Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Clean with baking soda and vinegar
• Method 2 of 2: Remove stubborn stains with hydrogen peroxide
• Necessities

If you don't clean your grout, they will lose their bright white color and turn an ugly brown. Baking soda makes it easy to remove dirt, mildew, and stains without hiring a professional. To get your grout clean, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply the paste, use vinegar and scrub the grout. For more stubborn stains, such as mold stains, treat with a baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste, apply to the grout and then scrub the grout.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Clean with baking soda and vinegar

1. Make a paste of baking soda and water. In a small bowl, mix equal amounts of baking soda and water.Stir through the ingredients until a paste forms that you can easily apply to the joints.
2. Apply the paste to the joints with a brush. Grab some paste with your brush and apply the paste to the joints. You can apply the paste with the same brush that you will be scrubbing the joints with later. You can buy grout brushes and other hard scrub brushes at hardware stores.
   • If you don't have a scrub brush, you can use a scouring pad or an old toothbrush.
   EXPERT TIP

   "You can buy a special grout brush, but you can get the job done with a scrub brush or an old toothbrush."

   
   

   Mix vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle. Make sure the water is warm before pouring it into the spray bottle or bowl. Mix the water with an equal amount of vinegar. Put the mixture in a spray bottle for easier application.

3. Spray the vinegar mixture on the joints. Spray the vinegar mixture on the baking soda. One spray is enough to make the baking soda fizzy.
4. Let the baking soda work for five minutes. You will see the vinegar react with the baking soda and everything is bubbling. During the five minutes, the dirt in the joints will be removed by the effervescence.
5. Scrub the grout. Use a grout brush to brush the baking soda deeper into the grout. You can also use a stiff brush, scouring pad, or toothbrush. Scrubbing requires muscle strength, but doing so will remove most of the dirt.
   • Look for dark places where there is still dirt in the joints. Try scrubbing these areas again or cleaning them with hydrogen peroxide.
6. Wipe away the remnants of the cleaners. After scrubbing, there will be dirty vinegar and baking soda residue in the grout. Wipe away the residue with paper towels or use old rags if you want to save paper. A sponge can also help loosen dirt particles and cleaner residue from the grout.
7. Mop the floor. You can give the floor a nice shine, but this is not mandatory. First, sweep or vacuum up any baking soda that is still on the floor. Then mop the floor as you normally do. Joints that you cannot reach with the mop can be wiped clean with a cloth that you have moistened with clean water.

Method 2 of 2: Remove stubborn stains with hydrogen peroxide

1. Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. In a bowl, mix two parts baking soda with one part hydrogen peroxide. Mix the ingredients to form a paste that you can easily apply to the joints.
2. Apply the paste to the joints with a brush. You can also apply the paste now with the same brush that you used to scrub the joints later. You can buy a special grout brush at hardware stores, but you can also use a hard scrubbing brush, a scouring pad, or an old toothbrush.
3. Let the paste sit for a few minutes. Let the paste soak in the dirt for up to five minutes. This should make it easier to scrub off stubborn stains and mold.
4. Scrub the grout. Use the brush to massage the paste into the joints. You should see the spots disappear. Keep scrubbing the stains by hand until they are gone.
5. Wipe away the residue. Use paper towels to wipe off the excess paste and dirt. If you don't want to waste paper, use old cloths instead of paper.
6. Mop the floor. You can mop the floor after cleaning as you normally do. In this way you remove all residues of dirt and paste that you have missed and let the floor shine beautifully. Any joints that you cannot reach with your mop should be wiped clean with a cloth dipped in clean water.

Necessities

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Atomizer
• Water
• Measuring cup
• Joint brush or other scrub brush
• Small bowls
• Cloths or paper towels