To hold and stick the tiles to the floor or wall requires the use of an adhesive that takes several days to dry; this necessitates the use of grout. Grout is a filling placed between your tiles to seal the adhesive in and also ensure air to pass through to allow the drying to continue.
This indicates that grout is very porous, so it will absorb dirty water and other things. This makes it impossible to take it out.
Even the floor cleaning methods do not clean the grout; instead, they make it dirtier and darker in color. Even though tile and grout restoration will require the services of a professional, there are some tips that you can use to improve the grout appearance.
1. Use a mixture of baking soda and water
You need to use hot water on the grout and then put baking soda on it. After letting it sit for 15 minutes and allowing it to absorb into the grout, spray hot water on the grout again. After this, use a toothbrush to scrub each and every grout line properly and thoroughly. This will lighten your grout lines and make them look much cleaner.
We can notice that this is the most popular solution. It is a well-known fact that baking soda has some excellent cleaning features. Also, unlike many products that can be used in kitchen and bathroom, this ingredient is completely safe.
2. Use carpet cleaner spray
You will need to purchase a good carpet cleaner and directly use it on the grout. After spraying on the grout, wait for 5 minutes and then scrub with a toothbrush. There is no need for mixing, which can save your time and effort. Even though carpet cleaners are strong chemicals, they are not harsh like bleach. So you can effectively use these to see results quickly.
There is a great selection of these products on the market. Therefore, you should research the available ones and check which one of them might be the best option for the grout cleaning. You can visit some forums to see if other people had recent experience and look for some recommendations.
3. DIY a spray
You can make a spray for grout cleaning purposes at home. Make a mixture of 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and 7 cups water in a spray bottle. Spray this mixture amply on the grout and scrub with a toothbrush immediately.
You can add more spray if needed. Also, ensure that the brush you use is a new one or an absolutely clean one so that there is no chance of making the grout even dirtier. Also, there are other options when it comes to DIY cleaners.
You can combine half of the cup of baking soda with one cup of Epsom salts and a quarter of liquid soap. If you are interested in this option, be sure to rinse the tiles properly since there will be a lot of foam. Besides that, you can mix the hydrogen peroxide with baking soda and apply it to the tiles. It should remove the dirt by letting it stay for around ten minutes.
The combination of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda represents the best option. You will need to combine one cup of each ingredient. This solution is perfect when you avoided cleaning the grout for a longer time since it might manage to retain the color like it was when the tiles were installed.
When it comes to all of these options, it is important to consider the size of the surface when you are determining the best solution and the amount of ingredients required. Using the highly efficient combination with hydrogen is very effective, but using it in a closed area without the proper ventilation can cause health issues.
Therefore, you should try using some other combination. Another decent option is to mix the essential oil with baking soda and hot water. This will make the tiles look shiny, and it should remove most of the dirt from the grout.
4. Use a drill
Instead of manually scrubbing, you can use a drill to scrub and save a lot of time and effort. You will have to put the machine screw through the brush head in the middle so that the screw head is on the bristle’s side of the brush. Then attach the washer on the long side of the screw and then bolt it in place but not too tightly. Now put this on your drill and use it to scrub the grout with any solution.
However, you have to be careful with the drill because you could harm yourself, or even break some tiles if you apply too much force. The drill should be an option only for the most challenging spots. on the other side, a simple brush should be enough in most cases. If you are using a standard kitchen brush, be sure that you applied enough force when cleaning the tiles. There are all kinds of alternatives with even better features.
After brushing, you should wait for at least 10 minutes, and then use the mop to clean the surface. Clean it several times, and then check if there are some spots where there is still dirt in the grout. Repeat the same cleaning process until all tiles and space between them are clean.
In conclusion
It is important to remember that this DIY is only for giving your grout a better appearance. So if your grout contains mold or mildew and is giving off a bad odor or is extremely discolored, then you cannot clean it yourself and will need the help of a professional.
Even though there are many tutorials online for replacing grout, you should always seek the advice of a professional so that you do not end up damaging your tiles. There are several grout cleaning companies online that offer professional advice and services. So you should consider them instead of taking the risk yourself.
Moreover, being too determined is not always the best option. For instance, maybe the mixture you made for cleaning is too strong, and you can even damage the tiles with the process, while the dirt will still remain in the grout. If there are some challenging spots, the best solution is to hire an expert who can make it look as good as new.
