Cleaning White Grout

House Doctor | Gary Dymski

April 12, 2001

Q. I have white tiles and white grout on my whole first floor in my home. I would like to know if you can recommend a good cleaner for the grout. Right now I have been using a commercial cleaner with bleach ... it works but the smell is driving me crazy. Having dogs and children, I can't seem to keep up with the cleaning. I have called tile stores and have asked around and the only answer is darken the grout ... Can you help?

A. ZEP makes a grout cleaner that's available at home centers. It comes in a quart-size container and squirts out. I've found this to be quite reliable for grout. Use a small brush; an old toothbrush is good but keep plenty on hand because they'll wear out. Scrub away and rinse with cold water. Once you get the grout clean, you can seal it with a latex that is designed specifically for mixing grout and tile adhesives. Use a foam paint brush to apply the latex. Apply it on the grout only and work slowly. If you get some on the tile, wipe with a damp rag.

As for your tile, several tile cleaning and sealing systems are available at home centers and tile stores. Once you've finished cleaning the grout, try applying a complete cleaning system in a small, hidden area. If it seems to work, use it on the whole floor.

If you don't succeed with the commercial grout cleaner, you can opt for a more professional approach. Some pro tile installers dilute muriatic acid to clean tile floors a day or two after they have applied grout. I would be very, very careful when cleaning grout with muriatic acid, which also is used to clean semidry cement from brick. Dilute the acid with water (2 parts water, 1 part muriatic acid). Test the solution on a hidden piece of tile to see if it will harm the glazed finish. Use a toothbrush to scrub the grout. Blot dry and then rinse with cool, clear water. Again, I'd use the acid only as a last resort.

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Wear rubber gloves and eye goggles when using all these cleaners and also keep the room well-ventilated.

Once you've cleaned the floor, keep it clean by limiting traffic. Have your children exchange their shoes for slippers as soon as they come in from outside. Keep the dogs from roaming the floor with wet and muddy feet.