3 steps to cleaning bathroom grout
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Scrubbing the grout is no one’s favourite chore, but it needs doing. With repeated exposure to soap and humidity, coupled with a lack of ventilation, grout quickly becomes discoloured from bacterial growth and ruins the overall look of the bathroom. The trouble is, cleaning it is hard work, but that doesn’t have to be the case.
The good news is the GHI has found the easiest way to clean grout - and it takes just three steps. To help you out, we’ve listed all our favourite products to make the chore a little easier too. Here’s how to get your grout looking as good as new.
Step 1
Make a paste from two parts bicarbonate of soda to one part water, then rub onto dirty grout using an old toothbrush.
An electric toothbrush with an old head will also work wonders with little effort from you!
Step 2
Fill a spray bottle with distilled white vinegar and spray it over the bicarb mix.
Don’t panic when it starts to fizz; this chemical reaction contributes to the cleaning process. Leave it to work its magic until it stops fizzing and apply more vinegar as necessary.
Step 3
Use the old toothbrush to scrub away the grime; a stiff bristled grout brush is also a good tool for this task. Rinse well with water then dry using a microfibre cloth. You can always apply a sealing spray to protect the grout in the future, such as Polar Tile & Grout Clear Sealer Spray.
The products we love...
Grout eraser
A grout eraser is an alternative to scrubbing with an old toothbrush. We like the JML Doktor Power Magic Eraser. It’s more expensive than the bicarb method, but depending on how grimy your grout is, it might save you some scrubbing.
These sponges wear down quickly, though, so you’ll need a few if you’ve got a whole bathroom to tackle. We recommend cutting them to a convenient size before wiping over your grout.
For a ready-made alternative to bicarb, coat your grout in Stardrops Pink Stuff paste which is great for lifting grime.
Mould removers
Banish unsightly mould on grouting with HG Mould Spray. This specialist cleaner is designed to remove mould and help control regrowth. Always follow the instructions on the bottle.
If you’ve got stains that just won’t shift, try covering them with a grout pen. Unibond Grout Reviver Pen covers old grout with a fresh white layer, so you can smarten up your grout in minutes.
Vinegar spray
Dirt and mould can cling to limescale, so regular use of a distilled white vinegar spray is a great way of keeping limescale at bay and maintaining the shine. You can buy a pre-made spray, but making your own is easy and cost effective.
Get an old spray bottle and fill it with a solution of half water, half distilled white vinegar. Use this to spray down your shower walls and tiles several times a week. To avoid leaving your bathroom smelling too much like the local chippie, don't be tempted to use the malt vinegar from your condiment cupboard.
Electric cleaning brushes
Electric cleaning brushes are fantastic for cleaning nooks and crannies around the bathroom, including taps, tiles and grout. Just think of these as large electric toothbrushes with more power to scrub.
Look for a model with a brush head which is ideal for reaching into your grout. Our winner, the Bosch UniversalBrush (93/100) scored well for removing stains from grout and clearing soap scum.
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