Most homes have tiles on bathroom walls and floors. I am sure that you will agree that bathrooms are used more often than any other room in a house and naturally would require some amount of cleaning. Due to the moisture in this area, not to mention the continuous task of keeping occupants clean, the tiles in a bathroom will become very dirty and ugly. From time to time, the tiles will be discolored because of the accumulation of mildew and mold along the grout lines. For this reason, it is very important to clean bathroom grout since when left untreated this might become hazardous to one’s health. In this article, you can find some useful tips on how to go about grout cleaning and removal.

If you are not familiar with tile grouting process, you should know that this is an extremely common and essential aspect when laying tiles in order to keep them secure. The grout will join the tiles simply by filling up all the gaps in between. It is a mixture of cement comprised of sand, cement and color. The constant use of soap, plus scum and mold stains can easily turn even new sparkling bathroom wall tiles into something that is dirty, worn out and unappealing.

Many homeowners will tell you that cleaning the grout lines of all the unsightly stains can become exhausting each week when they are trying to get bathtub and walls to look new again. But, having clean and sparkling tiles in the bathroom is not necessarily an unattainable task because this can become easy with the use of basic home cleaning solutions.

Tips on how to clean the grout lines in your bathroom

Baking soda is actually regarded as the most effective grout cleaner, plus it is a safe cleaning solution. As a result, you can use it in your bathroom shower, bathtub, walls and floor or even the kitchen too. The only materials required to get the job done include water, baking soda, sponge, toothbrush, face mask and rubber gloves.

Prior to getting started, ensure that all the windows and doors in the bathroom are open to allow good air flow. In case there is an exhaust fan in this area, you can let this stay on at the same time as well as remove the shower curtain. By doing this, you will keep the air circulation and allow the bathroom to dry quickly.

Now you are ready to start the cleaning process. Use the sponge to wash the entire grout area. Even though the ingredients that you are using for this project are gentle, non-toxic detergents or chemicals that will not harm you, it is best to play it safe by keeping the bathroom ventilated and put on your face mask and rubber gloves as well.

Next, you can switch on the lights so that you can see the areas in the shower and bathtub which needs cleaning. Be sure to include your shower curtain, because mold and grout may appear on it as well. If the shower curtain is not cleaned on a regular basis or perhaps not cleaned properly, this could cause a repelling odor.

At this point, you should get a small container to mix the water and baking soda into a thick paste. Get one of your old toothbrushes and then dip this inside the paste. Use this to apply the baking soda solution directly over the grout lines. You should spread in large amounts and allow it to stay for about ten minutes.

Afterwards, use the toothbrush to thoroughly scrub the covered areas to effectively remove the stains. This should be carried out with constant movements, which means moving the brush backwards and forwards. In the end, this should easily lift the mildew and grout from the pressure that is placed while scrubbing.

Finally, rinse off the tub and walls using lukewarm water to get a fresh and clean look. Remember that you can use the same paste and sponge for cleaning the shower curtain.

Some additional recommendations for cleaning grout

There are bleach pen on the market that can be used as a quick prevention measure and for cleaning smaller grout stains.

As soon as the bathroom grout is completely clean, you can apply a grout sealer in order to protect against further discoloration. It is possible to apply this sealer one time annually or however often it is required.

To find out if you are using a good sealer, spraying a few drops of water should do the trick. The water must make droplets in bead-like fashion and this would mean that it’s not necessary to add a new layer.

Once you apply sealer to grout, you should clean the tiles and grout on a regular basis. This technique will minimize the use strong chemicals in future to get rid of ugly stains.

When it comes to an extensive grout cleaning technique, make use of old toothbrush, plastic bristles or nylon scrubbers.

Tips for Grout removal

As time passes and with some amount of deterioration, grout is likely to get old and must be replaced. However, this does not necessarily mean that you have to replace the tiles in the process. There are many ways to remove and then replace outdated grout, but you can get the job done easily with the use of basic hand tools or if prefer the modern powered tools.

The most effective way to remove grout is by using hand tools such as carbide tip saw along with supporting scraper. The scraper resembles a screw driver, but has a triangular head.

For the most part, an important aspect of removing grout is the steps to cover the bathtub, floors and other areas surrounding the tiles to avoid further damage. An additional tip is to shield the sides of the tiles from scratches with the use of masking tape.

It is also important to wear appropriate eye protection as well as dust mask during the grout removal process.

All in all, the best way to prevent the formation of ugly bathroom grout is to clean it regularly to remove soap scum. This means that after every shower, the curtain, shower, walls and tub should be clean with warm water. Once you follow the information provided above, this will make the cleaning process much easier and this task might even become an enjoyable weekly event.

Be Sociable, Share!

•