Cleaning ceramic tile grout ... question
 

Hi,

I have white ceramic tile in my kitchen and entry way area, in addition to my two bathrooms. It has gray grout. The thought of giving it a much-needed cleaning is a little overwhelming, but it needs to be done. Are there any products out there that really work or any tips that might make it easier? I don't want to have to do this often so I want to do it right when I do it! Thanks in advance! :)

Cindy

If you find something, I would love to know what it is. I've tried everything including bleach on our bathroom floor and I can't get the grout clean.

I DO know that, once the grout is clean, that you need to use a grout sealer (a clear liquid available at hardware stores) to re-seal the grout, so it's stays cleaner longer.

I don't know of one, but I will give one piece of advise!! Don't get it ON the tile...only on the grout! I had a tile entry in my last house and it was horribly dirty in the little dimples of the tile. I was cleaning the grout with something a neighbor had given me and noticed that it cleaned the tiles to brand new!! I cleaned and cleaned until they looked as perfect as the day they were installed and then my daughter walked on them in her socks and slid across the room!! The cleaner had removed whatever the tile is treated with to make it not quite so smooth :) That stupid floor scared me to death every day from there on out and I ended up buying a runner that covered the whole hallway after that :)

MARBLELIFE Maxout Tile and Grout cleaner!! It is a miracle in a bottle. We have been in our house 15 years and just used it to clean the grey grout in our kitchen floor. I had tried other products without much success. Honestly, it removed 99% of the stains in the grout. I think I found 2 small spots that won't come up. But all the food and dripped coffee stains are gone. It looks like new - really!
One tip: I went to Sally's beauty supply and bought a squeese bottle with a slanted tip and small hole in tip. It made the application so easy. You could just walk along the grout and apply as you walked. Using the main bottle, it came out way too fast.
My husband is not as excited about the sealant. Moisture still seeps in (especially where our dogs drink from the dish).
We ordered the products from Johnnie Chuoke's Home & Hardware | Just another WordPress site (he recommended it in our local paper) or you can go to marblelife.com.

Thanks for the info above. I know I need to do this so badly!! I will check out that Marblelife stuff and see what they say about it.

The thing is, I have used those disposable Clorox wipes to clean up spots here or there, and sometimes on the grout if the dirt got on it. It did clean it, but the thing is, those spots are now lighter than the rest of the tile which I assume is dirty. I don't like that!!

Any other tips or advice?

I have cream colored grout that had gotten especially dirty in traffic areas. I bought a little electric steamer ($40) and used the brush tip along with a little spray bottle of diluted Mr. Clean with ammonia. I did it all in one day spurred on by the fact that the cleaning rag I used to wipe each section after steaming was "black" and the grout looks like new. I didn't seal it, but have done little touch ups when needed. Get a steamer.

What steamer do you have? I have one that is a steam mop, Shark brand I think. Is yours hand held? Mine isn't. I'd be willing to give it a go for $40. I just want it clean!

Mine is a hand held from QVC.......it has several different nozzles for a more concentrated spray. I don't see a brand name on it, but it looks like an oversized blue teapot.

Let me just say that I had a problem a couple years ago getting my pool liner cleaned. I purchased pool stuff and everything else didn't work. Go to the Dollar Store, Dollar Zone or one of those stores and you but a bottle of "Totally Awesome." It costs $1 and it cleans everything! It cleaned my whole entire pool liner when nothing else would work. Try it! It is the best. Just try it and let me know how it works