Fresh grout looks beautiful, but without proper cleaning and maintenance, it can become stained, mildewed, and even cracked. And when grout starts cracking and falling, water can seep behind the wall and cause major damage. From daily maintenance to grout replacement, here’s how to care for grout. Keep your grout clean, extend its life, and avoid premature time-and-money-wasting grout replacement.
Everyday Cleaning Routine
A daily wiping-and-spraying routine after your bath or shower is essential to keep your tiles clean and prevent premature staining and damage. Sure, it might seem a little annoying, but it’ll save you tons of work in the long run. The first thing to do is to get a good squeegee. Every time you shower or take a bath, run the squeegee on the tile and glass walls and doors to remove excess water. Then, you should lightly spray your tile and glass with a mild, daily shower cleaner. You can make your own by mixing a 4:1 water to vinegar solution or get a green cleaner. Many cleaning brands have a daily shower cleaner, so try them and see which one you like best. This daily routine will keep your shower or bath clean daily and will reduce the amount of time you’ll need to spend scrubbing. But it doesn’t mean you get away from weekly maintenance.
Weekly Deep Cleaning
Even though you will keep your walls and glass cleaner with the daily routine, you’ll still need to give your shower or bath a deep clean at least every week (or at worst, every two weeks). Despite your daily efforts, body oils and soap scum will still cling to the surfaces. So, weekly or biweekly, give your grout a nice preventative clean with a water and baking soda paste. Rub it in the grout with a grout brush or a used toothbrush and rinse with clear water. If your grout seems a little more stained than usual, use hydrogen peroxide instead of water. If you have used vinegar as your daily spray before cleaning the shower, make sure to rinse it off thoroughly before using hydrogen peroxide in the grout.
For Seriously Stained Grout
Sometimes, either through laziness or simple lack of attention, grout becomes stained and grimy to the point where your daily shower cleaner or baking soda paste can’t quite do the job anymore. In this case, you need to break out the bleach to get rid of the stains. One easy way to focus the power of bleach where you need it is to use a bleach pen. A bleach pen is great for smaller surfaces and just a little grout work, and minimizes potential contact with your tile—but don’t use it for cleaning your entire grout. It’s amazing for a little extra strength in spots where the weekly or bi-weekly cleaning just isn’t quite enough. However, if you do think that your grout could use overall disinfection and stain treatment, start with an oxygen-type powdered bleach. This kind of bleach is gentler on your grout than the liquid, chlorine-type stuff, and it’s usually sufficient to take care of your stubborn stains. Apply with a brush, let stand 10 to 15 minutes, and rinse with clean water. If all else fails, yes, you can use a chlorine bleach spray, although it’s a bit harsher and harder to control. Test it on a small, inconspicuous area of your tile to make sure that it doesn’t damage it.
Grout Renewal for Permanent Stains
And when the above doesn’t work to remove the stains, there’s one more thing you can do short of replacing the entire grout: grout renewal. There are retail products to consider that add a layer of color and protection against future staining and can extend the life of your grout for quite a few years.
When You Need to Change Your Grout
Signs that your grout needs changing include flaking and breaking and tiles coming off. It’s especially important to take action as soon as you see this kind of breakage in your grout because water can seep into your wall and cause much worse damage. If you have some DIY skills, changing grout by yourself is possible. If you can’t be bothered, hiring a professional to redo your grout is your best bet. And while you’re at it (and if you have the budget), why not change your tile as well? Today’s tile styles fit every budget and decor ideas, and you might find yourself inspired by a new look or a colorful mosaic.
