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Tips on grout cleaning

We have covered how to remove grout however if your bathroom grouting isn’t too bad, it’s actually easy to clean. It is perfectly normal for grouting in a bathroom or shower to become discoloured, it is not that you have neglected cleaning the tiles, but natural spores in the atmosphere that thrive on surfaces when clean water, in the form of condensation is present. Because the surface of the tile is glazed, this means that spores will be easily washed or cleaned away when the bathroom or shower is used. However, the grouted joints, because this is porous, present a perfect home for these spores to grow, seen as black spots or mould.

If the grouting lines are not very bad, cleaning these is not a difficult job, but it will take some time and patience. If the grouting has become very deeply ingrained, the only solution may be to rake out the old grout and re-grout the tiled surface. Assuming that your grout is not too badly affected, you will need a small brush, a toothbrush is ideal, or a good washing brush and some cleaning solution, made from baking soda and vinegar, or for very stubborn stains a paste of baking soda and straight peroxide.

Apply the paste to the grouting lines and leave for approximately ten minutes, then using the brush scrub the grout lines and rinse off with warm water. For very lightly stained grouting, some proprietary sprays are available although not always long lasting as they can just mask the problem.

If your grouting has become very black and you do not want to go to the lengths of removing the old grout and re-grouting, small high pressure steam cleaners using a high pressure vapour are available, normally used by profession cleaners, this is another option for you to consider.

When the grouting is cleaned and looking like new again, it is worth while applying to the tiled surface the proprietary spray. If this is done about once a month, it will help kill any spores and prevent the tiles from becoming discoloured again.

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