Taking proper car of your grout will allow it to last longer and look nicer. This includes using the right types of grout cleaners and cleaning your grout on a regular basis. The 6 must Do’s of grout and tile cleaning are listed below:
Do use a disinfectant or a grout cleaner when you clean grout. Preferably you want to use one that will also kill mildew, mold and bacteria. For this I typically recommend 409 bathroom cleaner or Tilex. If you would like to also bleach the grout, than you can use Clorox, but be careful not to use to much or leave it on because it can eat through the grout or cause discoloration.
Do remember to carefully scrub grout. Older grout may be more difficult to be careful with. If you see the grout starting to come out, please repair or replace it as soon as possible. One time a tenant of ours didn’t tell us we had a problem with grout. Next thing you know, we had to go in and replace the wall in one of our showers and completely redo all of the tile work.
Do remember to completely dry off the area when you are done cleaning it. Although grout is water resistant, over time water will erode through grout.
Do remember to properly ventilate areas like enclosed bathrooms. This is especially true when you are using chemicals to clean with.
When needed it is a good idea to use cushion or knee pads to help you do your job. Being on hard tiled floors for long periods of time can be particularly bad for your knees.
If you find broken, chipped, or cracked tiles and grout when grout cleaning, do remember to replace these as soon as you can and to fix grouting problems before they become more severe.