5 Of The Best Tools To Make Cleaning Grout Between Tiles Easier
If you’re wondering how to clean the grout between tiles in your home, you have come to the right place! We deal with a lot of tile in both our business and at home, and a consistent topic of conversation with clients is how to best keep their newly designed spaces clean in order to maximize their enjoyment of them for a long, long time.
We all want to find solutions to make our daily tasks easier around the house, especially one that can be as time consuming and labor intensive as cleaning grout. Those conversations are exactly what sparked our desire to share what we have learned about how to keep grout cleaner for longer, as well as the best tools to get that grout sparkling clean in no time.
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What Is The Grout Between Tiles Made Of?
The grout you see between the tiles in your home is likely one of two kinds of grout -
Cement Based Grout:
The most common type of grout used in homes are cement based grouts, either sanded or unsanded.
Sanded grout is meant to be used for larger gaps or joints -typically 1/8” to 1/2” - between the tiles, and contains a fine sand.
Unsanded grout is smoother and intended to be used to fill smaller joints between tiles, usually gaps 1/8” or less.
Cement based grouts are porous and are recommended to be sealed.
Epoxy Grout:
Epoxy grout is made from epoxy resins and other hardeners that are mixed together.
It is popular for bathrooms and kitchens because it has more durability and water resistance than cement based grouts.
What Causes the Grout Between Tiles To Look So Dirty?
If you're wanting to know how to best clean the grout between your tiles, it helps to know what may be causing that grout to look dirty or discolored in the first place.
Here are a few common reasons grout might look dirty or discolored:
Dirt Settles There - Grout lines are an easy place for dirt to collect because it can be the lowest point along a floor or a dip in an otherwise smooth wall surface.
Mold and Mildew - Cement based grouts are porous which means that over time water can infiltrate the material. Especially in humidity, when the moisture stays in the grout, mold and mildew will grow which can cause discoloration.
Stains From Oils or Dyes - Especially when dealing with porous grouts, oils, body washes, soaps, hair care products or even cleaning products can cause staining. Especially if products with dyes in them sit too long on the grout.
Residue - The products used in showers and tubs, such as soaps and shampoo, can leave a residue in the grout between tiles.
Hard Water - Mineral build up from hard water in a home can cause staining and discoloration in grout.
What Makes Cleaning Grout Between Tiles Difficult?
Cleaning the grout between tiles is difficult because it is often so time consuming. The amount of physical labor involved in cleaning grout lines can be overwhelming, especially once stains set in. To make it worth the time and effort, you need the right tools for the job! Thankfully, keeping on top of regular maintenance and a schedule for cleaning your grout will help prevent things from getting too out of hand.
How Often To Schedule Cleaning Of The Grout Between Tiles In Your Home:
We all need to know ourselves and plan realistically for how much we can keep up with a task like cleaning our grout. That said, in an ideal situation, a good schedule for keeping up with cleaning your grout would look something like this:
Clean the grout between tiles in your bathroom: 1x per week
Clean the grout between tiles in your kitchen (floor and/or backsplash): 2x per month
Clean the grout between tiles in your living areas, entryways and hallways: Minimum 1x per month, 2x per month is better if you have pets or wear shoes in the house
It goes without saying, you should be keeping up with any obvious spills or pet accidents as soon as you see them to help prevent additional build up or staining.
Things To Consider When Cleaning Grout Between Tiles:
Type of Tile Material -
The type of tile (marble, porcelain, concrete, etc.) you have will make a difference in how you approach cleaning the grout. This is because certain cleaning tools and cleaning solutions can damage certain tile materials.
You want to make sure to look at the instructions on any bottle of cleaning solution and follow their suggestions. Often it will recommend testing a small amount of the product in an inconspicuous place to ensure it will not damage the tile in your home.
Abrasive cleaning tools can scratch soft tiles (i.e. marble and natural stone) or even remove decorative designs if used on the wrong type of tiles.
Grout Color -
Harsh chemicals or bleach can cause fading and discoloration of dark or colored grouts. Similarly, using colored cleaning solutions or harsh acidic cleaners can discolor light-colored or white grouts over time.
Don’t Mix Cleaners -
Make sure to read labels carefully and never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners. This can be very dangerous! You should also make sure the area is well ventilated while you are cleaning to prevent any accidental inhalation of fumes.
Ways To Help Prevent Staining and Discoloration In Grout Between Tiles:
There is no way to completely prevent the need for regular maintenance and cleaning of the grout between tiles. Thankfully, there are certain things you can do to potentially help reduce the frequency or intensity of that cleaning.
Prevent Discoloration from Mold and Mildew -
As discussed earlier in this article, mold and mildew are common in humid areas of the home. When water infiltrates the grout, the humidity allows mold and mildew to grow and discolor the grout. There are two things you can do that will help reduce the humidity in your bathroom which will reduce the growth of mold and mildew: a bathroom fan and a dehumidifier.
Bathroom Fan on a Timer -
A bathroom fan on a timer is a good first line of defense as it helps pull humid air out of a bathroom after a bath or shower. Using a timer is a great way to make sure it runs long enough to do it’s job but it doesn’t need to run all day. Setting the timer for 15-30 minutes after a shower is usually a sufficient amount of time to allow it to pull air out of the bathroom.
Dehumidifier -
A quality dehumidifier is a surefire way to reduce the humidity in your bathroom to reduce the likelihood mold and mildew will grow. Depending on the age of your home and overall humidity indoors, a dehumidier can run all the time to keep the humidity levels in an optimal range. Keeping your humidity levels between 30%-50% is considered ideal to inhibit the growth of mold. If you’re unsure about the humidity in your home, an inexpensive humidity monitor can help you informed about the level in a particular room.
Prevent Grout Stains From Oils and Dyes -
Cement based grouts are porous and thus can be penetrated by different substances such as oils, chemicals, cleaners and dyes that can cause discoloration. Sealing your grout regularly, about once per year, is a way that you can potentially protect it longer and attempt to prevent unnecessary staining or discoloration over time.
Prevent Hard Water Stains -
Mineral deposits from hard water can build up over time and cause staining and discoloration in shower and tub grout. Along with sealing the grout, as discussed above, another way to combat hard water is through a filter.
Shower Head Filter -
Using a filter on your shower head is one way to try to filter out unnecessary minerals in your hard water in order to reduce the potential for staining on your grout. Less residue on the tile could end up meaning there is less cleaning needed by you.
5 Of The Best Grout Cleaning Tools
1. Small Grout Brush Set -
If you have tile, then you need to have a set of grout cleaning brushes. These brushes allow you to really get into the grout lines, along edges and corners to clean out any hiding dirt or debris. The bristles are strong enough to really get the job done.
2. Long Handle Grout Brush
When you have large areas of tile and grout to clean, having a larger brush with a long handle can help get the job done faster and save your back. This grout brush is especially designed with a “V” shape to allow it to really get into the grout between tiles and scrub out any gunk or grime that might be hiding there.
3. Small Battery Powered Grout Scrub Brush -
When you have a tough job in a very tight space, a battery powered grout scrub brush can help it go more quickly with less effort. This small brush head can fit into those tight grout lines anywhere you need might some extra assistance getting them clean in the house.
4. Adjustable Length Cordless Power Scrubber -
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent cleaning tool for your bathroom, this power scrubber should be on the top of your list to check out. When it comes to cleaning the grout between tile, there are multiple, interchangeable scrubbing heads that can be used, depending on the job. We particularly love the angled brush head for getting into corners and grout lines with ease.
5. Grout Cleaning Machine -
When you have a big job to do - and it is something you’ll have to do as often as cleaning your grout - you need a tool to make that job faster and easier. This lightweight, standup machine has a scrubbing brush that does the work of cleaning in your grout lines for you, with minimal effort on your part. This machine is specifically for use on floor tile, meaning you have less time spent scrubbing on your hands and knees.
Conclusion
Cleaning the grout between tiles is a chore that so many of us have to do on a regular basis, whether we enjoy doing it or not. Understanding why the grout is getting dirty and ways to potentially reduce how often it needs to be cleaned is something all of us can benefit from. When the time comes to clean our grout, having the right tools for the job is another way to make our lives a little bit easier. We all already have so much to do, spending less time cleaning our grout is definitely a step in the right direction!
Now we want to hear from you! What is the biggest challenge you face when cleaning your grout? What tools have you found the most useful for getting and keeping your grout clean?
