How to Clean Grout
We all have a dirty little secret—and that’s dirty grout. Somewhere in your house, there’s some tile that needs some love, a glass shower that needs refreshing or a backsplash that needs some new splash.
But cleaning grout isn’t just important for appearance—it’s important for the longevity of your tile surfaces. And don’t go thinking cleaning grout is a once-a-year event like the 4th of July–regular maintenance of your grout can lead to boatloads of savings on repairs and replacements.
So, how do you effectively clean grout to keep your home looking spick-and-span while also keeping the contractor invoices at bay? Below are five easy steps for everything you need to know about giving your grout a new life.
1. Start Gentle
Most people think to start by applying grout cleaner directly to the grout and throwing in a healthy dose of elbow grease. But this isn’t the case. In order to prep your grout for the ultimate deep clean, grab yourself a professional grout brush. Then, mindfully scrub along the grout with the brush.
2. Select a Safe and Effective Grout Cleaning Product
Most homeowners and home dwellers grab a bottle of bleach-based commercial cleaners and use it on everything from kitchen sinks to bathtubs, to tile surfaces—bad idea. Harsh commercial cleaners can erode grout and lead to costly damage to surfaces and materials.
That’s why grout cleaners exist. Granite Gold® Grout Cleaner quickly and safely deep-cleans soiled grout and is safe on every surrounding surface including stone, porcelain, colored grout, ceramic and glass. On top of that, our Grout Cleaner is safe to use on food-prep surfaces. Once you’ve prepped the grout for a deep clean, read the directions of our Grout Cleaner before proceeding.
3. Apply Your Cleaning Product
Once again, grout cleaners aren’t like harsh multipurpose household cleaners—they’re built specifically for grout and the surfaces bound by it. Granite Gold® Grout Cleaner is strong enough for instant application and removal of dirt and debris, and safe enough to use on heavier stains that require longer absorption time to work its magic. Once you’re ready, take your grout brush and once again gently scrub to remove stains and dirt.
It’s also important to understand that vertical surfaces require a different approach than horizontal—that’s because gravity has a way of making everything go down. For vertical surfaces, Granite Gold® Grout Cleaner provides a foaming action feature on the nozzle—just pull out the tab at the end of the nozzle, and you can get a deep clean that Sir Isaac Newton would be proud of.
4. Rinse with Warm Water
Now that you’ve cleaned your grout, it’s time to clean up. Make sure to rinse the dirt and other substances off the grout and surrounding surfaces. Once clean, dry the grout and surfaces quickly with a soft towel to avoid mildew buildup and weakening of the grout.
5. Protect Your Grout
If you’re in the business of keeping the repairman out of your house, then it’s wise to follow up your grout cleaning with grout protection. Granite Gold® Sealer is designed specifically to protect grout, granite, marble, travertine, and all other natural-stone surfaces against staining, etching and soil buildup—and that means a longer lifetime for your grout and surfaces, as well as a longer time between cleanings!
Plus, Granite Gold® Sealer is safe on food-prep surfaces, streak-free, and contains zero phosphates or ammonia for natural protection that keeps your grout looking great. In just five steps, you can have good-as-new-looking surfaces with just a little love.
Want to learn a bit more about caring for your natural stone or quartz? Check out our blog for the latest tips and tricks from the Stone Care Experts at The Granite Gold Company.