Many toilet cleaners contain sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite. These two ingredients help to remove stains and grime on porcelain or tile surfaces as well as grout. Though they can be toxic in large amounts, they do work to effectively clean grout.
The best way to clean shower grout, or tile grout elsewhere in the home, is to start with a mild cleaning product such as Lysol® Hydrogen Peroxide Bathroom Cleaner. This is because using bleach to clean grout (and other harsh chemicals) can result in a reduction in its longevity.
Well, yes, if needed for spot cleaning on occasion, bleach will likely get the stain out of your grout. However, using Clorox for your everyday grout cleaning will not rid your grout of mold. Mold growth deep within the pores of your grout cannot be defeated with Clorox bleach.
Remember the tip on avoiding bleach, ammonia, and other harsh chemicals to clean grout. It would be best if you also avoided vigorous scrubbing. A rough brush and too much elbow grease will remove the dirt, but it could also remove the grout. Another way to prevent grout damage is to use a squeegee on shower walls.
Chemical cleaners, such as, Tilex, Soft Scrub, Scrubbing Bubbles, or ammonia products will nearly always result in your tile surfaces' grout becoming very discolored. If you do choose to utilize a cleaner, make sure that it's neutral in pH level to ensure it doesn't damage your grout.
Acidic Cleaners
Cleaners that have a high chemical pH or are acidic will begin to eat away at your grout and make it more fragile and porous. Stay away from cleaners that contain vinegar and citrus. This will eat away at the top layer of the grout and cause the need for replacing grout lines sooner.
Most toilet bowl cleaners can work double duty in your shower. They contain chlorine bleach and strong acids that will cut through the grime.
White vinegar is a versatile cleaner that can effectively maintain clean grout without damaging it. Mix a solution of one part white vinegar and one part warm water in a spray bottle.
And while there are several grout cleaning products on the market, you might have something in your home right now that works just as well — toilet bowl cleaner. That's right — regular old toilet bowl cleaner that comes in a squeeze bottle can clean grout!
By the way: Powdered soda can be used to clean grout in the same way as baking soda and baking powder. Using a steam cleaner to clean bathroom grout is the best solution if you don't want to have to scrub. The hot steam penetrates into the gaps and is a reliable way to remove dirt.
Combat Urine with Hydrogen Peroxide and Surfactants Together
The hydrogen peroxide in Clorox ® Urine Remover breaks down the odor at its source through oxidization and removes uric acid crystals. Surfactants, solvent and a low pH work together to clean urine stains from porous grout and other difficult surfaces.
Because of the strong chemicals in toilet bowl cleaners, which can break glass or natural stone and pose health hazards from fumes, it is not advised to clean shower doors. To remove soap scum and hard water stains, a solution of similar parts of white vinegar and dish soap is a risk-free and efficient alternative.
Steam cleaning or a machine scrubber are also great options for cleaning your grout professionally. Either type of machine could be a good choice for this type of cleaning work. Either of these processes might allow the avoidance of chemicals altogether, as well.
Since grout is still porous and requires cleaning to ensure that nothing penetrates it anyway. Some of your at-home options are scrubbing with a stiff brush and vinegar/baking soda mix, abrasive cleaners such as: Comet – its abrasive nature along with cleaning agents basically sand out the stains.
Grout is porous and usually sealed to resist stains. However, acid can degrade these silicone-based sealants, causing them to break down and wash away. Contrary to popular belief, this can happen with just one application of vinegar. Once the sealant is removed, dirt can penetrate the grout, leading to discoloration.
Make a paste by combining 2 parts powdered bleach and one part water in a bowl. Once you've achieved the consistency of toothpaste, apply the mixture to your grout lines. Let it sit there for 15 - 20 minutes, then use a brush to scrub vigorously.
If you're a die-hard DIYer, using Dawn dish soap alone can be a safer option for mild cleaning. Dilute a small amount of Dawn in warm water, scrub the grout with a soft brush, and rinse thoroughly. However, this method is less effective for tackling stubborn stains or deep-seated grime.
It's important to use caution when selecting a cleaner for grout since it's porous and sensitive to certain cleaning products. Some solutions, like vinegar or certain toilet bowl cleaners, can corrode and damage the surface.
Use a small amount of the toilet cleaner on the grout and leave it on for five minutes. If the grout does not appear damaged, you can proceed to use the toilet cleaner on the rest of the grout.
One effective and readily available option is white vinegar. Its acidity helps break down soap scum, mineral deposits, and grime. To use vinegar as a cleaner, mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then spray the solution onto the tiles and grout.
Household cleaners that contain bleach or ammonia rank 11 to 13 on the pH scale, which means they are highly alkaline. Though alkaline solutions cut through dirt and grease, they will erode and discolor grout.
There are a variety of solutions to clean your tile such as baking soda or vinegar with water, OxiClean, or many other spray cleaners designed to be safe for your grout. If the grout lines are a light color, bleach or hydrogen peroxide solutions can be a good product to clean and sanitize the tile grout.
Soap residue and body oils also create a food source that encourages mould growth. Once mould develops in porous grout joints, no amount of scrubbing can resolve it. Using chemicals to get rid of the mould won't help either, they will just eat away at the grout which can cause more damage.