Cleaning kitchen tile and grout is most people’s nightmare. It is porous and tricky to clean. Many people even look for homes without grout to avoid cleaning it. It can be a challenge that you don’t want to face, but PCS Carpet Systems can give you kitchen tile and grout cleaning tips below.
Different Types of Grouts
Before you start cleaning your grout, it’s important to understand the different types of grout.
Sanded Grout– Sanded grout is made with sand grout and cement, which is the grit you can see and feel when walking on it. It’s a good choice for high-trafficked areas, but it is not the best when it comes to looks and a smooth finish. Tile layers use sanded grout in larger grout areas.
Un-sanded Grout– Un-sanded grout is also made with cement but with no grit. This works well with polished stones and surfaces like shower walls. Floor installers also use un-sanded grout for smaller and more narrow areas. It is easier to work with and an easy clean-up for them. Un-sanded grout also looks smoother than sanded grout.
Epoxy Grout– Epoxy grout is a great grout that holds up better than any others when it comes to water stains, shrinking, and sagging. This grout repels about 50 percent of water and is stronger than the other grouts.
Epoxy works very well in harsh environments like kitchen backsplashes and bathroom tile grout. Epoxy is also very easy to clean compared to sanded and un-sanded grout and easily returns to its original color. This is a big bonus if you prefer lighter-colored grout. The list of benefits of epoxy can go on and on, so to add one more positive, it is also less prone to cracking.
Different Methods of Tile and Grout Cleaning
Each cleaning method has been tested on a 12-inch line of grout.
1| Magic Eraser
How To: To start, wet a magic eraser, squeeze out most of the water, and use it to scrub the grout.
Review: Magic erasers are great for those tough stains your child may have creatively placed on your wall with a marker. That’s a smooth surface with a cleaning job that doesn’t take too much scrubbing. Conversely, grout is very rough and destroys the magic eraser before it can get the stains out.
Leftover crumbs of the sponge end up all over your floor, and that is another mess you have to clean up. For those few reasons using a magic eraser to clean kitchen tile and grout is so far not the best solution.
2| Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide
How To: Mix hydrogen peroxide and baking soda in a bowl until it creates a paste with some runniness. Apply the mixture to a grout brush and start scrubbing away. This is a lot of physical work. One thing to remember is that the more baking soda you use, the more white residue that gets left behind. Once you are done scrubbing, you will have that to clean up after.
Review: This method is simple, and most people have the ingredients on hand. You do have extra clean-up, but if your grout isn’t too dirty, this may get the job done for you and can be used for quick clean-ups because the difference isn’t huge.
3| Tide to Go Pen
How To: This is a super easy method as it is just a pen. You simply remove the cap and start cleaning up what needs to be done. If you are unfamiliar with what a Tide to Go Pen has a stiff chiseled marker-like tip. When you press it down, the cleaning solution gets released. Once the solution comes out, you can use the chisel and work it into the grout or use an old toothbrush to scrub it even more because this pen mainly treats stains on clothes and fabric.
Review: Tide to Go Pen seems to make a little bit of a difference on the grout, but it doesn’t seem to be a noticeable difference. Not only does this not seem to work well but think about cleaning an entire room, bathroom, or kitchen with something the size of a marker. Let’s keep going to see if something else will work better for you and your home.
4| Baking Soda, Lemon Juice, and Vinegar Mix
Vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner but mild enough to be safe for families. Its acidic components make it good at cutting through grit and grime. Lemon juice has mild bleaching properties, and baking soda will combine the vinegar and lemon juice to make a cleaning paste.
How To: Mix together 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of white vinegar in a small bowl. It can be a bit runny, but it makes it easier to mix your cleaning brush in it. When you are done, wipe away the excess mixture.
Review: So far, this seems to be the best cleaning method when it comes to doing it on your own with what you have on hand.
“I was surprised by how well this method worked. As I scrubbed the solution onto the grout, I saw dirt lift right before my eyes. This method is a great contender — especially because most of us already have everything we need to make it.” – Says a homeowner from thekitchn.com
5| Zep Grout Cleaner
Zep is a cleaning brand with many cleaning products, which seems to be popular among customers. It’s a watery consistency and is easy to glide along your grout. It comes in a large 32oz. bottle.
How To: Grab a bottle of Zep grout cleaner from a local hardware store. Once you get your cleaner and you are back in the area, you need to clean, drizzle the grout cleaner along the grout and let it sit for about 10 minutes. You can instantly see the grout cleaner work, but if you have time, let it sit, as it will lighten up the grout even more by pulling out debris.
Review: The only setback of using Zep is that it’s a powerful cleaner typically used in a commercial setting. When it comes to cleaning, though, this product works amazing. While using this product, you should wear goggles and gloves to protect your eyes and throat from fumes. Also, make sure you keep this product away from pets and children.
Contact Professionals to Clean Kitchen Tile and Grout
When you’re looking for your next carpet and tile cleaning company, contact PCS Carpet Cleaning Systems for your next cleaning. We are a family-owned business that spans over three years. We ensure to provide the best cleaning you’ve had and excellent service beyond that.
Some of the services we provide are oriental carpet cleaning, mattress cleaning service, wood floor restoration, carpet dying, and more.