How to Clean Tile Grout

Gathering your cleaning supplies. For this dirty job you are going to need a bucket, some mild dish soap, a vacuum, and a sponge mop or a few clean soft cloths (depending on whether you're cleaning floor tiles or counter tiles). If you have white grout, you should get out hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and a spray bottle. If you have colored grout or a heavy-duty grout stain problem, you may need to go buy some oxygen bleach powder.

Prepare the area to do some serious tile grout cleaning. To make this job as easy as possible, you will want to remove as much dirt and debris as you can from the area surrounding the grout. Think about it. If you start to wash the grout next to dirt-covered tile, you are going to smear the dirt onto the grout and create a bigger mess than you started with. So get out your vacuum and give the area a good cleaning. Be gentle and be careful not to scratch the tile. For countertops or walls, use some rags to do a good dry cleaning first.

Mop or wipe down the grout and tile. To clean grout, you really want to start off with the mildest cleaning product first and see if it solves your problem. Fill your bucket with warm water and add a couple tablespoons of soap. Put your mop or soft rags in the soapy mixture. Wet down the area and allow the soap to sit on the grout for a few minutes. Then gently wash the area and make sure to scrub the grout. Rinse your cleaning tool in the bucket to prevent distributing dirt around the area. If your grout looks clean again, you can skip to the rinsing step.

Cleaning white grout. Dirt may show up more easily with white grout. On the flip side, you have less to worry about when cleaning it. Cleaning solutions can adversely affect colored grout by distorting the color. To clean white grout, mix a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle. After your area has dried from the previous step, spray the peroxide solution directly onto the grout. Give it some time to soak in. You may need to reapply in certain areas until the grout is back to your desired brightness.

Stubborn stains that remain in the white grout. After the last step, you may have spots in the grout that are still stained. You may need to draw the stain out of the grout's pores. To tackle a stubborn stain, mix some baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into a paste. Apply the paste to the stain, working it into the area with an old toothbrush. Then allow it to dry. Take a wet rag and wipe the mixture off of the grout to remove. Rinse thoroughly to be sure the cleaner has been removed. If the stain is still there, you can try the next step.

Cleaning heavy-duty stains or colored grout. You may be tempted to use a chlorine bleach on tough stains, but don't. There is a healthier and more environmentally friendly alternative. Purchase an oxygen bleach powder, like OxiClean. Follow the directions on the packaging, mixing the oxygen bleach with warm water. Thoroughly apply the solution to the grout allowing it to soak the stained areas. Wait about ten to fifteen minutes and then gently scrub the stain with an old toothbrush.

Rinse the cleaner off of the grout and tile. Leaving cleaner residue sit on any surface is a huge mistake because it can attract more dirt. Empty your bucket and refill it with clean warm water. Then take your mop or some clean soft cloths and go over the entire area again, making sure to cover both the grout and the surrounding tile. Rinse your mop or cloth as needed during the process to remove the cleaner from the surface (instead of just spreading it around).