How To Clean Floor Grout Without Scrubbing: Many of us have tile in our homes, including our bathrooms and kitchens. These floors are good-looking, long-lasting, and water-resistant, making them ideal for homeowners seeking an easy-to-maintain floor.
Dirt and grime are constantly accumulating on the tile. Our shoes transfer the dirt to the tiles floor, including bathroom tiles, and the dirtier the tiles, the dirtier the grout that attaches to them.
Tiles are typically easy to clean, but grout is another story. There is no doubt that you have wondered at least once how to clean grout on floor tiles and make them look new again. It’s obvious that if you’re here, you’ve tried everything and need some guidance.
Our grout cleaning tips and tricks will surely help you get rid of grout in a natural and easy way. Let me show you the easiest way to clean grout without scrubbing!
Why Does Grout Get So Dirty?
There are so many things that make it hard to keep the grout clean, no matter how much you scrub.
- The toddlers spill everything they’re drinking all over the floor
- A dog or cat rolling around in the yard leaves a trail of dirt in the kitchen
- Other walks inside with their shoes.
Due to its porous nature, grout is a magnet for dirt, mold, and mildew, especially in moist environments such as bathrooms and kitchens. It loses its characteristic milky white color as dust and liquids penetrate deeply into it and mix.
In addition, dirty mop water is very common to mess up the grout by mixing dust with liquids, and instead of getting the floor squeaky clean, it only compounds the problem by spreading and settling the water into the grout.
Fortunately, there are some effective ways to get rid of that mess.
What Are The Best Eco-Friendly/Non-Toxic/Green/Natural/Grout Cleaners?
There are huge methods for cleaning grout between tiles, but most of them contain toxic chemicals. For those who do not wish to pollute the environment with extremely harmful products, there are natural alternatives. Eco-friendly natural grout cleaners work harder than chemicals.
Baking soda: Baking soda is an exceptional eco-friendly cleaning ingredient because it can clean just about anything. In addition to removing stains from porcelain thrones, it also removes caked-on gunk from grout and neutralizes bacteria.
Sodium percarbonate: It is very likely that you are familiar with the compound’s name, “OxiClean.” OxiClean is nothing more than sodium percarbonate, a cousin of baking soda.
A mixture of sodium percarbonate and water releases oxygen, which then bonds with any type of dirt in your grout, killing any bacteria, mold, and mildew.
Vinegar: If your eco-friendly cleaning kit does not contain vinegar, it is not truly eco-friendly. Because of its exceptional qualities for penetrating surfaces and removing dirt, this natural acid will remain among the best natural cleaners for years to come. It is one of the best nontoxic grout cleaners.
Lemon: Lemons are not only great for making lemonade, but they are also great for cleaning grout naturally! With vinegar and baking soda, this fruit contains citric acid, which breaks down stubborn stains and restores grout’s white color.
Tea Tree Oil: It is ideal for treating moldy spots on grout lines with Tea Tree Oil. Put one teaspoon of tea tree oil in a glass spray bottle with a cup of water.
Spray the solvent on the grout and use a damp cloth to clean it. Use glass over plastic because essential oils over time will break down plastic ones.
Grapefruit Seed Extract: It is an excellent grout line cleaner, but it can be quite pricey. Grapefruit seed extract eliminates grout gunk, especially fungus. Health food stores and supermarkets sell it in their natural food sections.
In a spray bottle, mix ten drops of the extract with a cup of water. Apply it to the grout and let it sit for several minutes to several hours. Afterward, wipe up any residue using a damp cloth.
Hydrogen peroxide: In addition to sterilizing cuts, hydrogen peroxide has many other uses. With its antifungal and antibacterial properties, it’s a safe, natural cleaning agent. As a result, it will remove filth between your tiles while not being too abrasive, yay!
If your tiles are made from natural stones such as travertine, slate, or marble, be careful as all of these natural ingredients work great for cleaning the grout on your floors and in your bathroom.
There are some stones that are sensitive to strong or acidic substances, such as vinegar or lemon juice. You can use baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in those cases.
IMPORTANT: You should never mix hydrogen peroxide and vinegar since it creates peracetic acid, a corrosive acid that can harm your skin. If you want to remain safe and sound while cleaning, you should never mix them in the same pot or bottle.
How to Clean Grout Without Scrubbing
It can be difficult to completely clean the grout once bacteria and fungi start colonizing it… But not impossible. Can you do it without scrubbing?
Yes! You can clean your grout without scrubbing, and the easiest way to do it is to remove the dust and dirt accumulated on the tiles with a broom or vacuum cleaner.
Normally, grout cleaning gets pretty messy, but by removing as much dust as possible first, we can reduce that factor.
Before adding the main cleaning mixture, wipe the surface with hot water and a lint-free mop so the dirt softens.
The mixture consists primarily of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, and you may add eco-friendly liquid dish soap if you desire a grease cutter:
- Add ½ cup of baking soda and ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide into a small bowl
- Make a paste by mixing the ingredients
- Add 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap
- Put the mixture onto your grout and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Wipe out the mixture with a sponge or a towel and rinse the floor with some water
- Let it dry!
Important: Make sure to test the mixtures on a small area before using them. Wait a few minutes and see how the mixtures react with the tiles and grout on your floor or shower. Do not use the mix if your tile is discolored, your grout is stained, or if pieces of tile are coming off.
How to Clean Shower Tiles and Grout
Mold can grow even in the cleanest, whitest, best bathrooms, but don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are the easiest way to clean shower grout without scrubbing.
Before applying the mixture, you can crank the hot water for 3 minutes or so until steam builds, so you’ll be able to remove dirt, mold, and scum residue more quickly. Here is the recipe:
- Add 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 1 cup of baking soda into a bowl
- Thoroughly mix the ingredients
- Apply and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes between your shower tiles
- Wipe out the solution and rinse the floor with some water
- Let it completely dry
Pro-Tip: Less humidity means less mold and stains. Dry the shower walls with a cloth after every shower. You will notice a noticeable difference after doing this.
In case the above recipe does not work because you have a lot of build-ups, you can also try this recipe:
- Add 1 tbs isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol, 2 cups cleaning vinegar, and 50 drops of Tea Tree essential oils into a spray bottle
- Shake them all together
- Directly spray the solution on the problem areas
- Wait for at least 30 minutes and Let it sit.
- After that, wipe with a wet cloth or leave it without wiping
You should wear a mask and open the windows when cleaning with tea tree oil
How to Clean Grout on Floor Tiles
For obvious reasons, the floor is one of the areas of your home that gets dirtiest the fastest, so what can you do when the grout between your floor tiles needs some love? Let’s use one of the most widely used cleaning mixtures – vinegar, baking soda, and lemon:
- Add 2 cups of water, ¼ cup of vinegar, ¼ cup of lemon juice, and ½ cup of baking soda into a large bowl,
- Apply the mixture to the grout lines with a toothbrush
- Let it sit for 10-15 minutes
- Rinse with a towel and warm water
- Let it dry completely
Sprinkle extra baking soda over your grout if it has especially stubborn stains. This will enhance the effect!
How to Clean Stubborn Grout Mold
Learn how to refresh your grout to get rid of stubborn grout mold. However, one thing is all you need: sodium percarbonate.
Sodium percarbonate is an alkaline substance, and mold prefers slightly acidic environments instead. Sodium percarbonate also breaks the bond between grout and mold when mixed with water, which results in a highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide.
The oxygen bubbles from the sodium percarbonate will make cleaning easier, even though mold and mildew are very stubborn:
- Mix 2 tablespoons of sodium percarbonate in 2 cups of warm water before using
- Apply the sodium percarbonate solution to the grout, covering all lines evenly
- Using a toothbrush, scrub the grout with the mixture
- Wait 10 – 15 minutes to let the mixture soak into the grout properly.
- Dip the brush into the sodium percarbonate powder if you see a darker or more visible mildew stain.
- Rinse the surface and dry thoroughly.
If you don’t have this powder at home, you can easily get it on Amazon, which will give your grout a bleachy clean look without using bleach or other environmentally harmful whiteners.
How to Remove Pet Urine From Floor Tile Grout
- Use a broom or vacuum to remove pet hair, all loose dirt, and debris.
- Mix vinegar and water in a bucket, using 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water, to remove stains from sealed grout. Use full-strength vinegar to remove stubborn pet urine stains from unsealed grout. Use a sponge to apply the solution to the urine stain.
- Allow the vinegar mixture to sit for one minute. Use a scrub brush to scrub the urine stain until it begins to lighten. Wait for another minute.
- Rinse the stain with clean water and a sponge. Scrub the area with antibacterial soap and a scrub brush. Rinse the soap off with clean water and a sponge. Allow drying completely.
- Add baking soda to water to form a paste to remove the odor. Brush the paste into the grout. After one to two minutes, rinse off with clean water and a sponge.
- Use a product designed for unsealed or tumbled marble tile to remove stains. Sweep the surface with a sponge after scrubbing it with a brush.
How Do Professionals Clean Grout?
The majority of professional grout cleaning companies use specialized cleaning solutions. These solutions are pH-balanced, so they can cut through a variety of stains.
Although these solutions are effective at removing stains, they emit toxic byproducts. It’s dangerous to use these products without the proper safety equipment.
White vinegar is the best homemade grout cleaner. Professionals typically use a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and water.
How to Maintain a Clean Grout
Keeping your grout clean starts with preventing dirt buildup. What is the best way to keep your grout clean and maintained? Here are a few tips:
- Walk-off rugs or mats should be placed outside and inside your house’s entrance
- Remove your shoes before walking into the tiled area
- Ensure that pet paws are wiped clean with a towel before entering
- Every 3 showers, or so, spray hydrogen peroxide on the grout. Mold will not grow on it
- Open the shower stall and windows to completely dry the bathroom
- Finally, be sure to clean the floors and shower regularly – once a week – and perform periodic maintenance.
