Tile grout is hard to keep clean for a long time. It gets dirty slowly, and when we notice the dirt, there is a scary amount of stubborn dirt on the grout.
If you ever started cleaning the grout without proper research, you may realize the stain is tough to remove. So, what can you use for cleaning? Can you use hydrogen peroxide on grout? Keep reading to find out.
Using hydrogen peroxide on grout
Hydrogen peroxide is effective in cleaning dirty grout. 3% hydrogen peroxide is enough to clean grout. Adding other ingredients like baking soda, lemon juice, and tartar power can enhance the cleaning power of hydrogen peroxide. Generally, hydrogen peroxide is harmless.
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Are you worried about cleaning your grout? Without knowing the proper steps for cleaning the grouts, you may need to keep rubbing your brush for about two days. And even then, you will not get a satisfactory result.
But let me assure you, after reading this article, you should be able to clean your grout in a couple of hours. But let’s discuss some background information to build up a clear idea about the dirty grout issue.
First, hydrogen peroxide can work fine to clean your grouts. But you can enhance its cleaning power by adding some simple household items.
Hydrogen peroxide is corrosive and is commonly used in many different cleaning and polishing products. It has also been used to clean nails and hair.
So as you can guess, it’s nontoxic but can be problematic if someone consumes or gets into contact with the eyes.
Now, let’s try to understand why grouts get dirty and why cleaning is so hard. Grouts are the stuff that fills the gap between each tile. Grout is made of sand and other molecules.
As we know, sand can absorb water very fast. So, some water gets into the grout when you clean the tiles with water. The water is often dirty floor-cleaning water.
The water evaporates, but the dirt gets stuck in the grout. That’s the primary reason the grout gets dirty, even if you clean your tiles daily.
There are many other reasons why the grout gets dirty quickly. The grout is porous and absorbs moisture. It is a good breeding ground for molds, mildews, and other bacteria.
So, even if you clean the stains from the grout, the dirty-looking stains will build up fast until you don’t remove the molds and mildews from your grouts.
This is a common issue in the bathrooms and kitchen, as those floors often come into contact with moisture quite often. And the grout stains of those places are even harder to clean.
So, why is it so hard to clean the grout? Firstly, white grout gets oxidized by the air and gets yellowish. So, without a corrosive cleaning agent, it is hard to make that white again. And the built-up dirt inside the grout makes it even harder to clean with the proper method.
We will discuss the steps in the latter part of the article. For now, check if you can clean those types of grout with hydrogen peroxide.
Tile grout:
You can clean tile grout or regular white grout with hydrogen peroxide. And after cleaning, you get a satisfying result.
Colored grout:
Similar to white grout, you can clean colored grout with hydrogen peroxide.
Black grout:
Black grout is less likely to catch dirt due to its color. But you can still clean it like other grout with hydrogen peroxide.
Is it safe?
Hydrogen peroxide is considered safe for general use but must be used cautiously. But there are many things to learn about it. But don’t worry, I will keep it simple. This knowledge may help you in different situations.
Hydrogen peroxide is H2O with added oxygen, which means H2O2. It can give away oxygen and become water. The oxidation process makes it a great disinfectant and stain remover.
The oxidation process terminates the mold, mildew, and bacteria, so the grout gets free from microbial infestation.
There are two types of hydrogen peroxide. They are 3% and 35%. 3% hydrogen peroxide is known as medical hydrogen peroxide. As it has uses in disinfection of medical equipment.
You can use medical ones to clean the household cleanings. 35% are called food-grade hydrogen peroxide. Well, you cannot eat it. It is called food grade because it is used in the food industry.
So, is it safe for humans? There are three things you need to remember. Firstly, you cannot eat it and keep it away from children and pets. Secondly, keep it away from broken skins and eyes. Once, people used it to clean wounds, but the study shows it can harm the body.
And lastly and most importantly, keep it away from fire. It is not flammable but provides oxygen to the fire, making the fire uncontrollable.
How long can you leave hydrogen peroxide on grout?
If you use 3% hydrogen peroxide and only hydrogen peroxide alone to clean grout, leave hydrogen peroxide on the grout for one hour. But if you are using 35% hydrogen peroxide, 20 minutes will be enough.
There are many commercial products to clean the grout, and many of them contain hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is enough to clean your grout perfectly with proper steps. Commercial products work fine, but they are a lot expensive.
By using other items such as baking soda, citric acid, etc., with hydrogen peroxide, you can clean your grout even fast and easily. Check out the following section to learn how to clean grout with hydrogen peroxide.
How to clean grout with hydrogen peroxide?
There are two ways of cleaning grout with hydrogen peroxide. The first one requires just hydrogen peroxide, a brush, and time. Just spray 3% hydrogen peroxide on the grout and wait one hour. Then, rub the grout with a strong brush and clean the grout with water.
But if you have some other ingredients, you can clean grout faster and more efficiently. Check out the steps below.
- First, spray hydrogen peroxide on the grout. Wait about 30 minutes.
- Take two tablespoons of tartar cream and add some lemon juice. Make a paste with tartar cream and lemon juice.
- Now, take a firm toothbrush. Take some tartar paste on the brush and apply it to the grout.
- Start rubbing the grout area with the toothbrush. Use some muscle power if you need it.
- Then wash with clean water.
What is the best tile grout cleaner?
Many other grout cleaners help to clean grout without much hustle. Here is a list of grout cleaners you can use.
Bleach Cleaner Gel:
Bleach Cleaner Gel does an excellent job of cleaning grout. You can use it to clean other surfaces like sinks and tubs. It is easy to use, works quickly, and is recommended for large flats.
24 Hour Bathroom Cleaner:
24-Hour Bathroom Cleaner is another excellent product for cleaning grouts. Although it is a bathroom cleaner, it works on grout too. It also helps to remove mold, mildew, and bacteria stains from the grout. It also keeps the grout free from microbes for a long time.
Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover Spray:
Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover Spray help to clean grout without scrubbing. So if you don’t want to spend time scrubbing, this product is for you.
As the name suggests, it is also super effective against mold, mildew, and bacteria. It removes 99.99 percent of microbes in just 5 minutes.
Gentle gold grout cleaner:
Gentle gold grout cleaner works effectively to clean grout and other stone surfaces. It is also effective to remove the microbes that cause stains. It is suitable for washing white and colored grouts.
Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner:
Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner is one of the safest grout cleaner options on the market. It has an EPA safer choice certificate. So if you are worried about pets and children, you can use it. It works best to clean the white grout.
Final Thoughts
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the cheap and effective items you can use to clean your grout. Its oxidizing ability removes the dirt from the top of the grout. Make sure to wear gloves and eye-protective glasses while cleaning. After completing, keep the bottle in a cold and safe place.