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Restore your old dirty grout back to its original color with this natural grout cleaning recipe. Homemade grout cleaner made with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide is one of the best ways to remove stains and brighten grout.
Deep cleaning grout is not something that needs to happen every day, but over time, dirt and grime will eventually build up on the rough grout finish turning it into a dark, unnatural color.
At this point, a good grout cleaning should be in order.
Of course, there is always the option of accepting the new finish, but if you so desire to get on your hands and knees and scrub away, this homemade grout cleaner is just the thing for you.
Mopping over stained grout is most likely not going to clean the grout.
Chances are you already mop on a regular basis and though mopping does an excellent job cleaning tile, the dirt seems to hold tight to grout no matter how often it’s mopped.
This homemade tile grout cleaner can be just the thing your floor needs to restore its original shine.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Save money: Why spend money on commercial grout cleaners when you can make your own with a few inexpensive ingredients? You likely already have most of these on hand, too! Making your own homemade cleaning products is a great way to minimize your household spending.
- Natural ingredients: Skip the harsh cleaners and unpronounceable ingredients. This homemade grout cleaner is made with four simple, natural ingredients.
- Sparkling grout: This is one of the most satisfying cleaning jobs you’ll ever do! It’s amazing just how dirty grout can be without you even realizing it. This homemade grout cleaner will restore your grout lines like they’re brand new.
- Make it in a minute: This recipe is so easy; you can mix the ingredients in about a minute and you’re ready to clean!
What You’ll Need
- Baking soda: Baking soda is a very effective natural cleaning agent as it is slightly abrasive and can remove dirt and grime. It can brighten your tile grout and remove hard water stains and soap scum. In addition, baking soda helps remove odors, leaving your house smelling fresh and clean.
- Hydrogen peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide will help break through the tough grime and whiten grout naturally.
- Castile soap: Castile soap is made out of vegetable-based oils, making it an all-natural liquid soap. If you don’t have castile soap, you can use any store-bought or homemade liquid dish soap for this recipe.
- Lemon essential oil: Lemon is an incredible essential oil for cleaning. It gives this cleaner an extra boost to break through dirt and will leave your grout and tiles sparkling. Plus, it adds a lovely, fresh smell!
How to Make Grout Cleaner
Step 1. Measure baking soda into a bowl and carefully add hydrogen peroxide, castile soap, and lemon essential oil.
Step 2. Stir until everything is combined and a paste forms. Add more hydrogen peroxide if it’s too thick to stir or spread. If it’s too runny, add a bit more baking soda.
How to Clean Tile Grout
Before you get started, vacuum or sweep the floor to get any loose dirt, crumbs, or debris off the grout before cleaning.
Step 1. Use a scrub brush, nail brush, or an old toothbrush. Scoop a generous amount of grout cleaner onto the brush and scrub the grout vigorously.
Step 2. When the dirt and grime are sufficiently broken up, wipe clean with a damp cloth or kitchen sponge.
Expert Tips
- If you have a large room with a lot of grout to clean, then you may need to double or triple this recipe.
- This recipe is meant for one-time use. Leftovers will not save well and should be discarded.
- An old electric toothbrush or an electric cleaning brush will make scrubbing easier and more effective.
- Add a small soft scrub brush attachment to the end of a drill to make a heavy-duty, strong grout-cleaning brush. This trick is especially good for large rooms. Just test a small, inconspicuous area first to ensure it doesn’t damage the grout.
- For highly stained or dirty tile grout, allow the cleaner to sit for 10-20 minutes before scrubbing.
- Allow the grout to airdry or put a fan on it to help it dry faster after cleaning. For best results, avoid stepping on the grout until it’s completely dry.
- Lemon essential oil is very helpful for dealing with tough stains on the grout or tile. For extra cleansing power, add a drop onto a stain and let it sit for a few minutes before cleaning it with the grout cleaner.
Recipe FAQs
Using vinegar once or twice on your grout will most likely not cause any problems. However, overuse of vinegar on grout is not recommended as it can corrode the grout and cause damage. If using vinegar to mop your tile floor, you probably won’t notice any issues, but allowing the vinegar to soak into the grout can be an issue. So, just to be safe, save your vinegar for your homemade hardwood floor cleaner and homemade laminate floor cleaner, and use hydrogen peroxide instead on your grout.
The ingredients in the homemade tile cleaner can help to whiten your grout naturally. If your grout needs a little extra whitening, you can use plain lemon essential oil.
Cleaning grout can be a very tedious job; however, it can make your floor look brand new when it is done. If you want to make the task easier, I recommend using an electric toothbrush, an electric cleaning brush, or a drill with a brush attachment and homemade grout cleaner. This will save your arms and make the process much easier!
You sure can! However, if your shower grout is growing any mold, you may want to read about how to clean mold out of shower grout for tips on managing that.
More DIY Cleaners
- DIY dishwasher soap pods
- Homemade reusable cleaning wipes
- Homemade leather sofa cleaner
- DIY beeswax furniture polish
- Cleaning a mildewy-smelling washer
If you tried this Homemade Grout Cleaner or any other tutorial on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Homemade Grout Cleaner
Equipment
- Scrubbing Brush
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide
- 1 teaspoon castile soap
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
Instructions
- Add baking soda to a small mixing bowl.
- Stir in the rest of the ingredients until it forms a thick paste.
- Scoop a generous amount onto the brush, and scrub into the grout to loosen the dirt.
- Wipe clean with a cloth or sponge.
Notes
- If you have a large room with a lot of grout to clean, then you may need to double or triple this recipe.
- This recipe is meant for one-time use. Leftovers will not save well and should be discarded.
- An old electric toothbrush or an electric cleaning brush will make scrubbing easier and more effective.
- Add a small soft scrub brush attachment to the end of a drill to make a heavy-duty, strong grout-cleaning brush. This trick is especially good for large rooms.
- For highly stained or dirty tile grout, allow the cleaner to sit for 10-20 minutes before scrubbing.
- Allow the grout to airdry or put a fan on it to help it dry faster after cleaning. For best results, avoid stepping on the grout until it’s completely dry.
- Lemon essential oil is very helpful for dealing with tough stains on the grout or tile. For extra cleansing power, add a drop onto a stain and let it sit for a few minutes before cleaning it with the grout cleaner.
Laura, Thank You so much
I have the hardest time keeping these apartment floors clean.
I think they are tile not sure.
I used your recipe and it made a big difference.
I have a teneco floor cleaner and the cleaner it comes with doesn’t even do much.
That’s great to hear!
I have been using baking soda and peroxide for grout cleaner for years. But it never occurred to me to add some lemon essential oil…that will smell nice!!
Yes, a great addition! Enjoy!
This works so great and is very easy to use!