What Can You Clean Grout With to Be White Again?

Use a brush to clean tile grout.

Grimy gray grout makes an otherwise sparkling kitchen or bathroom look dirty. Sealing clean grout doesn't keep it from getting dirty, but it does make it easier to clean and resists stains. Test any cleaners in an inconspicuous spot before applying it to the entire surface. Work in well-ventilated conditions by opening a window or turning on an exhaust fan.

Bleach

Common, household chlorine bleach will lift stains from grout. Dilute the bleach with water to the lowest concentration that will still work. Start with 1/4 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water. Apply with a toothbrush or small scrub brush. Rinse and let the grout dry. Grout looks more gray when wet. Increase the bleach until the grout dries white. For small areas, use a bleach pen and apply per package directions. Oxidizing cleaning powder used for fabrics work but, but not as quickly as chlorine bleach. Make a paste of the cleaner and spread it in the grout lines. Use a toothbrush to work it into the grout. Test to see if the grout has lightened after 15 minutes. Several applications may be required.

Commercial Grout Cleaner

Some commercial grout cleaners work using chemicals, while others depend on a bleaching agent. How they work and the directions for usage depend on the cleaner. For example, one type says to spray on the grout lines, let it set for 10 minutes, then rinse off. Another says to not let the cleaner dry on the grout.

Natural

Lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent, as is baking soda. Use lemon juice alone or make a paste of lemon juice and baking soda and rub it into the grout. Alternately, make baking soda into a paste with water. White vinegar dissolves lime and water marks from the grout. Natural cleaners take longer to work and aren't as effective on ground-in dirt as bleach.

Warning

Be sure the grout you think should be white is actually white. Grout comes in almond, cream and light gray as well as colors. No matter how hard you clean, a beige-colored grout is not going to be white. Don't mix cleaning products. If you've used a commercial grout cleaner that doesn't look like it's doing the job, don't immediately use a chlorine bleach solution. Mixing chemicals can be dangerous. For example, ammonia mixed with chlorine bleach produces a gas that can be fatal. Let the grout dry for 24 hours before applying grout sealer.

References

• "Talking Dirty With the Queen of Clean"; Linda Cobb; 2004
• Ask The Builder; Removing Mildew from Grout; Tim Carter