If you follow the grout cleaning tips that I have given elsewhere in this blog, then you will be cleaning your grout regularly, perhaps even small sections every day. If that is the case, then you probably do not want to use bathroom cleaners all of that time because it can get expensive. There are some household concoctions you can make that will do just as good a job and will cost a fraction of what you pay for commercial cleaners.

If you are doing regular weekly cleaning of your grout and there are no stains to worry about then you can simply use liquid dish soap alone or a solution of dish soap and water. You can scrub lightly with the soapy liquid and then rinse with clean water. This solution is not abrasive and will not eat away at your grout as long as the grout is sealed.

If there are stains in your grout, or if you are cleaning grout in your shower where mold and mildew could be a problem, then you might want to consider something a little stronger. Grout cleaning chemicals need to be more like a paste than a liquid because you do not want to flood the floor you are working on. You want the cleaner to stay on the grout so that it can work at the stains. That is why baking soda is one of the best grout cleaning agents you can have. A baking soda paste made with any number of other household items will do a great job at fighting stains in your grout.

Water is the simplest thing to add to make your baking soda paste. You can also use lemon juice. The acidic lemon juice is great at cleaning. All citrus works well to break up grease and fight stains. That is why you find so many orange based cleaners on the market. Another recipe is a combination of baking soda, ammonia, and vinegar. This solution is best saved for really tough stains because it is stronger. My favorite homemade grout cleaner is made of equal parts baking soda, salt, and vinegar. The salt gives it an abrasive quality which is god for scrubbing out dirt.

If mold and mildew are a problem then you might consider a solution of chlorine bleach and water. Bleach is a strong cleaner and there are certain precautions you should take when using it. First, make sure the room is well ventilated so that you do not become overcome by the fumes. Second, it is possible for chlorine bleaches to discolor or fade your grout so make sure you test it in an inconspicuous area first before using it on all of your grout. If a stain is particularly bad, then you might consider making a paste with chlorine bleach and baking soda so it can sit on the grout for awhile.

Another strong cleaning agent you can use to fight stains and kill mildew and mold is hydrogen peroxide. Just like with chlorine, you can make a paste if you want to let it sit on the stains for awhile. Hydrogen peroxide should almost always be diluted with water because it is too strong to use by itself on your grout.