Even though the tiles in your bathroom, kitchen, etc. may still look presentable, if the grout between them is nasty, the entire area looks bad. Almost anything that grout comes into contact with – spills, oils, grime, grease – will be absorbed. That’s because it’s like a giant sponge; it’s porous. This could apply to foyer floor mud stains, kitchen cooking splatters, bathroom mildew, and more. But, it is possible to restore your grout and tiles to like-new condition.

Take a look at the following suggestions as to how to make your floor tiles sparkle and your kitchen and bathroom tiles shine.

Tile Cleaning

Ceramic, porcelain, and most other tile types can be cleaned easily with dish soap and warm water. Keep in mind, although it is used pretty commonly, vinegar (even when it’s diluted) is very acidic. Too strong of a cleaning solution, even vinegar, can etch stone tiles, damage and weaken the grout, and more. Rather, mix a gentle solution of dish soap and water and spray it on the desired area. All you need to do then is wipe it off with a damp cloth or microfiber.

Bathroom Tile Steam Cleaning

It can be exceedingly difficult to remove soap scum and that’s usually what’s on the surface of bathroom tiles, in addition to debris and surface dirt. Here’s a little hint that should help with bathroom tile cleansing. Before you actually start the cleaning process, spray the shower walls and tiled floors with your chosen surface cleaner. Now, for about five minutes, crank up that hot water and let the steam really build up. After that five minutes, wait 20 more for the steam and the cleanser to react. Once you wipe the tiles down with your clean cloth, you’ll be amazed at how easy the process was and how clean your tiles are.

Grout Line Scrubbing

Now that the tiles are clean, let’s pay attention to the grout lines. Grout can be made from various mixes. Stain resistance is boosted in today’s grout because it includes polymers and latex. Traditionally, cement and sand were used to make grout. The latter is very porous and will stain easily. The two best tools for this job are going to be patience and water. Let’s begin…

• With hot water, spray the grout.
• Use a grout brush or stiff bristle brush to lift any grime or dirt on the surface.
• Particularly effective are steam cleaners. Directly to the grout, apply steam.
• Now, in a circular motion, use your scrub brush.
• With a rag, blot away any moisture.
• You will have new-looking grout when it dries.

Why does water work so well? It’s particularly safe and gentle for grout because it has a neutral pH of seven. You can’t say the same for acidic cleaners which have a pH around two. Bleach and other highly alkaline cleaners have a pH at about 12, so those should be applied very sparingly (if at all).

For Stubborn Stains In Grout

If you’re still not happy with the look of your grout, repeating the process with more elbow grease may work. For really stubborn stains, many have had success with the Magic Eraser. They wear away fast though, when using them on grout, so you’ll want to buy a box of them.

In addition to cleaning northern New Jersey’s carpets and rugs since 1918, we also specialize in tile and grout cleaning. In fact, Riley’s Oriental Rug Cleaning offers a slew of special services. Contact one of our representatives today if you’d like to discuss which services apply to you.