Grout? How to clean it

[mrsboz]

I got my tile floor two years ago. I sealed it right away. I know that you are supposed to do it every year but last year went by without me doing it. There are a few spots that need to be cleaned - they are darker than others. Does anyone know how i can get these cleaned? I bought some cleaner and it did nothing at all. I would like to get it cleaned so that I may seal it again. Thank you.

 

[2TxAgs]

A spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide worked wonders for us...and cost a dollar!

 

[Tistal]

A spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide worked wonders for us...and cost a dollar!

Did you dilute it or use straight hydrogen peroxide? I've been trying to clean the grout in my apartment bathroom for years and found nothing that works (who puts white tile and grout in an apartment bathroom?!? I inherited it "dirty," but I'm sure with the amount of bleach products I've put on it that it's not; it just looks it). I've considered dumping bleach in there and hoping for the best, so I'm willing to try just about anything.

 

[HLAuburn]

Anyone have any experience with the carpet/floor cleaning companies that offer to clean grout? I see ads around here all the time and after a year, ours is starting to look like it needs a good cleaning. We have so much tile, it would take me another year to clean it all! I was hoping a place like ChemDry would be able to clean it.

 

[ceecee]

Anyone have any experience with the carpet/floor cleaning companies that offer to clean grout? I see ads around here all the time and after a year, ours is starting to look like it needs a good cleaning. We have so much tile, it would take me another year to clean it all! I was hoping a place like ChemDry would be able to clean it.

I had Stanley Steemer do my tile and it cleaned great, the grout however did not. He adviced us to have it re-gouted and sealed.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I got my tile floor two years ago. I sealed it right away. I know that you are supposed to do it every year but last year went by without me doing it. There are a few spots that need to be cleaned - they are darker than others. Does anyone know how i can get these cleaned? I bought some cleaner and it did nothing at all. I would like to get it cleaned so that I may seal it again. Thank you.

Can you just use a toothbrush and straight Chlorox? Or try the Magic Eraser? I've also heard that baking soda and peroxide work.

 

[gduvall]

Oxi-Clean and alot of scrubing, turned ours back to original color. Of course our Kitchen took like 14 hours of total clean time. We do have a larger kitchen.

 

[angierae]

The Magic Erasers work on ours, but it also shreds them as you scrub so you need a bunch of them. Lately I just tackle one chunk of the floor at a time each week, figuring it will eventually be clean and I don't care that some spots are cleaner than others.

I may try the peroxide, though.

 

[mrsboz]

Nothing seems to be working well. I bought the cleaner from Home Depot - nothing. I used straight peroxide - nothing. I used the magic eraser - nothing. I am hesitant to use bleach because I don't know if it will break the grout down. Does anyone know? My floor isn't even that bad at all but I don't want to reseal it on the places that are darker (stained) from the rest of it. I have a very big kitchen also but only have to concentrate on small areas. Maybe I'll try the oxi-clean. Thanks everyone. Anyone else that has suggestions please comment.

 

[HLAuburn]

Nothing seems to be working well. I bought the cleaner from Home Depot - nothing. I used straight peroxide - nothing. I used the magic eraser - nothing. I am hesitant to use bleach because I don't know if it will break the grout down. Does anyone know? My floor isn't even that bad at all but I don't want to reseal it on the places that are darker (stained) from the rest of it. I have a very big kitchen also but only have to concentrate on small areas. Maybe I'll try the oxi-clean. Thanks everyone. Anyone else that has suggestions please comment.

Don't use bleach - it might get it white, but it also breaks it down and it will start coming out in chunks. Trust me, I speak from experience! I did it once about 10 years ago, and my husband still reminds me of what happened!

 

[HillPete]

We've had good luck with CLR cleaner. Not perfect, but good. We've also tried white vinegar and a toothbrush - meh.

Good luck!
-H

 

[StephMK]

It was not a fun project but I did that to our kitchen tile last year. I just used a stiff grout brush and baking soda with a little water to make a paste. It worked pretty good, considering how old our tile is but the manual labor part took a long time. THen I used our steam cleaner to clean the floor & get up the baking soda from the floor.

 

[Pakey]

My entire house is tile with a very light colored grout. It's not budget but I purchased a Whitewing steam cleaner that has an attachment to clean grout. It works great. It is time consuming but I can do the entire house in 2 days. I use this same Whitewing to clean the tiles, the bathtubs, window tracks, barbeque grill, etc. It's turned out to be money well spent.

 

[SandrA9810]

Bar Keepers Friend actually works very well on grout. I was cleaning the stove and decided to try it on the tile (since all the counters are tile), and worked like a charm.
Take a wet sponge to it, then sprinkle the powder over top. Wet the sponge again (but not heavily) and spread it around the grout. Let it sit for a few minutes, then use a bit of elbow grease to get it white.

 

[mrsboz]

Thanks for the tip on not using bleach. A friend actually just suggested it and I was about to try it.

What is barkeepers friend and where do you purchase it?

I also tried the gel bleach pen a few hours ago with the magic eraser and no help there. I am very surprised that in this day in age when there is so much tile out there that there isn't a cleaner. Well, maybe that's what I'll do - invent a cleaner for tile and make millions!

 

[MichelleinMaine]

What is barkeepers friend and where do you purchase it?

It's along the lines of Ajax or Comet. Not as abrasive, but similar sort of can and in the same part of the cleaning products aisle. It's a gold can.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

Barkeepers friend is a powder cleaner (like comet cleanser). You should be able to find it at a Target or Wal-Mart type store.

 

[quentina]

Ok, I have tried all the cleaners and then I hit the mother load. ZEP tile cleaner. I have only seen it at home depot in the industrial cleaning area. THis stuff is AMAZING. I believe it is called tile cleaner. It is not the one you mop with, it is the one that you pour straight on the grout.

It is a little yucky to clean up and it will eat the grout away (must be acid based). I put it on for about 30 minutes, take a scrubbie and it looks brand new. I smartened up and started sealing on a regular basis so, I don't do it as often. I'm not kidding it rocks!

 

[SandrA9810]

Ok, I have tried all the cleaners and then I hit the mother load. ZEP tile cleaner. I have only seen it at home depot in the industrial cleaning area. THis stuff is AMAZING. I believe it is called tile cleaner. It is not the one you mop with, it is the one that you pour straight on the grout.

It is a little yucky to clean up and it will eat the grout away (must be acid based). I put it on for about 30 minutes, take a scrubbie and it looks brand new. I smartened up and started sealing on a regular basis so, I don't do it as often. I'm not kidding it rocks!

ZEP line is the Home Depot brand, so it's the only place you'll find it. It's also supposed to be commercial/industrial strength, but many people buy it to dilute for household use.

I've also picked up Bar Keeper's Friend at Lowes and Home Depot. It's a really good all around cleaner, but it really makes metal shine.