household products and some elbow grease. In case you haven’t figured it out, grout is a porous material, and it absorbs dirt, grease, liquids, oils, and then it stains. So, bathrooms, entryways and kitchens where tile floors are most common, will get to looking nasty fast.

Now you can go to the store and buy one of those commercial brands of grout cleaner. Or, you can save the money, avoid the chemicals and use these three steps:

1. Using baking powder and water make a paste and rub it into the grout. Leave it overnight and then with a stiff nylon brush or old toothbrush, scrub it off.
2. Use powdered bleach, which is nontoxic and won’t produce those harsh fumes. Mix with warm water and spread a heavy coat on the grout lines. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes minimum or 6 hours maximum and then scrub. Now, rinse with clear water.
3. Mix four cups of water with one-fourth cup baking soda, one-fourth cup lemon juice, and half cup vinegar into a spray bottle. Now, spray onto the grout lines and let it sit for a few minutes. Then using a nylon brush or sponge, scrub.Finally, rinse with clear water.

If your grout lines are still dark, dingy and nasty, then call a professional service that can come in and do a deep cleaning. Once that has been done, with a routine, you should be able to keep them clean easier.