Soap Scum - Residue from soaps, shampoos, and other personal care products can build up and accumulate over time, leading to grout discoloration and yellowing.
The biggest culprits are mould and mildew, which can turn your grout an unpleasant grey colour, but a build-up of shampoo and shower gel can also turn your bathroom grout an unappealing shade of yellow or orange.
It's either Improper (dry) mixing of the grout or improper sponging/washing right after it was grouted. It does matter how much time you wait, how many times or which direction you are wiping off the grout.
Baking powder is actually a tried-and-true way to clean bathroom grout. First, mix some baking powder with water to create a thick paste. Then apply this paste to the grout and let it sit for about an hour. The grout can then be rinsed with clean water and any reside that remains can be wiped away with a cloth.
Hello and thank you for your question. Yes, the color of grout can be affected by the amount of water used. Often the grout will dry to a lighter color than expected/desired if too much water was used, though the opposite is also possible with some grouts.
Just corrected this problem yesterday in my shower. Mixed baking soda with hydrogen peroxide, into a paste - applied to grout lines by scrubbing with an old toothbrush. Leave for 15–20 minutes, & wash off. Not perfect, but generally works.
Hard Water - Hard water stains do a number on grout! The minerals from the hard water can slowly change the grout from white to yellow. Dirt - Believe it or not, but various dirt, debris, minerals, and residues will stain grout if it's not cleaned off right away or cleaned properly off the grout.
Some professionals swear by a simple mixture of baking soda and peroxide to clean grout. Hydrogen peroxide is an acid, and baking soda is a base compound. Mixing the two together creates a reaction that can penetrate the grout lines and free dirt and debris.
Yes, hydrogen peroxide is a natural neutral cleaner that is safe to use on grout. Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda produce oxygenated bleach, which is highly effective for cleaning grout.
Method 2: How to Get Grout White Again with Lemon Juice or White Vinegar. Saturate the grout with lemon juice, a mild disinfectant that gets rid of grout stains naturally. You can also use white vinegar for chemical-free grout cleaning.
Hard water exposure is one of the main reasons why grout turns yellow. Constant exposure to minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron causes discoloration. A practical solution for this problem is to use water softeners to reduce the mineral content.
Use a diluted hydrogen peroxide for safe rust removal. In a spray bottle combine 1 cup water with ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide. With circular patterns to scrub clean with a soft bristled brush or sponge, saturate the stain well and in between applications.
Mildew can often show up as a yellowing of grout. Mold and mildew are fungal growths that thrive in damp and humid environments, while Serratia marcescens is a bacterium that is responsible for the pink or reddish-pink discoloration on grout and other surfaces.
Tackle orange stains on grout caused by hard water with white vinegar or lemon juice. Fill a spray bottle halfway with the white vinegar or lemon juice, then mix in some warm water. You can add a few drops of dish soap for extra cleaning oomph.
Baking Soda and White Vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar mix to combine a great DIY, natural cleaner for your home. Start by creating a solution that's two parts white vinegar and one part water into a spray bottle, then spray all the orange stains. Allow that to sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
Iron in the water.
Your household water supply might contain high levels of iron, which combine with leftover soap scum to form a rusty orange deposit on plumbing fixtures, tubs and sinks.
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.
Getting in between the tiles is hard but OxiClean™ can make keeping your grout sparkling white easy. Always refer to packaging for directions. MIX Fill to line 4 per gallon of water. For some surfaces, like grout, a more concentrated solution/paste may be needed.
Chemical cleaners, such as, Tilex, Soft Scrub, Scrubbing Bubbles, or ammonia products will nearly always result in your tile surfaces' grout becoming very discolored.
For floors, steam mops are highly effective for cleaning grout. Just like the handheld steam cleaner we tested, a steam mop can clean and sanitize your tile and grout without resorting to harsh chemicals.
Orange stains can either mean mold or iron in the water that is discoloring your grout.
This really works! The grouting around the tiles in our kitchen and bathroom was looking very tried with several black damp spots. The grout pen covered it all in one coat and was very simple and quick to use. We added an extra coat on the very stained sections and now it all looks like fresh grouting.
Use Boiling Water
Use a scrubbing brush to gently scrub the grout in a circular motion. Do this in small patches at a time, so that the water doesn't have too much time to cool. The heat will release the grime.