Kitchen & Bath 101 For Home Sellers: How to Clean Even The Dirtiest Of Grout

Tile itself is easy to clean; in fact, its one of the easiest bathroom and kitchen materials to scrub. However…the grout that goes in between them…not so much. The problem with grout is that it’s extremely porous, and white (more often than not). Usually, it is the typical dirt and grime that stain the grout in the bathroom, and stained kitchen grout can be thanked to spills. Mold, soak, and mildew love to accumulate in grout. White requires lots of arm work, as you’ll be scrubbing for days to get rid of certain stains. Below is the best way that you can get your grout looking brand new, just in time for your home to be seen by buyers.

• The best way to begin is with plain water and a stiff bristle brush. Spray hot water into the grout lines, and scrub in a circle motion.

• If you have heavier stains, use a spray bottle with 1/2 vinegar, and 1/2 hot water. Let it sit in between the tiles for 5-10 minutes and then scrub it away with a toothbrush.

• A wonderful trick is lining the grout with baking soda, and then spraying that vinegar mixture onto it. When the mixture stops foaming, wipe it away with regular water.

• Don’t be afraid to bring out the hydrogen peroxide for heavier stains. You can use it straight out of the bottle, or mix it with baking soda (depending on the severity of the stain, the grout may require both).

• For tougher stains and grout, use OxiClean. No, OxiClean isn’t just for your laundry. It’s really a godsend when it comes to cleaning bathroom grout. Of course, there are different types of it, so you’ll have to read the back of the box to see what the label recommends. Let it sit for no longer than twenty minutes, but no less than ten.

• In extreme situations, you can use chlorine bleach. However, you should always run a test-patch when putting chlorine on grout. Test it in a spot such as behind the toilet, where nobody will see it, should it turn the grout a different color. You don’t want any of the cleaning products to eat at the grout. This is one of the main reasons that any mixture you use should be mixed with water, and why you shouldn’t leave any one solution on the grout for longer than 20 minutes.

• Steam cleaners are also surprisingly effective at cleaning grout stains. Don’t be afraid to try this method. It doesn’t always work, but depending on how bad the stain(s) are, it may be worth i.t

You should always clean your grout once a week. The important thing is to catch stains right when they happen. That way you only have to maintain.

1 Comment

  1. I really like this article. My personal takeaway from it, is that while there are a lot of things to consider in terms of when to sell your home, in my opinion, the “right” time to sell your home is when you are ready, and not before. You need the money and time to do touch-ups, and get your home ready to list which is a long process. Nobody’s house is “list ready” right this second. A lot of work goes into that. Of course, if the market is in a really bad spot, you should wait it out.

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