How to clean shower grout?

Cyndi Tetrault
by Cyndi Tetrault
  25 answers
  • Carroll A Carroll A on Jul 24, 2012
    Lysol makes a mold and mildew remover. But man is it strong smelling! Open all the windows! I spray it on and leave the bathroom, let it sit 10-15 and then rinse. I have had good luck with it.
  • What kind of tile do you have? Tilex Mold & Mildew REALLY works; but it does contain bleach and we don't recommend it on porous tiles like natural stone. You can spray, let it sit for a little while and scrubbing is barely required. It was a miracle in an old bathroom we were cleaning! But it does contain bleach and you do need to be cautious of fumes. Best I've found, though.
  • Mary Mary on May 03, 2015

    A half bleach and water mixture in a spray bottle will work if it's mold and not soap scum. Smiles and Blessings to you. : )*

  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Dec 22, 2019

    I had a spot I couldn't get clean, until I covered it with a paste of baking soda and water. I let it dry and then slowly saturated it with vinegar. Slowly, so I didn't wash away the paste. Then I let it dry again. After it had dried, I scrubbed it off. Any residue will loosen with more vinegar. It came clean, so hope it works for you!

  • Baxter Baxter on Dec 22, 2019

    I used Bar Keepers Friend and a toothbrush. It worked.

  • Rowgop (Pam) Rowgop (Pam) on Nov 06, 2017

    Rinse. Directions: Mix together the baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap. Spoon mixture onto grout, wait 5-10 minutes, scrub and rinse. Directions: Sprinkle baking soda ontogrout until it is covered, spray withhydrogen peroxide until it is wet, wait 10 minutes, scrub, and wipe clean.

  • Marion Nesbitt Marion Nesbitt on Dec 23, 2019

    I dropped tomato paste on my floor. Used hydrogen peroxide to lift the orange stain left after I cleaned it off.

  • Linda Sikut Linda Sikut on Dec 22, 2019

    I would use baking soda, water & vinegar in a spray bottle. It's been my "secret" method for years. Wishing you the best.

  • Patti Patti on Apr 29, 2017

    Hi,


    If you soak bleach onto a long string of cotton (like hairdressers use around the head for perms, etc) and let it sit overnight, you will kill the mold and your tile grout should be clean. You can simply tape it in place.Or, you could first try soaking the cotton wrap with vinegar. It will also kill the mold. It doesn't always remove all the staining though.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Feb 05, 2019

    Vinegar is a good way to get rid of mildew. You might try soaking paper towels and letting them soak & saturate to try and remove. You might also look into wet & forget shower, It's a great product to help clean & keep clean the shower area. I know you can't use it on marble but I think it's safe for all other surfaces. Check out the video on QVC. They sell it at Lowe's and walmart.com.

  • Ruby Lucas Ruby Lucas on Jan 01, 2019

    If it’s a small space you can use a bleach pen

  • Judy Ferrell Judy Ferrell on Apr 28, 2017

    Don't use bleach! Scrub with vinegar and baking soda till clean then seal.

  • Mix together 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of hydrogen peroxide, and 1 tsp dish soap. Apply the mixture onto grout, wait 5-10 minutes, scrub and rinse.

  • Tes25093325 Tes25093325 on Jun 12, 2017

    I like a product from Lidle called W5 Limescale remover, removes soak scum as well, wonderful.

  • Scarlet Paolicchi Scarlet Paolicchi on Dec 22, 2019

    If you don't have a steam cleaner, you can try baking soda and vinegar made into a paste and let soak for 5 minutes before scrubbing off with a toothbrush. If that still doesn't work, try this https://www.hometalk.com/diy/clean/bathroom/how-to-make-a-old-tile-grout-look-brand-new-3769479

  • Laura Cooper Laura Cooper on Dec 22, 2019

    The mold sometimes causes permanent staining. First, try spraying a soap scum remover such as scrubbing bubbles or lysol power bath and let it sit for several minutes. These products eat away the mineral and soap bond that we call soap scum and that is the organic substance that can grow mold. Bleach can lighten stains, but it won't remove this scum.

    After allowing the soap scum remover to sit, you can use a nylon scrubby to gently scrub away stubborn spots, then rinse. These products generally rinse easily so there's no soapy slippery film. They are designed for tile so they shouldn't damage your surface. You may need to repeat this step. If you still have a lot of staining, you can use a grout pen and color the grout lines.

  • Sue Lilly Sue Lilly on Jun 18, 2017

    Try bicarbonate soda mixed with toothpaste

  • Pamelalounsbery Pamelalounsbery on Jun 19, 2017

    I use baking soda and lemon juice as a paste and let it set then wipe off

  • Kelli L. Milligan Kelli L. Milligan on Oct 05, 2019

    Spray down heavy with Tilex. Let it sit for a few hours, occasionally spraying to keep it wet. Scrub down with a stiff brush and soft scrub. Rinse well. Once dry be sure to seal so you don't have to work so hard next time.

    You can also clean and paint your grout. We did that on a rental. Pained grout with white oil based paint 2 coats. Still looks good 5 yrs later.

  • Mogie Mogie on Oct 06, 2019

    1. Pour 4 tbsp. of oxygen bleach powder into a 2-gallon bucket. Add steaming hot water and stir until the powder dissolves completely.
    2. Dip a shop towel into the oxygen bleach solution. Wipe the grout with the oxygen bleach solution until it is saturated. Use a mop if you are whitening floor grout.
    3. Let the solution soak in for 30 minutes. Scrub the grout lightly with a scrub brush. Add more of the oxygen bleach solution and let it stand for another 30 minutes.
    4. Remove the oxygen bleach solution using a shop towel or a mop. Rinse the grout with hot water and wipe dry. Spot-treat any stubborn stains with more oxygen bleach, scrub it lightly and rinse.


  • Cindy Cindy on Oct 06, 2019

    I recommend using a product called "Oxi Clean Max Force". Do a test sample first. After that, use an old toothbrush to scrub it into the grout. Let it set a for 20-30 minutes. Then come back and wipe it all up with a clean, damp cloth. Repeat if necessary. I was very happy with results. Good luck.

  • Kay Kay on Dec 28, 2017

    I have said this, many, many, times! BI catd of Soda, made into a paste, with or without white vinegar. Use an old soft tooth brush, and gently scrub the scum away, then rinse off. Depending on how long, the scum has been there, you may need an another application. Happy New Year.

  • Pamela Pamela on Dec 26, 2018

    Usually a product with bleach works best , I use either comet with bleach or and make a paste with water ( or soft scrub with bleach ), spread it on the grout , let it sit for about 20 minutes, then scrub with a grout brush ( like an over sized toothbrush with stiff bristles ) then rinse . If necessary repeat . Unfortunately , sometimes it is too late and the mildew has embedded itself into the grout , at that point , the grout will need to be scrapped out and replaced . Make sure to open the window when using bleach and don't use other cleaners while using bleach , the mix of fumes can be dangerous !!! Once you have cleaned the mold/ mildew prevention is important, at least to make your life easier !!! Mold likes damp conditions !!! Always use the bathroom vent or crack the window. Also leave the bathroom door open , after your shower , to let the steam and dampness out and the room to dry out . You can keep a squeegee in or next to the shower and use it on the tiles/ shower door before getting out of the shower, this helps big time !!! By getting the water off the grout right away.

  • DesertRose DesertRose on Dec 26, 2018

    We use a Hurricane Turbo Scrubber. We ordered ours online, but you can get them at Walmart now and maybe other retail stores. They take all the hard work out. We use our regular cleaning soap, Simple Green , and it works just fine! They are about $40, but they do so much more on the oven, range top, even tires of the car! We love ours!

  • I use warm water, vinegar and a toothbrush. Labor intensive, but works like a charm and there's no chemicals...