Does anyone know of a good way to clean grout without spending a lot of money?

Answer 1

While you can certainly try cleaning stained grout. It would be much easier, faster, and cheaper to stain the grout. A bottle of grout stain cost about $10 and covers about 200 SF. They offer a variety of colors and you could even re-stain the grout white. I have done this about a dozen times with excellent results.

Answer 2

For some stains, simple household items like vinegar or baking soda can be effective cleaners. Use vinegar diluted with an equal amount of water, or make a paste of baking soda and a bit of water to clean the grout with. Spray or dab the cleaner onto a small length of grout and scrub with a stiff brush. Scrubbing in small circles rather than straight up and down will remove more debris from the grout. Rinse well with water and mop up and remaining moisture with a sponge or paper towels.

Generic household cleaners such as Mr. Clean, Lysol, or powder-based cleaners can also work on tile grout. Use as directed above for vinegar or baking soda, and make sure to rinse the grout well after cleaning. Alternatively, if you own or have access to a steam cleaner, try using it on your grout work. The pressure of the steam cleaner can loosen debris and stains that cleaners can't dissolve.

If your grout hasn't come completely clean, the next step is to try a commercial tile and grout cleaner. These are available wherever home cleaning products are sold. Try to find a cleanser that is pH balanced so that the chemicals in the product won't erode the grout with continued use. To get the best result from a commercial cleaner, spray it on and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing. Follow the directions on the label of the product to clean effectively.

For heavy duty stains, use even stronger products such as oxygen bleach powder, hydrogen peroxide, or chlorine bleach. These products should be well diluted before use. You can also find heavy duty cleaners at hardware stores or janitorial supply outlets. If you go this route, however, you will need to read labels carefully and follow directions to the letter.

Answer 3

After you've cleaned the grout, use a grout sealer or even ordinary car polish. I've done it, works great.

Answer 4

I would just regrout over it. Grout is inexpensive. You only need the grout, rubber float, and a sponge. Then use sealer when dry the next day.

Answer 5

An old toothbrush dipped in straight bleach.

Answer 6

rubbing alcohol with a tooth brush

Answer 7

Bleach will do it.