Follow These 3 Steps to Remove Grout from Your Bathroom Tiles

Grout is used to fill the joints between bathroom tiles and make them bond well to one another. The problem with the material is that when it is exposed to the warm water in the bathroom for an extended period, it develops mould and starts deteriorating. Typically, grout is applied to a thickness of about a quarter of an inch or less, and it helps improve the water repelling properties of the floor. It is possible to remove old grout if it has started getting the ugly dark colouring that comes from mould. Here are the steps that you should follow when cleaning up old and dirty grout from the bathroom tiles cleaning the tiles.

Surface cleaning

The bathroom is usually more susceptible to getting filthy grout because of the soap and dirty bathing water that flows on the floor each day. The first step in the process should be to clean the surface of the tiles with hot water to remove all the adhering dirt and grime. You can allow the water to stay and soak on the floor for half an hour or more. When the dirt has loosened up a little bit, the next step in the process will be using a scrubbing brush to remove the dirt. When the loose dirt has been eliminated, the floor is ready for the next step in the cleaning process.

Using a grout cleaning solution

The next step should be assessing the tiles to see how deep the staining goes. You can use a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water or get a professional grout cleaning chemical from the store to handle the cleaning process. If the stains are incredibly stubborn, you need to mix two parts of baking soda with one part water and use a hard bristled brush to scrub the tiles clean. Sometimes, even regular bleach will do a great job of removing stained grout.

The sandpaper fix

The other way that you can remove stained grout from the floor is scrubbing it thoroughly using sandpaper. This may be a little intensive, but once every corner of the house has been cleaned up, it will be a few months before you need to clean again. When done with the cleaning, allow the tiles to air dry for several hours before resuming regular activity.

If the grout has visible signs of mould or mildew, it is possible to remove it and replace it with a new coating of grout. Cleaning the grout gives your bathroom and other tiled surfaces a clean and fresh look all the time. 

Contact a tile cleaning service for more information.