How to Keep Your Tiles and Grout Looking New
Grout looks beautiful on a new tile floor, but it quickly becomes stained and discolored by colored liquid spills, soap scum, mildew, crumbs, and grimy mop water. Regular cleaning and preventative measures help keep it looking fresh and new.
Sweep or vacuum often, mop the kitchen tile floor weekly and the bathroom daily (to avoid germ buildup), and use pH-neutral cleaners. Read on to know more.
Vacuum or Sweep Regularly
Whether it’s the floor in your kitchen or a bathroom wall, your tile and grout can get dingy over time. Grout gets marked by colored liquid spills, soap scum, mildew, crumbs, and grime from mop water.
Prevent dark stains from taking over by making cleaning a routine. For floors, that means sweeping or vacuuming regularly to remove loose dirt. In bathrooms, wipe down walls and shower doors with a sponge or squeegee after every use to minimize scum build-up.
Make it a habit to plan a weekly wet clean, such as mopping the kitchen floor or scrubbing the bathroom tiles and grout. Just be sure to avoid acidic cleaners (like vinegar) and highly alkaline ones (such as chlorine bleach), which can erode the grout and release toxic chlorine gas. Instead, use these pH-neutral cleaning solutions recommended by vetted professional cleaners. These are a great way to keep your home fresh and clean without toxic chemicals.
Bleach-Free Cleaner
In addition to making your tile look old and dingy, cleaning solutions containing bleach may also damage grout over time. Bleach can erode grout, causing it to become darker and dirtier, while also leaving behind a film that attracts more debris.
Fortunately, there are many safe and effective cleaning alternatives that can help keep your tile looking its best. For example, 3% hydrogen peroxide (the kind that comes in a brown bottle) is a non-toxic cleaner, whitener, and disinfectant that can be used as an alternative to bleach.
To use it, simply mix equal parts of liquid soap, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide to form a paste, and then apply the solution to your tile and grout using a toothbrush or scrubbing brush. Allow it to sit for several minutes before scrubbing and rinsing away with warm water. This natural cleaning solution is also safe for sealed grout. For more tips on how to keep your tiles and grout looking their best, contact us today!
Oxygen Bleach
If you can’t get your grout looking like new by scrubbing and rinsing, or if there are persistent stains that won’t budge with vinegar, use oxygen bleach. It’s the best solution for removing stubborn dirt and grime from tile floors. It comes as a powder and is sold by many brands, with OxyClean being the most recognizable.
To use it, mix a small amount with warm water until the product dissolves. Apply to the grout, and let it soak in for about 15 minutes. Then scrub the grout with a grout brush and rinse it thoroughly.
Some high-quality oxygen bleach products also contain fabric and water conditioners, detergent boosters, and stain and mildew removal additives to make them more effective. Read the label carefully to choose a safe, effective product that won’t damage your grout or corrode your tile. Avoid cheaper oxygen bleaches that may be less effective and often have ingredients that aren’t listed on the package.
Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide
If you want to keep your tile surfaces and grout looking new, it’s important to get into a regular cleaning routine. Vacuuming or sweeping regularly to remove loose dirt and dust helps minimize the amount of grime that is allowed to penetrate your grout lines.
A combination of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide makes a powerful cleaner for dingy grout. Baking soda acts as a mild abrasive and helps to loosen dirt without scratching your tile, while hydrogen peroxide brightens and disinfects. The mixture of these two household staples also works great for whitening and removing stains from laundry, fingernails, and clothes.
A paste of one part baking soda and three parts hydrogen peroxide can help cut through soap scum, hard water stains, and other stubborn dirt. Simply spread the solution over affected areas and scrub with a brush or old toothbrush before rinsing and scrubbing away any residue. This simple and inexpensive cleaner can save you the cost of a specialized bleach product like Clorox. Discover more interesting articles. Click here for the next blog post.
