I can wax lyrical about the number of conversations ive had about Grout. Why wont my grout stay clean? My ivory grout is black what can i do? So I’m going to give you some quick tips on how to clean the grout in your bathroom. They will require some elbow grease and persistence but it is possible to do at home. Alternatively you can call the Tile & Grout Monster and we can do all the work for you!!
Grout, its a funny little word. Such a small word doesnt seem to portray the amount of dissatisfaction it will cause us. A majority of us will choose white grout for our bathrooms, it makes the tiles look prettier. However that white grout will show every little little stain. Its porous and hard to clean, frustration is real, am i right ?!
These are the materials you will need –
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Hydrogen peroxide (optional)
- Grout brush or firm toothbrush (2 or 3)
- Small bowl
- Spray bottle
- Goggles
- Big Yellow Rubber Gloves
Here we go –
Just a quick reminder, Tile and Grout Monster will do all this for you in half the time ….
okay you still want to give it a go… right here we go –
- Fill the spray bottle with 1 part vinegar & 1 part water and spray the shower area generously, leave 5 minutes, then take your grout brush / toothbrush and scrub your grout lines.
A period of time will lapse during this scrubbing….. in an alternative universe you are sitting downstairs binge watching Netflix and having a cup of tea with a biscuit. Enjoying your weekend off after working all week….. finally when you see the grout lines whiten rinse with warm water.
- Now for the chemistry, goggles may be a necessity, take your small bowl and make a paste with your baking soda and water. Remember all those grout lines you just spent the last hour and a half scrubbing, well take your bowl and tooth brush / grout brush, and gently work the mixture into all those grout lines again. Take your spray bottle with vinegar & water and spray the area again. The chemical reaction will now start to happen and it will burn away the soap scum and bacteria from the grout.
As this reaction occurs you continue to scrub really get all the way into the grout…. in an alternative universe you are on the 2nd season of your binge watching marathon and considering getting up to make yourself some cheese & toast. Contemplating whether to offer the guys from Monster a cup of tea or not.….. hours pass, your elbow will begin to burn but you work through that pain !!
- Rinse with warm water
You will be happy to know after approx 4 hours you are halfway there. Now the Baking Soda & Vinegar will not remove mould or mildew, stubborn bacteria stains. For this you will need to bring in the big guns Hydrogen Peroxide.
- Spray the Peroxide onto your grout lines, I personally would be uncomfortable using this with a ceramic tile / glass mosaics etc so you should do a small test in the corner where no one will see, just incase it strips the lamination off your tile.
Let the Peroxide sit for a few minutes and then go to work on it with your grout brush / toothbrush, really scrub those hard to clean stains. You may have to repeat this stage a number of times to really strip away the bacteria…. in an alternative universe you have said good bye to the Monster guys and you are admiring your beautiful clean bathroom, amazed at the clean grout. Delighted with the fresh clean smell that is throughout the house….. open all windows upstairs to keep your work space airy, vinegar & peroxide have a really strong smell.
If the Peroxide is not working on its own you can make a paste with the Baking Soda and apply it to specific areas that are giving you problems. Scrub and let sit.
- Rinse with warm water.
Step back 8 hours later and admire your handy work, slightly gagging on the smell of vinegar & peroxide, elbow screaming with pain.
Looking around you notice the black mouldy silicone seal that is around the shower, silently curse, close the door and go downstairs and binge watch your Netflix programme you’ve been looking forward to watching all week, into the early hours of the morning…
Alternatively ….
Phone the Tile & Grout Monster, have one of the guys come out and give you a quote. Which will certainly not make your eyes water, unlike the vinegar, baking soda & peroxide. Book them to come out and transform your whole bathroom, silicone and all. Pay for the service. Watch them leave, enjoy your clean bathroom.
Cheerio xx
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[…] my bathroom floor grout. In Monster News last week I covered a DIY way to clean your dirty grout click HERE to read the BLOG. A few years ago I spent my entire weekend, doing just that. Baking Soda and Vinegar were mixed […]