How to clean grout in a shower, on floors and on counters

The short answer: how to clean grout: most grout comes clean with a few household supplies, a toothbrush and a little patience.

• Start gentle with a mild all-purpose cleaner
• Grime: a baking soda and water paste
• Mildew: diluted chlorine bleach
• Seal the grout to keep it clean longer
• Next step: Plan it with the Cleaning Schedule ($4.49).

Knowing how to clean grout makes a bigger difference to a room than almost any other cleaning job. Tile can look spotless while the lines between it turn gray, brown or black. The good news is that most grout comes clean with a few household supplies, a toothbrush and a little patience. This guide covers what to use for everyday dirt, stains and mildew, four homemade grout cleaner recipes, what to look for in a store-bought grout cleaner, how to scrub without damaging anything, and how sealing keeps grout clean for longer.

How to clean grout: the quick version

1. Clear and rinse the area so loose dirt is gone.
2. Start gentle with a mild all-purpose cleaner or a baking soda paste.
3. Scrub with a stiff toothbrush or grout brush along each line.
4. Treat stains and mildew with hydrogen peroxide or diluted bleach.
5. Rinse and dry the tile and grout completely.
6. Seal the grout at least once a year.

Why grout gets dirty

Grout is porous. It sits a little lower than the tile around it, so dirt, soap scum, cooking oil and spills settle into it and soak in. Consumer Reports' countertop care guide notes that while tile itself resists stains well, the grout can stain and mildew if you are not diligent about sealing it. In bathrooms, damp grout is also an easy place for mildew to grow.

What you need

Homemade grout cleaner: 4 simple recipes

You don't need a special product for most grout. These homemade grout cleaner recipes use things many people already have. Start at the top and move down only if the grout still looks dirty. Mix one recipe at a time, rinse it off completely, and let the area dry before you try the next one.

Recipe 1: Dish soap and warm water

This is the everyday option. Dip a grout brush in the soapy water, scrub along the lines and wipe with a damp cloth. It won't lift deep stains, but it keeps new dirt from settling in. Use it for the weekly wipe on floors, counters and backsplashes.

Recipe 2: Baking soda paste

Stir water into baking soda a little at a time until it holds its shape. Press it into the grout lines with your finger or an old toothbrush. Let it sit five to ten minutes, then scrub and rinse. Consumer Reports suggests baking soda and water for oil-based stains on ceramic tile, so this is the one to use near the stove.

Recipe 3: Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste

For gray or dingy grout, swap the water for regular 3% hydrogen peroxide from the drugstore. Mix it in a small bowl right before you use it, spread it on, wait about ten minutes and scrub. Consumer Reports names hydrogen peroxide for coffee, tea and juice stains on ceramic tile. Peroxide can lighten some colors, so test a hidden spot on colored grout first, and don't store the mixed paste.

Recipe 4: Diluted bleach for mildew

When you see black or pink spots in a shower, use the bleach mix from the table, with the window open and gloves on. Apply it with a toothbrush, let it sit a few minutes, scrub and rinse well. Never add bleach to any other homemade cleaner. Bleach mixed with vinegar or ammonia gives off harmful fumes.

What about vinegar? Vinegar shows up in many homemade grout cleaner recipes online. It is acidic, though, and Consumer Reports says acids like vinegar can damage some stone surfaces. If your tile is marble, travertine, granite or another natural stone, keep vinegar off it. On ceramic tile, the recipes above do the job without that risk.

What to look for in a store-bought grout cleaner

If homemade options aren't enough, a store-bought grout cleaner can help. We don't rank brands here; use this checklist to compare labels. Here is what to check so you can choose the best grout cleaner for your own tile and stain:

1. Safe for your tile. The label should name your surface. Natural stone needs a cleaner made for stone, usually one described as pH-neutral. Ceramic and porcelain can handle more.
2. Matched to your stain. Mildew cleaners are often bleach-based or oxygen-based. Soap scum and hard-water film need a different formula. Everyday grime only needs a gentle cleaner.
3. The right form. Sprays cover large floors quickly. Gels and foams cling to shower walls, so they stay on the grout long enough to work.
4. Clear safety directions. Look for ventilation advice, glove advice and a warning about mixing with other products. Follow the dwell time on the label.
5. A safer-ingredient label. EPA's Safer Choice label marks products whose ingredients EPA has reviewed for human health and the environment. It's not required, but it's a useful shortcut if you want a gentler product.
6. Colored grout instructions. If your grout is tinted, look for a product that says it is safe for colored grout, or test a hidden spot.

Homemade vs. store-bought grout cleaner

Whatever you choose, the steps below still apply. A grout cleaner loosens dirt. The brush, the rinse and the sealer do the rest.

Step 1: Start with a gentle cleaner

For regular cleaning, Consumer Reports suggests a gentle all-purpose spray cleaner on tile, and warns that harsh cleaning products can damage grout and glazed tiles. Spray the grout lines, let the cleaner sit for a few minutes so it can loosen the dirt, then scrub. For many kitchens and floors, this step alone is enough.

Step 2: Scrub with the right brush

A stiff toothbrush is the classic grout tool. Consumer Reports' 20-minute bathroom cleaning guide suggests that when a manual toothbrush's bristles are frayed or it has been in use for several months, you can retire it to cleaning duty as a handy scrubber for grout and crevices. A narrow grout brush with a handle helps on floors, so you don't have to kneel as long.

Work in small sections. Scrub along the line, not across it, and wipe away the loosened dirt with a damp cloth before moving on.

Step 3: Use a baking soda paste for grime

Mix baking soda with a little water until it forms a thick paste. Spread it along the grout lines, wait a few minutes and scrub. Baking soda is mildly abrasive, so it lifts grime without the scratching you get from scouring powders or steel wool. Consumer Reports suggests baking soda and water for oil-based stains on ceramic tile, which makes it a good choice for kitchen backsplashes and floors near the stove.

Step 4: Treat stains by type

Different stains need different treatments. Consumer Reports gives this guide for ceramic tile:

Apply the treatment with a cloth or toothbrush, let it work for a few minutes, scrub gently and rinse with plain water. Repeat if needed. Test any product on a small hidden spot first, especially on colored grout.

Step 5: How to clean shower grout and mildew

Shower grout is the hardest to keep clean because it is wet so often. Consumer Reports' list of surprisingly dirty places suggests scrubbing shower grout with a toothbrush dipped in a half-cup of bleach mixed into a gallon of water. For tile counters, CR suggests a stronger mix of 1 tablespoon of bleach to 2 cups of water for grout stains and mildew, or a special grout cleaner.

A few safety rules for bleach:

• Open a window or run the fan while you work.
• Wear rubber gloves and old clothes.
• Never mix bleach with other cleaners. Consumer Reports warns against mixing chemicals such as bleach, ammonia and acetone together.
• Rinse well with clean water when you're done.

If the mildew keeps coming back, look at moisture. The EPA's mold cleanup guide says that for mold in the shower or elsewhere in a bathroom that seems to reappear, more ventilation (running a fan or opening a window) and more frequent cleaning will usually keep it to a minimum. EPA also says to fix leaks quickly, scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry them completely. If the moldy area is larger than about 10 square feet, EPA points you to its guidance for larger cleanups, and you may want a professional. For black spots on caulk and the rest of the stall, see how to clean shower mold.

Step 6: Rinse and dry

Cleaner left in grout can attract new dirt, so rinse each section with clean water and a cloth or sponge. Then dry the tile and grout with a towel or let the room air out with the fan on. Grout that dries quickly is less likely to grow mildew.

Step 7: Seal the grout

Sealing is what keeps clean grout clean. Consumer Reports recommends sealing grout at least once a year with an interior grout sealer that is compatible with your type of tile. Clean the grout first and let it dry completely before you apply the sealer. Follow the product's directions for how long it needs to cure before the shower or floor gets wet again.

How to clean grout in different places

Mistakes to avoid

• Using harsh products. CR warns they can damage grout and glazed tile.
• Using steel wool or scouring pads. They can scratch tile and wear grout down.
• Using acids on stone. Consumer Reports says acidic cleaners such as vinegar can etch or dull natural stone like marble and granite, so keep them off stone tile.
• Mixing cleaners. Use one product, rinse, then try another.
• Skipping the sealer. Unsealed grout soaks up stains again quickly.

When cleaning isn't enough

Sometimes grout won't come clean no matter what you use. That usually means the stain has soaked deep into unsealed grout, the grout is cracked or crumbling, or mold is growing behind the tile. EPA notes that mold may cause staining and cosmetic damage, and that it may not be possible to clean an item so it looks the way it did originally.

At that point, you have a few options:

• Regrout a small area. Consumer Reports describes chiseling out a broken tile, setting a new one, then regrouting and resealing around it. The same idea works for a short run of damaged grout.
• Use a grout colorant or pen to even out lines that are clean but stained, following the product's directions.
• Call a professional for large areas, loose tiles or signs of a hidden leak.

Whatever you choose, fix the moisture source first. New grout in a leaky shower will stain and mildew just as fast as the old grout did.

A 15-minute weekly grout routine

You don't need a big scrub every week. A short routine keeps grout from getting bad in the first place:

1. Spray the shower walls and floor grout with a mild all-purpose cleaner.
2. Wait two or three minutes while you clean the sink or mirror.
3. Brush the darkest lines, usually corners and the bottom rows of the shower.
4. Rinse with the shower head or a damp cloth.
5. Dry with a towel or squeegee and leave the fan on.

Do the same for the kitchen backsplash once a week, and the monthly deep clean becomes quick.

How often to clean grout

Keep grout cleaner for longer

• Ventilate the bathroom during and after showers.
• Squeegee the shower walls so water doesn't sit in the grout lines.
• Wipe kitchen spills right away, before they soak in.
• Put a mat at the door to cut down on grit on tile floors.
• Reseal on schedule, so grout keeps repelling spills.

Put grout on the cleaning schedule

Grout darkens slowly, so it's easy to forget until it looks bad. A written schedule fixes that. Our Cleaning Schedule ($4.49) is a 9-page printable with daily, weekly and monthly checklists, a seasonal deep clean list, room-by-room checklists, a family chore chart and a cleaning supplies list. Add "wipe shower grout" to the weekly page, "scrub grout" to the monthly page and "seal grout" to the seasonal list.

If you'd like to get the whole home organized at once, the Home Management Bundle ($16.99) includes the Cleaning Schedule along with the Household Binder, Home Maintenance Log, Home Inventory, Moving Planner and Password & Accounts Log. Bought separately, those six come to $32.94.

You can browse every home organization printable in our shop, too.

For more cleaning help, see our deep cleaning checklist, our bathroom cleaning checklist and our guide to how to clean shower glass.

Your next step

Pick one area, like the shower or the kitchen backsplash, and give it a full clean this week: gentle cleaner first, then a baking soda paste, then a stain treatment where you need it. If the homemade grout cleaner recipes don't get it clean, choose a store-bought grout cleaner using the label checklist above. Once it's dry, write the date you'll seal it on your calendar, and add a weekly wipe to your cleaning schedule so the lines stay clean.

Once the grout is done, finish the rest of the room with our guide on how to clean a bathroom.