If your home has tiles, cleaning grout (the material between them) is tricky as you have to scrub hard while cleaning. Interestingly, there’s an easier way of cleaning grout without scrubbing. All you need is a spray bottle, an old toothbrush, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, dish soap, water, microfiber cloths, and safety gloves.
The easiest way to clean grout without scrubbing is by spraying a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and liquid soap on the grout. Leave the potent mixture to sit for 15 minutes to work its magic. Use a wet, old toothbrush to dislodge the gunk and a damp cloth to rinse the grout.
Although there are various ways of cleaning grout, many of the methods involve breaking a sweat as you scrub. The easiest way to clean grout without scrubbing is by following the steps I’ve outlined above. Read on as I expand on them in the following sections.
1. Gather All the Cleaning Agents and Materials
If you want to clean grout without scrubbing, the first step is to gather all your cleaning agents and materials. Some of these tools are readily available in your home. The cleaning agents and materials you need to clean grout easily without scrubbing are:
- Safety gloves
- An opaque spray bottle
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Baking soda
- Dish soap
- Water
- A microfiber cleaning cloth
- Old toothbrush
- A vacuum cleaner
Gathering all your cleaning agents and materials before you start cleaning grout is a wise move because of the following:
- You can work fast as you don’t get distracted while looking for missing materials.
- Your cleaning will be efficient and thorough as your process will be streamlined.
- You save time and energy as you aren’t overwhelmed looking for materials.
- When you are organized, the cleaning work becomes more enjoyable.
2. Put on Safety Gloves
After gathering all the cleaning agents and materials, the next step is to put on safety gloves. Rubber gloves are especially ideal for this task. The gloves protect your hands while allowing you to clean optimally.
One of the reasons you wear protective gloves while cleaning grout is that you’ll be working with household chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide. Although hydrogen peroxide is safe for topical use, you might feel its sting, especially if you have any cuts on your hands.
For instance, Squish Vinyl Synmax Exam Gloves would be ideal for handling hydrogen peroxide as they are specifically made to protect you against different biohazards and chemical hazards. They are also heavy-duty, stretchy, comfortable, and disposable.
3. Put a Cup of Hydrogen Peroxide in the Spray Bottle
Once you’ve put on protective gloves, take the spray bottle to start preparing your powerful, homemade grout cleaner.
Since it’s a porous, sand-like compound, grout is especially susceptible to mold, grease, soap scum, dirt, debris, and stains. One of the secrets of cleaning grout without scrubbing depends on how powerful the cleaner is.
Hydrogen peroxide is the first agent you’ll require to prepare your powerful grout cleaner. Hydrogen peroxide is a popular, colorless household chemical with a low concentration level of around 3-9%. Interestingly, hydrogen peroxide is a versatile chemical used in personal care products, cosmetics, cleaning, stain removal, and disinfecting.
The reasons why you use hydrogen peroxide in your homemade grout cleaner are:
- Hydrogen peroxide is a neutral, safe, and effective cleaning agent.
- It helps to remove dirt from grout without being too abrasive.
- It’s a gentle and non-toxic bleach that helps not only to clean but also to brighten the grout.
So, after taking the spray bottle, open it and pour a cup of hydrogen peroxide inside.
Make sure to choose a bottle that’s specifically designed for the purpose.
For instance, the Nechtik Black Plastic Spray Bottle would be ideal for putting your hydrogen peroxide in. Since the bottle is black, it’ll ensure that the strength of the hydrogen peroxide remains intact until you finish the work at hand.
4. Add Baking Soda to the Hydrogen Peroxide and Mix
After putting a cup of hydrogen peroxide in the spray bottle, add a cup of baking soda.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is not only used in baking. It’s also a mildly abrasive and strong alkaline that is excellent for household cleaning.
Baking soda is great to add to hydrogen peroxide when making your homemade grout cleaner due to the following reasons:
- Baking soda helps to thoroughly clean soiled grout by penetrating the grout’s porous surface.
- It has mildly abrasive properties that help to lift and polish away stubborn dirt stuck on the grout.
- It also helps to remove any hard water buildup and tough stains from the grout.
- It’s excellent for dissolving grease in the grout.
5. Close the Spray Bottle and Mix Gently
Once you’ve added the baking soda to the hydrogen peroxide, close the spray bottle and shake gently to mix the ingredients thoroughly. When you combine these two agents and mix well, a chemical reaction occurs. The chemical reaction produces properties that work together to clean even the dirtiest and most discolored surface.
So, after mixing the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda thoroughly, you’ll have a powerful, homemade cleaner that can work wonders on grout.
Here’s why a cleaner made of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda is so powerful:
- When you combine hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, a chemical reaction turns the solution into a cleaning powerhouse that can clean the filthiest grout without scrubbing.
- The mixture is excellent at grease-busting and dissolving dirt.
- The mixture is also excellent at removing discoloration and polishing stains on grout.
- The combo is great at brightening the grout.
- The cleaner is completely safe for use on grout.
6. Add a Tablespoon of Dish Soap to the Mixture
The final step of making your homemade grout cleaner is to add a teaspoon of dish soap to the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixture.
After adding the dish soap to the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda mixture, close the bottle and shake well to mix.
The work of the dish soap is to cut through any slime, oils, or grease on the grout and make it easy to wipe off.
Adding dish soap to the mixture is especially ideal when cleaning grout in areas exposed to grease, such as the kitchen. For instance, Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Soap would be perfect to use. This dish soap would be great for cleaning your kitchen’s greasy grout.
A combination of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap makes a powerful grout-cleaning detergent. These ingredients mix, interact and work well with each other. The potent mixture makes it easy to clean grout without scrubbing.
7. Remove Dust From the Grout/Tiles
After making your powerful grout cleaner, removing the dust on the tiles and grout before using it is a good idea. You see, there’s usually a lot of dust on your tiles and grout, and removing it makes grout cleaning less messy.
You can use a vacuum cleaner to quickly remove the dust and debris from the tiles and grout before cleaning with your homemade grout cleaner.
8. Apply the Grout Cleaning Mixture to the Grout
Once you’ve dusted the tiles and the grout, it’s time to apply the grout-cleaning mixture to the grout. Here’s how to apply the grout-cleaning mixture to the grout:
- Shake the spray bottle once again to mix the ingredients thoroughly.
- Spray the mixture carefully along the grout lines.
After applying the mixture to the grout, the cleaning action begins.
The amount of homemade grout cleaner you’ll need will depend on the surface size you want to clean.
If the cleaner is not enough, you can always make more using the same ingredients and portions.
9. Let the Cleaner Sit for 15 Minutes
Applying the cleaner along the grout lines may take a while, depending on the size of the area you want to clean.
After applying the cleaner to the grout, leave it on for about 15 minutes so that it can work its magic.
Here’s what happens when you leave the cleaner on the grout for 15 minutes:
- The grime and dirt in the grout loosen completely.
- Any stains and hard water buildup in the grout are removed.
- Discolorations on the grout are also removed.
- The grout becomes clean and bright.
10. Use an Old Toothbrush to Dislodge the Loose Gunk
After 15 minutes, your potent grout-cleaning mixture will have completed its work.
For best results, dip an old toothbrush that is no longer in use into the water and use it to remove the already loose gunk from the grout. Using the toothbrush doesn’t involve scrubbing – it’s like lightly dislodging any loose gunk. Although this step is optional, it gives excellent end results due to the following reasons:
- Since the toothbrush has a small head, it works well between the grout lines.
- The toothbrush’s wet, tightly clustered bristles fit inside the grout lines and dislodge any loose gunk inside.
11. Rinse the Grout/Tiles Using Water and a Microfiber Cloth
Once you have dislodged the loose gunk from the grout using an old, wet toothbrush, it’s time for the next grout cleaning step.
You need a wet microfiber cloth to wipe the grout/tiles. The reasons you use a damp microfiber cloth for this step are:
- A microfiber cloth digs deep into the grout lines and thoroughly rinses all the dirt.
- It thoroughly cleans and shines floor or wall tiles/grout.
- It’s washable, absorbent, and reusable.
For instance, the Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths would be great for rinsing grout. This microfiber cloth is absorbent, washable, reusable, and non-abrasive.
Here’s how to rinse grout/tiles using water and a microfiber cloth:
- Put some clean water in a bucket.
- Dip your microfiber cleaning cloth in the water and wring some of the water out.
- Use the damp cloth to rinse the grout and tiles thoroughly and to remove the gunk dislodged by the old toothbrush.
- Repeat the rinsing process until all the gunk is out.
12. Dry the Grout With a Dry Microfiber Cloth
After rinsing the grout and tiles thoroughly with a wet microfiber cloth, it’s best to dry the surface with a dry microfiber cloth. As you dry the surface, ensure that you dig deep into the grout lines to dry all the water. A dry microfiber cloth does the following to the surface:
- It absorbs all the water on the grout lines and tiles.
- It clears any water spots on the surface.
- It gives the surface a shine.
13. Allow the Surface to Air Dry
After you have dried the clean surface with a dry microfiber cloth, allow the surface to air-dry completely. If you step on the surface when it’s not completely dry, you could soil the tiles and grout again.
When the surface air dries completely, you should notice a significant change in your tiles and grout. Here are some changes you might see:
- The grout and tiles will be clean and shiny.
- The surface will look fantastic.
- The tiles and grout may look as good as new.
If your grout is especially stubborn, you may have to repeat the cleaning process to achieve your desired results. However, after a few tries, you’re guaranteed to get a spotless surface between your tiles.
Always mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda for the best results.
Final Thoughts
Grout attracts dirt and grime, and over time, the filth in the grout can make your tiles and the surface unsightly. Therefore, cleaning the grout and tiles regularly is essential when it comes to keeping them in pristine condition. Sometimes, you’re tempted to clean the tiles and leave out the grout because cleaning it is an uphill task.
The easiest way to clean grout without scrubbing is by using the cleaning mixture and guidelines explained in this article. By the end of this read, you’ll be able to get any surface clean without breaking a sweat.
