I've tried a multitude of cleaners, both commercial and homemade products. I'd even tried using straight bleach to get the grout back to its original color! But nothing seemed to work. I was resigned to scrubbing it by hand with rags and special brushes, and never truly getting it clean.
Until, on a whim, I decided to try toilet bowl cleaner. I don't know why- I was desperate. And it worked! It was wonderful! It cut my cleaning time in half and did a much better job than I ever had. I'm a true believer now, so I'll share with you how I do it.
I've tried several different types and brands of toilet bowl cleaners, and by far the best has been the Target brand generic cleaner.
The process is pretty simple. Squirt the cleaner directly into the grout. If you get some on the tiles, it's fine, but the floor will be slick until cleaned off, so be careful.
Cover all the grout you wish to clean. I don't have the patience to do my entire kitchen at one time, so I split it up into sections and work on it over a few days. I like to leave the cleaner on for at least 20 minutes, so I wait until the kids go to bed and get to work. I just cover the grout in the area I'm working on, then go take a shower or put away some laundry for a while.
You can see the cleaner start to bubble as it works out all the dirt. Because the grout is very porous, it holds onto dirt and crumbs. This bubbling really helps dig it all out.
Next, I just take a towel and wipe it off. You'll be amazed at the dirt and grime it picks up!
While the grout is still wet, it will appear darker. But rest assure, it's much cleaner! If you are worried about residue on the floor, or have pets and toddlers who eat off the floor, a quick rinse with a wet rag or sponge mop will clean it up.
Behold, your now clean grout!
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