Home Solutions for Cleaning Tile and Grout
With people staying home more and more these days, tile floors are showing much more wear and tear than usual. Have you noticed that your grout is a darker color than normal?
Grout bonds individual tiles together— preventing moisture, grease, and debris from getting stuck between and behind them. It also provides rigidity and strength to the surface.
Not only is grout functional—it also creates a crisp and finished look to a tiled surface. It’s available in an assortment of materials and a variety of colors, too. Despite the benefits that grout provides, it gets dirty quickly and is difficult to clean.
Get out some pretty common ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen pantry or maybe in your bathroom cabinet. These mixtures will provide cleaning solutions for your tile and grout:
Vinegar
Before you dive in for a deep cleaning of your tiles, you’ll first need to do a preliminary cleanup. Wipe down, sweep, or mop the surface to remove the upper layer of scum with a mixture of white vinegar and water (a 2:1 solution).
Do note that you should test out the vinegar solution on a small, inconspicuous location before you cleanse the entire surface with the vinegar solution. (Vinegar can damage some types of tile materials, such as marble.)
After you apply the small amount to the surface, let the vinegar sit for a while and check to see if there are any changes to the look, texture, or composition of the tile or grout. If there aren’t any issues, proceed with cleaning the grout.
Fill a spray bottle with the vinegar and water solution, spray it onto the grout until it’s dampened, let it sit on the grout for about 5 minutes so that it can work into the grout. With a soft-bristled toothbrush, scrub the vinegar solution into the grout and loosen any dirt and debris.
Hydrogen Peroxide
You can substitute the vinegar solution for a hydrogen solution to clean the grout between your tiles.
Mix together ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide, 1 cup of salt, and 1 cup of baking soda in a dish.
Apply the mixture to a soft-bristled brush and apply it to the grout lines.
Apply pressure to loosen and work out the debris. Allow the mixture to sit on the surface for a few minutes and then rinse it down with hot water.
If your tile area is bigger than you want to tackle or the idea of scrubbing on your hands and knees is unpleasant, contact the professionals at Clean Pros in Carlisle, PA.
