How to clean grout in showers
If you have a tiled shower in your bathroom, then it’s inevitable that you’ll need to clean the grouting – a job that no one really looks forward to. As a porous material, grout easily attracts bacteria which can quickly turn into unsightly mildew and black mould. Not only is this unhygienic it also ruins the look of your tiles and therefore your shower.
Regular cleaning will help keep your grout free from grime, but whether you need a deep-clean or a quick once-over, we’re here to share our top cleaning tips. Read to the end of the blog to find out what we recommend for cleaning the grout in your shower and elsewhere in your home.
Cleaning grout regularly will keep your shower tiles looking pristine.
Natural ways to get your grout sparkling
If you don’t like using chemicals, then there are a variety of natural methods that you can use to brighten up the grout in your shower.
Bicarbonate of soda/baking powder and white vinegar
Baking soda and white vinegar are great to use together for all sorts of cleaning and are therefore ideal when it comes to tackling tough grout stains.
What you’ll need:
- Cloth
- Bicarbonate of soda/baking powder
- White vinegar
- Water
- Scrubbing brush/old toothbrush
- Container for mixing
You can use an old toothbrush to scrub the grouting clean.
Before you clean the grout, wipe down your shower tiles with a damp cloth to clear away any surface dust and dirt. Next, mix together two parts bicarbonate of soda with one part water to form a thick paste and then apply this to the grout with your scrubbing brush or an old toothbrush. Leave it on for about 15-20 minutes and then rinse away with warm water and your grout should come up looking pristine.
NB For more stubborn stains, mix the bicarbonate of soda or baking powder with one part white vinegar instead. You can also use a cotton bud to get into those harder to reach crevices in your shower.
Lemon juice for grout-cleaning
Another way to clean your grout using ingredients from the kitchen cupboard is to use lemon juice, which has a natural acidity that’s great for general cleaning purposes and will also leave a fresh scent behind.
What you’ll need:
- Lemon juice
- Old toothbrush/scrubbing brush
Simply slice a lemon in half and rub it along the grout lines, letting the juice sink in. Again, leave it to sit for about 15 minutes before scrubbing with your brush and then rinsing the juice away with warm water.
Always make sure to rinse off whatever cleaning agent you’re using after about 15 minutes.
Cleaning grout with white vinegar
If you only have white vinegar to hand, then you can mix this with water, filling a spray bottle half-full of each liquid and then spraying this onto your grout. The natural acidity of the vinegar acts as a cleaning agent and is very effective at removing mould and mildew.
What you’ll need:
- Scrubbing brush
- White vinegar
- Warm water
- Spray bottle
Other grout-cleaning hacks for showers
If you want to use commercial products to clean the grout in your shower, then you can opt for bleach, toothpaste and cleaning sprays designed specifically for this purpose. We’ve subsequently listed some key cleaning hacks using these below.
Cleaning shower grout with whitening toothpaste
What you’ll need:
- Whitening toothpaste
- Scrubbing brush/old toothbrush
If your grout isn’t harbouring very tough stains or deep-set mould, then you can apply whitening toothpaste to the grout lines, as this contains bicarbonate of soda, which is an effective cleaning agent. Then, just scrub with your brush before rinsing and patting dry with a towel.
Rectified tiles have minimal grout lines but still need to be kept clean.
Using bleach to clean your grout
If you have really stubborn stains on your grout, then bleach is best saved for these, as it’s a powerful cleaning agent but, if used too frequently, can actually discolour your grouting.
NB When using bleach, always make sure you ventilate the room, opening any windows.
What you’ll need:
- Toothbrush
- Bleach
- Bicarbonate of soda
While you can simply dip an old toothbrush into a cap of neat bleach and scrub the grouting with this, mixing it with bicarbonate of soda can be even more effective for cleaning those stubborn stains. You can mix some bleach together with bicarbonate of soda until you form a thick paste and then apply this to the grouting. Leave for 15 minutes before scrubbing it away and rinsing with warm water.
There are lots of ways to keep your shower grout looking its best.
No matter what method you decide to use for cleaning grout in your shower, there are various ways to get it back to its best and, while it may still not be everyone’s favourite job, it’s relatively straightforward.
Also, if you keep on top of cleaning – spraying your grout regularly with a white vinegar and water mix, for example – then this will prevent any stubborn stains from forming and mould or mildew setting in.
For all your shower and tile needs, visit our website at bathshack.com. Alternatively, if you have any questions, just email our team at info@bathshack.com, call us on (028) 9077 0188 or use our online chat.
